12 Different Kinds Of Massages And How You Can Benefit From Them

Question: When's the last time that you treated yourself to a massage? While some people think of them as nothing more than an indulgent pampering item to put on their to-do list whenever they've got some extra cash, the reality is there are many health benefits that come from them. According to SELF, massages help to relieve stress, reduce muscle soreness, bring relief to joint discomfort, make sleep easier and, if you're pregnant, massages can increase blood circulation throughout your body.

The American Massage Therapy Association goes on to share that massages can also treat lower back pain, reduce migraines, help to lower your blood pressure, decrease anxiety levels and make carpal tunnel syndrome more manageable (which is good to know when you think of how many of us are hammering away on keyboards for hours at a time every day).

So, as you can see, massages aren't something that should be seen as a luxury; actually, they are more like a necessity. But how do you know what kind of massage you actually need? That's what we're going to look into by exploring 12 different kinds of massages and some of the ways that each one of them can benefit you.

A massage therapist by the name of Amber Lynch once shared with Byrdie that, "A hot stone massage is a relaxing body treatment using flat, heated stones to ease deep into the muscle layer and erase tension held in the body while increasing circulation to the tissues." While initially, this kind of massage may seem like a bit of an odd approach, the benefits that it provides make it well worth considering.

Hot stone massages have a great reputation for soothing muscle tension, increasing blood circulation, and even improving your posture. A couple of other notable things about this type of massage: it can bring relief to symptoms that are associated with autoimmune diseases as well as help to relieve anxiety (via Healthline).

The main thing to keep in mind here is if you take blood thinners, you're diabetic, or you've had a surgical procedure within the past 12 months, you should speak with your doctor before booking an appointment. In these instances, sometimes hot stone massages can end up doing more harm than good.

Aromatherapy massages are wonderful because they can help to reduce anxiety, lessen pain, and treat insomnia by incorporating essential oils into your massage sessions. For instance, bergamot essential oil can help to reduce bodily inflammation, lavender can help to de-stress you, chamomile can decrease anxiety levels, ylang ylang oil is great at treating insomnia, and peppermint oil can help to improve one's athletic performance (via Healthline).

Something else that's helpful about aromatherapy massages is it doesn't only target some of your physical issues, it's designed to improve your mental state too. Just make sure that your massage therapist dilutes the oil a bit, so that you don't have to worry about the potency of the oil causing skin irritation or giving you a rash. Also, if you're unsure about how a particular oil will affect your skin, request that your therapist put it into a diffuser; that way, you can inhale the oil without it coming into direct contact with your skin (via Healthline).

If there's one particular kind of massage that tends to feel better than it looks, it would have to be cupping. It's when small cups are literally placed onto areas of your body like your back, stomach, arms, and/or legs to "suction" your skin.

Why would anyone want to do this? Well, the mindset behind it is, that when your skin is pulled upward, it draws some of your blood to a particular area which increases blood circulation and potentially speeds up the healing process if you were to have an injury or you've got some sort of bodily inflammation. Some health experts also think that cupping has the ability to boost immunity and improve your metabolism (via Healthline).

Some tips to keep in mind when it comes to cupping — you should discuss with your massage therapist ahead of time the kind of cupping technique you want to use (there are several), that you eat very light meals two to three hours before your appointment and that you prepare for some semi-mild discoloration to remain on your skin for about a week. If you're willing to endure that "con," though, a couple of cupping sessions could prove to be well worth your while.

Cranial sacral therapy — also known as craniosacral therapy (CST) — is a kind of massage that you may have never heard of before; still, it's pretty impressive when it comes to all that it is able to do for you. According to Healthline, it gets its name because cranial sacral therapy is all about focusing on the compression of the bones in your head, lower back, and spinal column.

While initially, this type of massage might seem like it leans on the intimidating side, it actually involves applying mild pressure. In fact, it's so favored in the health profession that physical therapists and chiropractors implement it into their work as well.

Benefits-wise, cranial sacral therapy is super helpful if you're looking for a way to relieve migraines, reduce sinus infections, or ease constipation. Some people like applying this type of massage technique to help them to sleep better or to get them through a somewhat difficult pregnancy.

And while all of these are strong reasons to consider booking at least one cranial sacral therapy appointment, by far the leading one should be if you're looking for headache relief because it's pretty consistent with results in that department.

Australian writer Germaine Greer once said, "Energy is the power that drives every human being. It is not lost by exertion but maintained by it, for it is a faculty of the psyche." This is important to keep in mind when it comes to Reiki massages because they're all about focusing on how to properly channel energy in order to put you on the path to healing.

In this case, usually what a massage therapist will do is put their hands around your head, torso and limbs for three to 10 minutes at a time. If they feel a sense of warmth in those areas of your body, they will keep their hands there until the sensation is gone (via Medical News Today). Many clients like this form of therapy because it can help to heal tissues, reduce body tension and relieve fatigue. Others say that it brings them a feeling of relaxation and peace, according to The Cleveland Clinic. 

Since Reiki is designed to focus on the mind, body, and spirit, it can be a form of holistic therapy; however, many medical experts recommend that it shouldn't be seen as a substitute for medical exams or seeing a licensed therapist for mental and emotional challenges. If anything, treat it as a complement to these things; not a replacement for them.

It's pretty common knowledge at this point that the five love languages are physical touch, gifts, words of affirmation, acts of service, and quality time (via Cosmopolitan). Well, if there's an activity that incorporates two of these (physical touch and quality time) exceptionally well, it's a couples massage.

Besides it being able to give you and your partner many of the health benefits that we've already discussed, POPSUGAR interviewed Dana McNeil, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of The Relationship Place, who said, "A couples massage creates an experience of being connected in a softer energy than what the outside world pushes on us."

As a direct result, engaging in a couples massage can boost endorphins, reduce stress levels and improve mental clarity. All of these things work together to encourage healthy communication which can cause a deeper connection with your partner.

So, whether you decide to make it a spa date, to hire a massage therapist to come to your home or you opt to give each other a massage, do your relationship a favor and have a couples massage soon. Both you and your relationship will be forever grateful that you did.