Why Men Need Massages Too
First and foremost, we want to send a very special Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing dads out there!
Massage therapy is far too often stereotyped as being "for women.” Sometimes it's seen as a foo-foo pastime that only ladies enjoy on a Girls Day Out at a spa while sipping cucumber water. However, that is far from the truth. Clinical massage therapy benefits both genders equally and can be medically healing.
Here are just a few of the reasons why more men need to include massage therapy in their health and wellness regimen:
Workout recovery – Massage is a necessity for men who play sports, are extremely athletic or who are simply gym enthusiasts. Massage not only eases the onset of muscle soreness, but can speed healing by boosting the body’s circulatory and immune system. Curated athletic-focused massages are designed to improve athletic performance.
Better sleep – About 20% of all men suffer from insomnia (an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep). Insomnia is associated with a lack of the hormone called serotonin, the “feel-good hormone,” which is released in the body after a massage. The sense of relaxation and well-being you feel after a massage helps men fall asleep and spend more time in deep sleep.
Mood boost – Men may not have periods in the traditional sense but they certainly have mood swings. And unfortunately, men are less likely to seek help when they’re feeling stressed or have anxiety. While massage is not a substitute for more substantial mood therapies, the serotonin boost provided by massage can lift the blues and improve mental outlook.
Improved flexibility – Stretching and maintaining a limber body is not always on a guys radar, but it should be. Men are typically less flexible than women, which can make them more prone to injury and muscle pain and massages increase flexibility.
Fewer gray hairs – Massage can alleviate physical symptoms of stress, like headaches and high blood pressure, which can affect men as they age.
Cure desk stiffness – Men often suffer from back and neck pain, caused by riding a desk all day or repetitive injury. A massage can ease back and neck pain — plus, it feels great.
We hope to encourage more men to invest in clinical massages! : )
Reversing the "Tech Neck" and Desk Posture
Whether you are an athlete or a businessman, sitting at a desk, staring at a laptop, or looking down at a phone or laptop wreaks havoc on the male frame. Men frequently carry stress across the top of their shoulders and at the base of the neck.
Over time, this causes Forward Head Posture, which strains the cervical spine and forces the lower back to overcompensate. Massage therapy systematically releases the tight chest muscles, pulling the shoulders forward, while lengthening the strained muscles in the back to restore natural, confident posture.
Optimizing Athletic Performance and Gym Recovery
For men who hit the gym, run, or play sports, massage isn't a luxury indulgence—it's a performance enhancer and a part of recovery.
Massage Increases Range of Motion: Tight muscles limit your lifting form. Restoring flexibility means deeper squats, better overhead presses, and a reduced risk of tearing a muscle
Massage Flushes Metabolic Waste: Deep, targeted strokes help flush out lactic acid and metabolic waste built up during intense training, dramatically reducing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
The recovery gap? The “recovery gap”: the space between how hard people train and how little attention they give to recovery, mobility, and overall body maintenance. That’s why we collaborated with The Workout Plant on this topic.
Cardiovascular Health and Stress Decompression
Men are statistically at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues, and chronic stress plays a massive role in elevating blood pressure and cortisol (the stress hormone).
Men are also frequently conditioned to suppress mental stress, which then manifests physically as tension in the jaw (also called TMJ), lower back, and hips. A therapeutic massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system (your "rest and digest" mode). This nervous system actively lowers your heart rate, decreases blood pressure, and forces the brain to lower its guard.
The Bottom Line when it comes to stress: Taking care of your body isn't about pampering; it’s about maintenance. You wouldn't drive a high-performance vehicle for 50,000 miles without changing the oil or checking the alignment. Your body requires the exact same calibration
Your Invite to Feel Different
You don’t need to move upstate or quit your job to feel human again after feeling deep levels of stress. You just need to give your body a chance to reset!
Book a session at PRESS Modern Massage in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Union Square, Long Island City, or Columbus Circle—and start undoing the stress your body has been holding.
Because when your body feels free and relaxed, your mind follows.
