Physiologically speaking, the state of being “relaxed” (in this case, by massage) means the “parasympathetic nervous system” (PNS) is activated. The PNS is one of the two divisions under the “autonomic nervous system” (ANS). The PNS is your home base and helps you “rest-and-digest.” You experience the decrease in heart rate and the sense of relaxation and contentment. In contrast, the other division, the “sympathetic nervous system” (SNS) gets triggered in the “fight-or-flight” situations; whenever you get upset, worried, shocked – anything stressful, or simply excited. The body focuses on breathing faster, pumping more blood to skeletal muscles, dilating pupils, sweating and making you more alert. Both systems are equally important to maintain the balance in your body by working together.
We are living in the stressful, over-stimulating world. What if your SNS activates constantly? Then, you need your PNS back to work more often to counterbalance. As it is termed as “rest-and-digest,” the PNS handles digestion and absorption of nutrients, urination, immune system and reproduction among others; very important for growth and survival. When the SNS is active, the PNS functions are suppressed. No wonder we hear that people get a stomach ulcer because of stress. And, you might have experienced that your stomach makes noise when you receive massage. That’s the sign that your PNS is working. Your body feels safe enough to work on digestion.
When I learned about this, it opened my eyes. I felt bad for my own body that I was inadvertently taxing my body when I got upset even with small stuff. Since then, I’ve been trying to be nice to my body.
Are you in a stressful situation? Why don’t you give your body a break?