"Neurotone Marathon"

Today, the world is overrun by stress. Stress comes from our perceptions and emotional reactions, but the outside simulators are intense and far too many. Our bodies and minds are under constant assault.

We are simply overwhelmed by the rhythm and complexity of modern life - long working hours, media, internet, social networking, inter-individual competition, concrete environment, traffic, noise, pollution...

Stress and chronicle exhaustion are a social epidemic, often underestimated in it's ability to cause a severe damage to our mental health.

Stress in men, can be especially problematic. Men tend to have difficulties acknowledging any health problems, let alone one that affects their social and emotional well-being. They think they’re supposed to be tough, self-reliant, able to manage stress and take charge of situations.

Most stress related issues have an emotional root. Emotions are a powerful energy, and it takes an equally powerful energy to transform them.

Research in the neurosciences has made it quite clear that emotional processes operate at a much higher speed than thoughts because they frequently bypass the mind’s entire linear reasoning process. Thus activation of positive emotions plays a critical role in breaking the stress cycle and effectively transforming stress at its source (+hearthmath)

To deal with stress successfully, we need to trigger positive emotions, and the"pleasure hormones" are known to be a great source of positive energy and perfect for improving our mood. Dopamine, serotonin, endorphin, oxytocin are all "magical" hormones we need, to administer some positive energy and emotion into our body and mind.

Dopamine helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centres and keeps you mentally alert. You can boost dopamine levels by laughing, kissing or getting a massage.

Serotonin regulates your body’s temperature, appetite and lowers sensitivity to pain. It is the hormone that makes you feel satisfied and happy.

You can increase your serotonin level by being in sunlight every day, exercise,eating carbs, getting a massage.

Endorphin can reduce anxiety and perception of pain, and act as a sedative.

Boost your endorphin with exercise, by sweating more- steam bath or sauna can help rejuvenate the body, relax the muscles and melt away stress and tension. Acupuncture is great too - it is treating various physical and mental ailments by releasing endorphin into the bloodstream.

Oxytocin is known for increasing bonding, social behaviour and closeness.

Ways you can increase this hormone with intimacy, touching, sex and massage.

Have you noticed that, one source consistently present in all "boost-your-happy-hormones" list, is the massage?

We are biologically wired to respond to touch and the combined effect of attention, stimulation and muscular relaxation signals the brain to shift to a more calm state.

It is easy to understand - massage is more than soothing stroking and systematic manipulation of soft tissues. Massage therapy realises stress and anxiety by affecting the body's biochemistry.

Improve your health and release stress by treating yourself to a beautiful, sensual massage with me..and don't forget to smile!

Nicole xxx