Tis the Season… to take care of your mental health. Many of us feel more stress, anxiety and/or depression around the holidays. You are not alone if you are feeling any of these things.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% worldwide in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys conducted in 2020 and 2021 also found higher than normal levels of stress and insomnia.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women experience one trauma in their lifetime. Additionally, 7 to 8 percent of adults will have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their lifetime.
With all the chaos we’ve been experiencing collectively the past decade or so, we really need to focus on self care. 2025 is great year to do that – what small things can you do to make your wellbeing better as we embark on a new year? Massage and reiki are among the best choices of things to add to your regular wellness routine.
Pain, fatigue, muscle tension and sleep disruptions can result from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. There is an abundance of research suggesting that massage therapy can and does help with many chronic health conditions.
Some questions to ask yourself:
- Do you have difficulty attending to every day activities?
- Do you feel depressed or hopeless?
- Have you noticed a drastic increase or decrease in energy?
- Have you noticed a change in appetite or weight?
- Are you sleeping too little or too much?
You can also take the full assessment for depression online to receive a score. Please consult a mental health professional if you are experiencing the above, and you don’t have other contributing factors. Your primary care physician is a great place to start if you don’t have your own mental health professional.
Massage therapy and reiki can definitely help, but they are no substitute for a thorough medical evaluation. Massage therapy and energy work can bring relief as you manage your medical journey.
Learn more about how myofascial release can help with anxiety, depression, and exhaustion from John Barnes, PT, LMT. Myofascial release is one of the many techniques utilized in therapeutic massage here at Renu.
We encourage you to do what you need to do to make 2025 work for you. You can still thrive internally even when there’s chaos globally.