What are the winter blues?
The winter blues or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are a way to describe the low mood that can occur due to the lack of sunlight during the cold winter months. A lack of sunlight can play havoc with your hormones as it causes the body to produce higher melatonin making you feel sleepy and lethargic. SAD is no myth as 1 in 3 people in the UK suffer from seasonal affective disorder according to the Independent.
It’s also reported that women are 40 percent more likely than men to experience the symptoms of the winter blues.
Symptoms of the winter blues include:
- Depression
- Sleep problems
- Lethargy
- Overeating
- Irritability
- Lost interest in hobbies
Whilst everyone is affected differently by SAD and it’s always best to speak to your doctor to find the best treatment for you. There are a few different things you can try to see if it helps.
The most common ways to treat SAD are:
- Vitamin D-rich diet/supplements
- Lightboxes/SAD lamps
- Daily midday walks
- Keeping warm
- Talking to your GP
How can Olive Massage help?
At Olive Massage we love to make people feel great from the inside out. Whether it’s physical pain or emotional we have a wide range of remedial and holistic therapies available for you to try. All our massage therapists are fully insured and trained to ITEC and VTCT standards and will arrange a consultation to ensure your find the best treatment for you.
When it comes to easing the symptoms of the winter blues our deep tissue massage in Leeds and Wakefield is recommended for its ability to increase serotonin and dopamine levels.
Deep tissue massage benefits
A deep tissue massage has many great health and well-being benefits which are perfect for when you’re looking for ways to ease the symptoms of the winter blues. This full-body massage treatment uses techniques that penetrate deep into your muscle tissues enabling your blood pressure and heart rate to lower. Increasing blood flow and oxygen to your muscles releases your body’s happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin, leaving you feeling de-stressed and uplifted.
What to expect from a deep tissue massage?
At Olive Massage, you can expect a safe and relaxing environment. We will ensure that we’re informed of any aches or pains and that you feel comfortable with the level of pressure used during your deep tissue massage treatment. If you’re completely new to massage therapy, we will ensure that you find the best treatment for you to enable you to get the most out of your massage.
Why not treat your loved ones to a deep tissue massage?
If you’ve noticed a change in your loved one’s behaviour this winter, nothing says I care about you better than surprising them with a deep tissue massage. If you feel as though the deep tissue massage techniques used aren’t right for your loved one, then we have a variety of holistic and remedial massage therapies available in our Leeds Massage and Wakefield Massage Clinics for you to choose from. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one, it’s important to make time to unwind and relax from the stress of daily life.