Rest and massages could become easy management tools to help anxious people.
Eighty percent of medical consultations are related to stress, according to the French Federation of Cardiology. It can increase the risk of suffering from certain diseases such as heart problems, stomach ulcers or aggravate pathologies such as asthma. A change in routine or medication can help reduce anxiety, but our body can also do it on its own thanks to the parasympathetic nervous system. When activated, it slows down various functions such as heart rate or blood pressure, and thus creates a feeling of relaxation. Researchers from the University of Konstanz (Germany) show that ten minutes of massage is enough to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. The results of their study were published in the journal Nature.
Variable intensity massages
The scientists carried out their work thanks to around sixty participants, divided into three groups. The first received a head and neck massage, of moderate intensity, to stimulate the vagus nerve, associated with the parasympathetic nervous system. Another group received a low intensity massage on the same area and the last one only sat, in silence without tactile stimulation. To measure the effects of these different techniques on stress, the scientific team measured the heart rate of the participants as well as its variability: the variation in the duration of the time interval between two heartbeats. This data helps to understand the reactivity of the parasympathetic nervous system. The higher the heart rate variability, the more relaxed the person is.
Rest also reduces stress
Ten minutes of rest or massage reduced psychological and physiological stress: all participants felt more relaxed after the experiment and heart rate variability decreased for all of them. The researchers found that the physiological reduction in stress was greater in participants who received a massage, either low or moderate in intensity. “Tactile contact seems to improve the relaxation of the organism”note the scientists in a communicated. “You don’t need professional treatment to relaxadds Maria Meier, lead author of the study. Someone gently stroking your shoulders or laying your head on a table for ten minutes is enough to stimulate your physiological relaxation system..” With her team, she now wants to test the effects of meditation and breathing exercises on stress.
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