A number of recent studies published in research journals like The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Applied Nursing Research, and Military Medicine have shown there is a connection between therapeutic massage and positive mental health outcomes. These studies show that individuals such as cancer patients, soldiers, and nurses who are suffering from anxiety, depression, and stress – all of which are mental health issues – show improvements after receiving therapeutic massage.
This attests to the holistic health benefits of therapeutic massage – it not only helps with the physical but with the mental as well, and these mental benefits only augment the physical ones we all already know about. The mental health benefits of massage are not only limited to individuals suffering from acute health issues like cancer patients. We all have anxiety and stress in our lives, which means we can all benefit from the positive outcomes of therapeutic massage.