The Power Massage

Many of us spend hours at a desk typing away, every single day, so hearing the very word “massage” can induce thoughts and feelings of ecstasy. Julie Bain, a writer at Reader’s Digest, was wary of those 10-minute massages that loftily promise stress relief and relaxation.

But, she decided to indulge herself in one while waiting for her nails to dry at a combination nail salon/massage parlor. The result? Focusing on her breathing the entire time, she surprisingly felt like a new person after those ten minutes. Still, she was curious about the actual medical and spiritual or meditative benefits.

Bain’s doctor friend, Karen J. Sherman, says that the 10-minute massage “isn’t going to transform you from a nervous wreck to someone as calm as Buddha,” but finding simple and fairly quick ways to de-stress and focus on breathing is definitely a good thing. If you can factor at least one of these brief tactics into each day, you may find a calming, cumulative effect over the long run. [Rd.com]