Chair massage

Improving mental health at work

Improving mental health at work

Stress and Anxiety at work? We can help you!

Experts say that one in four people in the UK will have a mental health issue at some point of their lives. Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave to an event or thought. Daily life, work and the pandemic are the most common triggers of mental health problems. Mental health has become a matter of  worry for employers due to its consequences for the general wellbeing of their staff, but don´t worry!  There are different treatments available to help your employees avoid, reduce and treat stress and anxiety in your own office.

What is mental health?

As I mentioned before, mental health is about how we think, feel and behave to an event or thought. The most common mental health problems are depression and anxiety. These are often a reaction to a difficult (or not, that depends on how you think about it) life events, such as bereavement, physical health problems or money issues. However, the last few decades have shown that work-related issues are the most common causes of stress and anxiety (and mental health problems in general).

What is anxiety and stress?

  • Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear or unease due to a certain situation such as a job interview, an appointment or a medical procedure. Also, it can be the result of a traumatic event or fear. Anxiety can remain even if the stressor is no longer present.
  • Stress is the way your body responds to an external stimulus such as a deadline, big test or a threatening situation.

Most of us experience stress and anxiety often in our lives. It is totally normal as it helps us to prepare for stressful situations such as job interviews, return to the office during the pandemic and big tests, etc. However, prolonged stress and anxiety can start to interfere with daily living which can have a negative impact on our physical and psychological well-being. For that reason, it is important to treat them as soon as possible.

Stress and anxiety related disorders:

These kinds of disorders can occur due to frequent experiences of stress and anxiety even if the stressor is no longer present. Those are:

  • Panic disorder – causes panic attacks which are events of extreme fear. Some symptoms are: shortness of breath and pounding in the chest.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder – causes you to repeat a specific action/actions or have the same thoughts on a regular basis.
  • Generalised anxiety disorder – is when people frequently worry without the ability to control it. Reasons for worry can vary from thinking that something terrible might happen, but not being able to specify a reason at all.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder – results in remembering a life experience from the past, which was terrifying or gave you a significant distress at the time, and is having a negative impact on your daily living.
  • Social phobia – is the disorder where one is unable to interact with people, in a social setting, due to an intense feeling of anxiety.

What are symptoms of stress and anxiety?

The most common signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety:

  • Headache.
  • Sweating.
  • Fatigue.
  • Shaking.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Feeling of impending doom.
  • Irrational anger.              
  • Restlessness.
  • Panic, particularly in a social setting.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Stomach-ache.
  • Low mood.
  • Insomnia (difficulty sleeping).
  • High breathing rate.
  • High heartbeat rate.
  • Change in appetite.

What do statistics say?

In short, we can say that: 

  • In 2020/21, 822,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing). 
  • The Coronavirus pandemic has increased these numbers.
  • In 2020/21 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 50% of all work-related ill health cases.
  • The most affected areas are: industry, education, human health and social work activities (among others).
  • The most mentioned factors of stress and anxiety are; workload pressures, including tight deadlines and too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support.

How can you help your employees?

You can help your employees by offering different options to relieve stress and anxiety at the workplace, for example chair massage, talk groups (to share their feelings and thoughts), etc. But most important, humanise jobs! Sometimes, we are so focused on numbers, outcomes and profits so much that we forget that we work with people and they have worries, needs and problems as we have. So, take into account their needs and worries. People who feel welcomed and sheltered work better and are more productive.

What treatments do we offer for stress and anxiety?

Here, at the Perea Mobile Health, we offer chair massage. It is a relaxation treatment that you can offer to your employees in your own office without disturbing their daily activities, actually it is the perfect pause from work. This treatment is so beneficial that your employees will return to work feeling better and with a general sensation of well being.

How can chair massage help?

 Chair massage as massage in general is great when it comes to managing stress and anxiety. Regardless of type of massage, the benefits are achieved by:

  •  reducing the muscle tension, 
  • promoting the relaxation,
  • reducing cortisol levels, stress and anxiety hormone,
  •  increasing the release of endorphins which are the ‘feel good’ hormones.

.We hope this information is useful. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help!

 If you like this blog, please share! 

References:

https://www.nature.com/articles/npp200983.pdf 

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/stress-gen-z.pdf 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gwen-Jones/publication/250959494_The_Effectiveness_of_Massage_Therapy_Intervention_on_Reducing_Anxiety_in_the_Workplace/links/53fbbb8b0cf2364ccc044195/The-Effectiveness-of-Massage-Therapy-Intervention-on-Reducing-Anxiety-in-the-Workplace.pdf 

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.561.6922&rep=rep1&type=pdf 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf

https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mental-health.htm

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How to improve mental and physical health of your employees

How to improve mental and physical health of your employees

Chair massage: the perfect option to improve the general wellbeing of your employees.

It’s Christmas season plus a new Coronavirus variant (Omicron), so obviously, stress and anxiety are the protagonists of the season. Your employees may feel exhausted, confused or overwhelmed, but one of the solutions to their problems can be just a few steps away from their work stations. This solution is a regular chair massage! Many people see massages as a luxury or as a treat, something you only “allow” once per year. Stiffness and pains in muscles and joints due to stress are one of the most common reasons people book our in office chair massage service. Don´t look at it as a luxury, think about it as a treatment for your employees.

In addition, you should know that having regular chair massages is important for the mental health of your employees. Many people are not aware of how massage can help them at emotional levels. Having massages regularly has a positive influence on the physical and mental health of your employees. If you don’t have the luxury of going to a clinic for some reason, you can check out our chair massage packages.

Professional massage therapists are great listeners and they can help your employees to relax body and mind. In other words,  massage means to be kind with themselves and is a good investment for their mind and body health. On the other hand, you shouldn’t feel guilty to include massages in your budget and having them regularly. On the contrary, as chair massage promotes the general wellbeing of your employees, they will also have better outcomes for the company. So, don’t think about chair massage as an expense, think about it as an investment.

 What are the benefits of chair massages?

You may think massage is just for relaxing and comfort, but they are also therapeutic. Regular massages help to improve good health and wellness, but most importantly, they can help you change mental states, improving the performance of your employees.

How can massage help your mental health symptoms?

  • Aid to balance emotions
  • Help to relieve symptoms of anxiety
  • Massages clearly reduce the level of stress hormones giving you an amazing sensation of wellbeing.
  • Assist to relieve symptoms of depression.
  • Help with insomnia.

How do stress hormones work in the body?

This season makes your employees more anxious, stressed or depressed. As a result, their bodies pump even more quantities of cortisol adrenaline and norepinephrine (stress hormones) fueling their stress levels and causing them to rise. Massages reduce these hormones by releasing endorphins. 

When they receive a massage their bodies and minds relax and relieve muscle tension too. Most importantly massage can help improve mental health.

Massages are a temporary relief (but not the cure). 

How can insomnia affect the physical health of my employees?

Part of having a good night’s rest is having that relaxing sensation and off course not being stressed. All of us need to have a good quality sleep to function properly and for our wellbeing in general. Experts confirm that insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases, some examples are: obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and depression.

How can massages help my employees with my insomnia?

Massages help their bodies produce serotonin, this is essential for the production of melatonin. But what is it? Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps control their inner clock allowing their body function properly during the day and sleep properly at night. Proper rest means better performance, for instance, better outcomes for the company.

For many people, the melatonin levels start to go up about two hours before going to sleep, but for those who can’t, they should have other options. Some people use melatonin pills or seek doctor’s advice. On the other hand, having massages is a natural way to increase the melatonin levels of your employees. In addition, it is the perfect free alternative for people who struggle with this condition.

In conclusion, massage isn’t a luxury or a treat, it can be beneficial to treat pain injuries or just to help your employees with their stress and anxiety. If your staff is suffering from stress, anxiety or sleeping issues, consider that massage therapy is a natural alternative to deal with their mental health symptoms. Click here for other effective ways to improve mental health.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

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Benefits of regular chair massage for your employees

Benefits of regular chair massage for your employees

Avoid absenteeism!

Regular chair massage comes with a host of potential benefits for your employees, but many people only have massages sporadically, especially if they spend all the time at the office.

Work stress is one of the most common causes of muscular tension. After muscular tension comes pain. Muscular tension and pain are two of the main causes of staff absenteeism. The most common complaints at the office are: neck, shoulders and back pain. So, why don’t you avoid staff absenteeism due these issues by preventing them with regular chair massage?

But few people consider receiving treatments on a regular basis. For that reason, you can think in advance and give your employees the care they need. You won’t regret it!

After starting regular chair massage sessions you will notice all the benefits it brings to your employees and business. In this blog, we take a closer look at the benefits of factoring in a treatment on a regular basis.

 Regular chair massage has numerous health benefits

Massage is about more than just pampering your employees or avoiding injuries. Although, of course, it can suffice very well in either of those instances.

Let’s take, for example, the fact that massage can help to boost their immune and endocrine systems. This isn’t just hocus pocus or wishful thinking but is backed up by scientific evidence.

In this large-scale study it was apparent that hands-on intervention can have significant benefits. Of particular interest was the fact that massage can positively change the number of lymphocytes in the body. These, in turn, have an important role in defending the body from disease. As a result, there will be less absenteeism.

Another area in which regular massage can help your employees is in improving the quality of their sleep. The chemistry of sleep is relevant in relation to massage because it directly influences the body’s production of serotonin, which is essential for the production of melatonin. Melatonin, in turn, plays an important role in helping to regulate sleep.

And increasingly, it is becoming apparent that sleep deprivation can have an adverse effect on health. So anything that can promote regular and deep sleep has to be beneficial.

There are also believed to be positive mental health benefits associated with massage. In the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, massage therapy was believed to help to ease depression.

In addition, massage can help to reduce stress and anxiety and elevate overall mood. This is partly due to the increase in the feel-good hormone dopamine that plays an important role in learning, memory,  and positive emotions. When employees feel good, they have better outcomes for themselves and for the company.

Other benefits of regular chair massage are:

  • Relieves muscle pain 
  • Relieves headaches
  • Increases circulation
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Increases flexibility and mobility
  • Enhances overall health and wellbeing
  • Your employees feel valued and pampered

A company-paid chair massage leaves employees and guests feeling energized, rejuvenated, valued and relaxed. Massage positively affects the body, mind and the sense of well-being and happiness of your employees.

Of course, it is an investment. But it is an investment into one of the most important things, which is the health and general well-being of your employees.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help.

If you like this blog, please share!

 

 

 

 

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Back pain in the office: causes and how to get relief

Back pain in the office: causes and how to get relief

3 tips to get back pain relief in the office

Back pain is one of the most common presentations to GP practices and it’s not always possible to identify its cause, but most comes from joints or soft tissues. Pain of mechanical origin is usually aggravated by some movement and relieved by another. In some cases it takes some weeks to get back pain relief. However you can help your body to heal faster just changing some working routines. In this article, we show you the most common causes of back pain and how to relieve it in your own office.

Causes of back pain at work

There is a huge list of causes for back pain. Also, it is more common after 30-40. However, at the office it could take place at any time due to some factors such as: 

  • Weak muscles in back and abdomen or muscle imbalance, due to lack of exercise.
  • Bad lifting techniques. Lifting or moving heavy objects can cause you an injury because you are exerting too much force in your back.
  • Incorrect posture at desk. Be careful with your DSE, chair support and posture while sitting.
  • Repetitive movements, especially when you have to twist or rotate your spine.
  • Inactive desk job. Being sat the entire day is bad for you, even if you feel comfortable in your chair. Inaction can lead you to back pain or spine injuries.
  • Stress and anxiety a triggers of back pain at the office.
  • Trauma or falls.

What  can I do to get relief of back pain at the office?

 

  1. Sit correctly.

It minimises the stress and strain on your back, muscles and joints. Also, it allows good circulation. Having a relaxed posture allows you to breathe normally.

To help facilitate this there are certain things you should aim to do.

  • Aim to keep your feet flat on the floor
  • Have your chair at a height that allows your thighs to be parallel to the floor
  • In addition, let the arms rest flat with wrists straight (not cocked at an angle)
  • Ensure the top of the screen is at eye-level to keep the head in a balanced position
  • Crucially, make sure the base of the spine is properly supported.

2. Move and stretch

Being at the office, it´s not an excuse for inactivity. On our previous blog, we explain you how important is to be active in the office.

Bellow, we describe some movements you can do in your own office floor to avoid and also get relief of back pain.

Pelvic tilts – Lie on your back. Knees in a bent position. Pull your belly button in towards your spine. Tilt the pelvis forward and hold for 5 seconds. This can be repeated a few times in a row to help mobilize the lower spine.

 

.Knee rolls – Lying on your back. Bending the knees so the knees are off the ground. Keeping as much of the back on the floor as possible. Rotate the knees toward the floor on one side. Then gently swing the knees over to the other side. And repeat this movement a handful of times.

 

3.Chair massage.

Chair massage is the type of massage which is performed with you being in a seated position on a special massage chair. We perform the massage over the clothing and does not require oil. During the massage, our therapist  applies pressure to the most affected areas of your back. Chair massage has a lot of health benefits. It helps to alleviate tension, ache and pain accumulated in the back, neck and shoulders; improves circulation; relieves stress; helps to reduce anxiety; and improves sleep. So why don´t you try it?

A final word

After that, if your condition doesn’t improve in a few days, it’s advisable to see one of our msk specialists, who can assess your problem and take you through all the steps of treatment care, from acute injury to releasing chronic tightness, mobilise/manipulate restricted areas and will advise you about regular maintenance to prevent re-occurrence.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

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Keeping your employees happy with chair massage!

Keeping your employees happy with chair massage!

What is a chair massage?

Chair massage is the type of massage which is performed with you being in a seated position on a special massage chair. The chairs are usually designed for you to get into a position similar to the one of foetus where your knees and hips are bent and you are comfortably resting on the chair with your back, neck and shoulders exposed to the therapist. We perform the massage over the clothing and does not require oil. During the massage, a therapist is applying pressure to the most affected areas of your back.

Does chair massage help to increase creativity and productivity of the employees?

Just as a regular table massage, chair massage has very similar health benefits. It helps to alleviate tension, ache and pain accumulated in the back, neck and shoulders; improves circulation; relieves stress; helps to reduce anxiety; and improves sleep. All these benefits can have a positive impact on employees psychological and physical health which generally, can make them happier as a person. Hence, if an employee is feeling happy and looked after, it may have a positive influence on one’s creativity and productivity which is beneficial for the company and for the employee, as then, an employee is more likely to achieve the set targets and potentially get a raise or a promotion as well as have a larger contribution to the overall performance of the company.

Does chair massage enhance the analytical abilities of an employee?

In short, yes it can. Benefits of chair massage listed above allows employees to feel more relaxed which can result in a worker having a clearer mind. If one’s mind is clear and a person is feeling relaxed, one can enhance the focus on a presented problem which might help with finding solutions.

Can this type of massage impact the number of sick days?

Pampering your employees with a regular chair massage can reduce the overall number of sick days taken per annum. This could be a result of employees feeling appreciated and looked after in the workplace.

Can chair massage impact the staff turnover?

Happy employee is the employee who is more likely to stay in the company longer. As discussed earlier, looking after your workers will make them feel appreciated. This combined with the health benefits of massage has a good chance in reducing the staff turnover rates which places less strain on the recruitment team and saves the precious time you need to train each new employee.

Can chair massage influence attendance during COVID-19 pandemic?

Setting up regular chair massage sessions in the office might increase employees’ confidence and drive to go and work from the office as they will be aware that attending will result in them being taken care of. This might not necessarily apply to every employee as some of us have been affected by the pandemic more than others. 

Can chair massage increase the quality of service?

If an employee is happy and feels that he or she is being looked after well, it can improve the quality of service. This can have a major impact on companies’ clients as people tend to stay with a company that delivers better customer service.

Can chair massage have an impact on the relationship between the colleagues?

As mentioned above, chair massage can help to reduce anxiety and stress. Hence, people who are less stressed or anxious generally are being kinder and more polite to one another. This may strengthen the relationship between the team, increasing the overall productivity of the team.

A final word

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

References:

file:///C:/Users/modes/Desktop/HandAugust2019CJON.pdf 

file:///C:/Users/modes/Desktop/The_Impact_of_Communication_Effectivenes20161224-19392-boh0vd-with-cover-page-v2.pdf 

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Chair Massage – and how it can help in the workplace

Chair Massage – and how it can help in the workplace

What is a chair massage?
A chair massage is a bit more sophisticated than it might sound at first. It’s not just a case of a quick shoulder rub after an employee’s lunch break.

For starters, it involves the use of a specialist chair. These chairs are taken into the workplace. They allow the client to fully relax whilst their body weight is fully supported.

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