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  • 10 hours ago
Finding time for yourself can be difficult especially when work and daily responsibilities keep us busy.

But taking care of your body does not always have to mean spending hours at a spa.

In tonight's Your Best Self our reporter Sharla Kistow looks at how a quick massage could be one way to fit relaxation into your busy schedule.
Transcript
00:05For many of us, a busy workday means sitting for hours, rushing from one place to another
00:10and carrying stress and tension in our bodies.
00:13And while a massage is often viewed as something we make time for, there's a cost-effective alternative.
00:20Chanel Batiste of Needham says,
00:22Massage therapy isn't about relaxation.
00:24It's about making wellness a regular part of how we care for our bodies.
00:29Massage therapy is as important as an individual makes it based on their lifestyle.
00:36We all demand our bodies in different ways.
00:39So the way a teacher uses their body is different from a mechanical engineer.
00:44We can have physical stressors as well as mental stressors on the body.
00:49At the core, massage therapy is the manipulation of muscle tissue and connective tissue to achieve a particular outcome.
00:58Now that outcome could be for relaxation or increased mobility or even pain management.
01:05What I would say is having massage therapy as part of your routine can contribute to an overall better quality
01:13of life.
01:13From muscle tension and distress to tired feet, a massage can be a way to give the body some much
01:19-needed attention.
01:20But can you really get meaningful benefits from a shorter massage?
01:24Of course, I will even argue that having frequent massages at shorter intervals can be more beneficial.
01:32Because if you have massages once every two months, by that two-month mark, you have compounded stress and tension.
01:40Whereas if you do like a weekly massage of 15 minutes, you're able to manage your pain, stress and tension
01:47better.
01:48So let's explore that concept.
01:51So the needing lounge is a concept I thought of because there are two barriers I've found when it comes
01:57to massage therapy.
01:58The time factor and the cost factor.
02:02There's some persons who can't afford to even put aside an hour out of their time because there's work commitments,
02:10family commitments, and they just don't have the time.
02:13Then there's the issue of the cost.
02:18It's heavy on the pocket to actually go to a massage therapist.
02:22So with the lounge, I thought if I can offer shorter time frame for the same relaxation, it would be
02:30easier on the pocket as well and not as expensive.
02:33And it could appeal to persons better.
02:35Your sessions are done using massage chairs, right?
02:38So how do the chairs work and what can someone expect during a session?
02:43So our massage pods utilizes kneading mechanisms.
02:47So it mimics my hands a bit with one of the techniques I use at my clinic.
02:52There's also air compression in the chair that you could feel throughout the body.
02:56Once you sit back into the chair, it takes you into an elevated position as though you're floating on a
03:01cloud and you experience the full body massage.
03:04And it's not just for those who are working nine to five, but perhaps the bigger message is that self
03:11-care does not always have to be complicated or time consuming.
03:14This may sound cliche, but you can't pour from an empty cup.
03:19If we're not taking care of ourselves, then we can't really be present or there for those we love in
03:26our lives.
03:26So we have to take care of ourselves so that we're healthy, we have a good quality of life, and
03:32then we could live happily and enjoy life with the ones we love.
03:35But there are three main things that we have to prioritize.
03:39That's good nutrition, rest, and exercise.
03:43Massage therapy falls into that category of rest, restorative rest.
03:48So we need to take care of our bodies so that we can perform our best and be our best.
03:53So whether you have 10 or 30 minutes to spare, taking time to relax can make a huge difference.
04:00So don't forget to pause, reset, recount.
04:03And until next time, I am Charlotte Kisto reminding you to be your best self.