The Role of Massage in Supporting Your Immune System
- Finn Elias-Schofield
- May 19
- 3 min read
How Regular Massage Can Help Reduce Stress, Improve Circulation, and Encourage Relaxation
In our fast-paced world, supporting a healthy immune system has never felt more important. While nutrition, movement, and sleep often take the spotlight, massage therapy is a powerful, yet often overlooked, tool that can play a supportive role in maintaining overall wellness.
At Connected Chiropractic, we believe in the interconnectedness of body and mind. Massage isn’t just about easing tight muscles - it may also offer immune-supportive benefits by calming stress, improving circulation, and encouraging a deep sense of relaxation. Let’s explore how regular massage could complement your wellbeing journey.
Stress and the Immune System: Finding Calm in the Chaos
Ongoing stress can influence how well our immune system functions. Elevated cortisol levels - our body’s primary stress hormone - have been shown to suppress certain immune responses over time, making us potentially more vulnerable to illness.¹
Massage therapy may help lower stress by encouraging the body into a parasympathetic (relaxation) state. This natural shift can help reduce cortisol levels while increasing serotonin and dopamine - chemicals linked to improved mood and emotional wellbeing.² Through this calming process, massage creates an environment where the immune system can operate more efficiently.
Circulation and Lymph Flow: Nourishing the Body from Within
Efficient circulation supports immunity by transporting oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells throughout the body. It also helps remove metabolic waste and toxins. Massage can gently stimulate blood flow and lymphatic movement - both essential to maintaining internal balance.³
The lymphatic system, in particular, plays a key role in immune defence, carrying white blood cells that help detect and manage pathogens. By encouraging movement in this system, massage may offer indirect support to your body's natural defences.
Relaxation and Recovery: The Mind-Body Connection
Relaxation isn’t a luxury - it’s a vital part of health. During massage, the body often enters a restorative state that may aid healing, lower blood pressure, and support cellular repair.⁴
Some studies have found that regular massage can lead to an increase in lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell involved in immune response.⁵ While more research is needed to fully understand the link, the consistent relaxation and balance massage provides may offer gentle support to your immune health over time.
The Healing Power of Touch
Touch has a deep emotional resonance. It’s been shown to increase oxytocin - the hormone associated with connection and calm.⁶ This can help reduce feelings of isolation or anxiety, which themselves can affect the immune system.
By combining physical release with emotional comfort, massage becomes a truly holistic practice - supporting the body, mind, and emotional wellbeing alike.
Consistency Counts: Making Massage Part of Your Wellness Routine
One massage can feel wonderful, but it’s the regular sessions that make a lasting impact. Incorporating massage into your ongoing self-care routine - whether weekly, fortnightly or monthly - helps reinforce its benefits over time, contributing to a more resilient, balanced version of yourself.
Final Thoughts on Massage in Supporting Your Immune System
Massage therapy offers more than just a moment of relaxation - it’s a supportive, holistic practice that may benefit immune health by reducing stress, encouraging circulation, and promoting restorative calm. While it’s not a cure or treatment for illness, when used alongside other healthy lifestyle choices, it may contribute positively to your overall wellbeing.
At Connected Chiropractic, our massage therapists tailors every session to your unique needs, blending therapeutic techniques with an intuitive, grounded approach. Whether you're seeking to unwind, support your immune system, or simply reconnect with yourself, massage can be a beautiful step towards better health.
Written by Finn Elias-Schofield
References
¹ Glaser, R., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2005). Stress-induced immune dysfunction: implications for health. Nature Reviews Immunology, 5(3), 243–251.² Field, T. (2014). Massage therapy research review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20(4), 224–229.³ Sefton, J. M. (2010). Biological effects of massage therapy. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, 3(3), 1–9.⁴ Rapaport, M. H., Schettler, P., & Bresee, C. (2010). A preliminary study of the effects of a single session of Swedish massage on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and immune function in normal individuals. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(10), 1079–1088.⁵ Ironson, G., Field, T., Scafidi, F., et al. (1996). Massage therapy is associated with enhancement of the immune system's cytotoxic capacity. International Journal of Neuroscience, 84(1–4), 205–217.⁶ Uvnäs-Moberg, K. (1998). Oxytocin may mediate the benefits of positive social interaction and emotions. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 23(8), 819–835.
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