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You
don't have to be a scientist to know that being touched - by the
right person, at the right time, in the right way - feels awfully
good.
 What
scientists do know that you may not, is that human touch can actually
improve your mental and physical health, lengthen your life, and
even boost your career performance.
At
the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami - and
in labs and real-life experiments around the world - mounting
evidence shows that all of us can benefit from increasing the
amount of physical contact we have with friends, lovers, and family
- and with professional massage therapists. Here's why:
More
Touch Equals Less Stress
A
number of studies have confirmed that being massaged, stroked
or just held can lower stress levels dramatically. Working in
conjunction with Duke University, researchers at the Touch Research
Institute have found that after massage therapy, the human body
secretes lower levels of the stress hormones cortisol, norepinephrine,
and dopamine. These hormones not only make you feel anxious, which
can be unpleasant, they can actually cause stress-related diseases
- especially heart attack. Reducing their presence through massage,
conversely, lowers stress hormones' ill effects.
Stroking
Makes You Smarter
In
a 1996 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience,
massaged subjects completed math problems in significantly less
time - and with a whole lot fewer errors - than test subjects
who were not massaged. Even if your math quiz days are far behind
you, the brain-boosting benefits of massage can be a boon.
A
Body-Rub Can Beef Up Your Bottom Line
 That
same study showed that massage recipients showed a profound decrease
in job anxiety. And the less time you spend fretting in the office
the more work you'll get done. Touching others (appropriately!)
can be good for your career, as well: University studies of waitresses
proved conclusively that those who touched their customers casually
on the wrist or shoulder received much bigger tips than those
who kept their hands to themselves. Of course, one needs to be
careful in this era of sexual harassment suits - but offering
a warm handshake at the start and finish of every meeting, even
with your boss (or perhaps especially with your boss!) can reap
real rewards.
Imagine:
Immunity
In
studies sponsored by the National Institute of Health, medical
and nursing students who underwent massage therapy demonstrated
an increased immune response in the week before their exams compared
to those who did not have treatment. In other words, a massage
(or hug) a day can help keep the doctor away.
Massage
is Good for Marriage
Preliminary
findings of a current study at the Touch Research Institute show
that couples who massage each other have lower levels of sexual
performance anxiety, and report increased physical intimacy. That's
not news to New York-based sex therapist Mildred Witkin, who has
long recommended that couples who are anxious about or dissatisfied
with their sex lives soap each other up in the shower, and practice
touching in a way that is not explicitly sexual to keep intimacy
and playfulness alive.
A
Touch Gained Means Less Pain
Of
course, massage can be helpful in easing muscle spasms and cramps.
But did you know that touch can also lessen pain not directly
reached by the masseuse's prodding hands? Among the types of aches
found to be lessened by massage are PMS and labor pains, arthritis,
chronic migraines.
Massage
Can Heal Other Hurts, Too
While
logic might dictate that victims of rape or sexual abuse would
be stressed-out by touch therapy, Touch Research Institute studies
are actually showing that massage can help women who have experienced
these traumas. Professional touch is also helpful in treating
several psychological conditions, including anorexia and bulimia.
'Tis
(Sometimes) Better to Give Than to Receive
 Before
you try to convince that special someone that your health and
sanity depend on his massaging you day and night, note that at
least one study has shown that giving a massage can sometimes
be even more beneficial than receiving one. The experiment assessed
the stress levels and self-esteem of senior citizens who received
professional massages and of those who massaged infants. Surprise:
The massagers showed even greater gains than the massage-ees.
That may be partly due to seniors' particularly pronounced need
to feel needed - but then again, (as your honey is sure to remind
you when it's your turn to give a back-rub for a change) we all
need to feel valued and appreciated by those we love.
Convinced?
If
you would like to see what health benefits you might derive from
bodywork but don't know a massage therapist, ask your physician
or friends to recommend one who's licensed to practice in your
state. Or, contact the American Massage Therapy Association at
(847) 864-0123, or by e-mail: info@inet.amtmassage.org. You can
also call your insurance carrier; some health plans now provide
reduced rates for certain massage therapy, and have approved lists
of providers.
Confounded?
You'd
have a massage every day, if you could afford it. But you can't.
And you'd love to spend the night conducting your own scientific
research on the power of hugs, but your date-book's as bare as
the racks at Bloomingdales after a blowout sale.
Fortunately,
there are other ways to increase the amount of health-boosting
touch you receive each week:
Get
Groomed: Manicures, pedicures, and haircuts are all great
ways to guarantee yourself a half-hour or so of human contact
- and all cost less than a typical massage.
Brush
Up: A bath brush or body brush is a wonderful way to stimulate
your skin. Loofahs or brushes can help exfoliate, and provide
many of the benefits of a rubdown of massage.
Moisturize head-to-toe: Using lotion of every square inch
of your body guarantees all that skin will be touched and rubbed.
For an added calming effect, use an aromatherapy lotion scented
with lavender; for increased alertness, try a rosemary-scented
oil.
Say
Yes To Yoga: This popular fitness trend offers many of the
benefits of touch because the poses involve rubbing limb against
limb. Some Iyengar yoga classes also include partnered stretches
- a good way to meet your RDA of touching, too.
Take
Two To Tango: Dance classes are a great way to meet new people;
learn a new, calorie-burning skill - and have your hand and waist
held all evening long. Contact your local YMCA or dance studio
for schedules.
Susan
Kleinman's writing has appeared in Cosmopolitan, New Woman,
HealthScout, The New York Times and many other magazines and websites.
When it comes to massage, she still thinks that 'tis better to
receive.
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