As Michigan businesses open back up and life resumes some normalcy, we have been getting a lot of questions about social distancing with massage therapy.
Massage therapists all over the state have been virtually meeting, chatting, and discussing going back to work and conducting safe practices. We have been given specific guidelines and recommendations from joint efforts by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Agency (MIOSHA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Rest assured, All Body Kneads will be adhering to this guidelines and providing a safe, clean, and relaxing atmosphere for you to resume your massage therapy appointments. The even bigger news is that we have moved locations!
Our new location is 6910 South Cedar, Suite #4, Lansing, MI 48911. We are across the street from Lowe’s and in the buildling right next to Cause Way Bay Hotel to the south.
This move was in the works before the stay-at-home order was given, and the prolonged directive has given us time to move in, get settled, and make the space perfect to re-open. Stay tuned for specific open dates (tenatively Monday, June 15) and a Grand Opening celebration.
Related: A Guide to Self-Massage
Has this entire pandemic stressed you out?
I don’t think anyone has escaped this world-wide situation and experience without some level of stress and anxiety. It varies for each individaul, of course, but stress can sneak up on you and appear in subtle or unlikely ways. If you switched to working from home, your new “office” may not be ideal or all that comfortable. Your shoulders and upper back could be paying the price.
Are you experiencing any of the following hidden signs of stress and anxiety?
Frequent headaches. The cause of this can be from clenching your jaw, tensing muscles in your neck, shoulders or even your face, and possibly grinding your teeth (sometimes in your sleep – so you don’t even realize it.)
Body Aches. Stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response and blood rushes to major muscle groups with the anticipation of some action. However, most of us don’t react by taking of in a sprint to escape a lumbering predator. Your body still reacts like you ran a marathon – hence the muscle soreness.
Restlessness. Are you finding yourself tapping your foot (or hand), shaking your leg, or possibly experiencing restless leg syndrome while trying ot sleep?
Upset Stomach. It is really common for us to feel emotional stress in our stomach in the form or pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, or a mild upset stomach.
Skin issues. Stress can also cause acne an eczema flare ups. When you are stressed your body produces cortisol (a stress hormone) which can increase acne. Stress can also increase inflammation of the skin which can trigger (or worsen) exzema.
Increased sweating. As if you didn’t have enough to worry about, adrenaline is a by-product of stress and can cause you to sweat more.
Sleep issues. If you are experiencing stress and/or anxiety, it is common to suffer from insomnia, nightmares, sleepwalking, or other sleep disturbances. Chronic stress increases rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and decreases slow-wave or deep sleep. This throws off the body and disrupts cell and body maintenance and repair, resulting in sleep issues. When you are overly stressed, anxious, AND tired, life can become quite difficult
Immune deficiency. Besides producing more cortisol, stress also causes the body to overproduce hormones that regulate the immune system and affects your ability to produce white blood cells that fight infection. This weakens our immunity – the exact opposite of what we need during a pandemic.
Sexual problems including fertility. When we are stressed, anxious, or overly tired we often don’t feel in the mood for sex. We also may not be able to get aroused even if we try. There is a scientific reason for this. While stress causes the body to overproduce some hormones, it also causes the body to underproduce the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the body’s main sex hormone. This can lead to reduced sperm count, ovulation, and sexual activity.
Anxiety and panic attacks. We can only handle so much. Sometimes, when people are under too much stress they can experiene a panic or axiety attack. These can be very scary and sometimes feel like a heart attack or other physical issues.
Massage therapy can definitely help reduce stress. It may not fix or completely eliminate all the things in the above list, but it can definitely help.
Everyone in Michigan has been experiencing a heightened level of stress these past few months. When you feel ready we are here to help you unwind, relax, achieve better sleep, and practice self-care.
Please call (517) 898-2899 to schedule an appointment or book online.
