Time to slow down completely
A full body massage works through the whole body in one appointment, with long, deliberate strokes to ease aches, help circulation and let stress drop. It is the treatment to choose when you want to switch off, or when tension is spread around.
Who it suits
- You feel run down or stressed and want an hour or more to yourself.
- You have tension in more than one place.
- You would like regular treatment as part of looking after yourself.
Choosing your length
- 60 minutes works through the whole body at a steady, comfortable pace.
- 90 minutes gives more time on the areas that need it, and a slower pace overall.
- 120 minutes is unhurried: time to work everywhere properly, with nothing rushed.
What happens
We begin with a short chat. Then I move through the body area by area, using long strokes to warm, kneading and small circles where you hold tension, and slower strokes to finish. You can ask for lighter or firmer pressure at any time.
What the research says
Stress and anxiety are the best-studied part. A large analysis of 37 randomised trials found that a single massage reduced how anxious people felt at the time, and lowered heart rate and blood pressure. A course of sessions reduced longer-term anxiety and low mood, with effects similar in size to those reported for talking therapies.
The same analysis did not find that a single massage lowers the stress hormone cortisol, so I will not tell you that it does. And massage is not a treatment for anxiety or depression: if you are struggling, please talk to your GP.
The details and links are in Massage and stress: what the research says.