Massage is a necessity, not a luxury.
The benefits of massage: an investment in well-being.
It is quite common to consider the massage as a luxury , a hedonistic pleasure we associate with scenes from *La Dolce Vita* in luxury hotels. However, massage—and self-massage—is an incredible tool for becoming more aware of your own body, releasing tension in the areas where stress and fatigue tend to build up, stimulating blood and lymphatic circulation, and firming the tissues that support the skin. The list of benefits It is extremely long, because in addition to the purely physical therapy benefits, we must also consider the effect that massage has on different areas of the brain.
The neuroscientist Nazareth Castellanos She is one of the leading experts on how hand movements on the body influence neural activity; it’s no exaggeration to say that massage is a holistic therapy that we should incorporate into our regular self-care and wellness routines. If we could do it daily, that would be excellent—and in fact, elite athletes do—but let’s be realistic: “ordinary” people don’t have the time or the means, or both, to get a daily massage, but at least once a month, it should be a regular part of our routine. In HAMMAM AL ÁNDALUS we likely have the best team of massage therapists; along with our water-based culture, massage is the cornerstone of our wellness system, from the introductory services up to the more specialized services, the assurance of reaping significant benefits for both body and mind is a given: rejuvenated skin, improved circulation, and relaxation of tense muscles and areas. Yes, massage does all this and more to help us feel better.
Let's not forget that in addition to putting ourselves in the hands of professionals, we can also use our own hands so we can treat ourselves to a self-massage whenever and however we like, at no cost.
The Best Step-by-Step Self-Massage
- Warm-up: Whether sitting or standing, start by rubbing your palms together until you feel the heat, then make fists and use your knuckles to tap the front of your thighs, moving up and down, 7 times.
- Start: Place the palm of your right hand beneath your lower ribs—this is the liver area—and place your left hand on top of your right hand so that your thumbs rest beneath your ribs. This is position 1. From this position, take a deep, slow breath, synchronizing the movement of your hands with your breathing. Feel how your abdomen expands as you inhale and contracts as you exhale, and how your hands move in rhythm with your breath, massaging the liver area.
Poner la máxima atención en la respiración desde el vientre, sin forzar la presión de las manos, solo dejando que acompañen al movimiento de vientre al respirar.
- Circles: Locate two circles on your abdomen—one extending from just above your navel to the bottom of your ribs, and the other extending from just below your navel to the bottom of your abdomen.
- For the upper abdomen: Place your right hand on your abdomen and your left hand on top of your right hand, then massage the area in circles—first clockwise, 3 times, and then counterclockwise, 3 more times.
- For the lower abdomen: Place your hands in the same position as before, on the lower abdomen, and massage in a circular motion, moving your hands first toward your right hip, then toward your left hip, 3 times in each direction.
- From knee to knee: Place your hands one on top of the other on your right knee, press down, and move up to your right hip; press down and move across your abdomen to your left hip; press down and move down to your left knee; press down again. Repeat at least 3 times.
- To finish, whether standing or sitting, open your hands and place your right hand on your right hip and your left hand on your left hip. Feel the pressure of your palms against your hips, take a deep breath, and exhale as slowly as possible, repeating this 3 to 5 times with your eyes closed.
This self-massage session is ideal for promoting relaxation. It can be done over light clothing, such as pajamas, but it’s best to perform the self-massage directly on the skin, as this activates all the nerve endings and multiplies the massage’s effects exponentially. For this reason, we recommend using a good massage oil, such as the Aceite Hidro-Nutritivo de EL JARDÍN DE HAMMAM, elije el aroma que prefieras.