You’ve been out shopping for hours. Your back aches. Your shoulders ache. Then: amazing! You find a cluster of massage chairs, and there’s one empty, calling out to you. With a smile, you collapse happily for a 15-minute respite from the rush. 

Yes, it feels good. But in addition to reducing stress, did you know massage chairs are effective at reducing high blood pressure (hypertension), a serious condition that affects one in four American adults?

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Hypertension had long been defined as systolic blood pressure (when your heart beats) above 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the rests between the beats) above 90 mm Hg. But very recently, the American College of Cardiology designated 130/80 as the new, lower standard. That means that more of us might qualify as suffering from hypertension. And hypertension is a silent time bomb. 

Many studies have found that manual massage treatment has lasting benefits for those with high blood pressure. A study published in the International Journal of Preventative Medicine noted that massage therapy can significantly reduce blood pressure and prevent its side effects. Furthermore, the study found, “the effects of massage [will remain] for at least three days.” The study concluded that massage therapy is “an effective intervention” for reducing blood pressure.

Manual massage is effective, but what about massage chairs? Studies indicate that massage chair treatment, because it is more easily regulated, is actually as effective as and safer than manual massage. Variation in pressure, even from a professional massage therapist, makes the benefits of various types of massage, as well as its ideal duration and frequency harder to determine. A massage chair, on the other hand, provides a selected style and intensity exactly the same way each time. And the chair, being at your home, is available at any time and at no additional cost once you have purchased it. 

Enjoy the health benefits of massage therapy in comfort of your own home with a quality massage chair today!

Givi, Mahshid. “Durability of Effect of Massage Therapy on Blood Pressure.” International Journal of Preventive Medicine, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, May 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3733180/.

“New ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guidelines Lower Definition of Hypertension.” American College of Cardiology, 13 Nov. 2017, www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2017/11/08/11/47/mon-5pm-bp-guideline-aha-2017.