Being someone who has always struggled to relax, I’ve always found myself with a build up of excess tension throughout my body. Headaches, muscle ache and a general “tight” feeling are things that have always plagued my every day life even as early as school days.


A ‘stress-head’ is something someone aptly labelled me as once, and they were right indeed.

It is difficult to release this stress without the aid of someone else. If you have a partner (who is willing, of course) or someone close to you who is able to give you a “helping hand” then that’s great. A deep massage can certainly unwind the tension and release even some of the mental stress, as they are all linked. But we all know the burden of guilt that ensues when you ask this of someone too many times. Ironically, it’s only going to add more stress and tension!

I’ve always been a strong believer in the link between body and mind, and whilst one can’t rest, neither can the other. In that sense, I suppose the same can be said for stress and ominous feelings. Whilst the mind is active and panicked the body can also suffer. Muscle tension increases, and insidiously builds up to a point where you get knots, aches, and inexplicable pains all from a gradual build up of stress and anxiety.

For this reason, when you do get massaged it can often incite painful memories or emotional nostalgia. This is good, and should never let it put you off. If you have a turbulent life or a have strong emotional ties to things that happened earlier then it can trigger that kind of emotional regurgitation. Body and mind both get purged, and afterwards a catharsis is often experienced.