damaging effects of stress are well-known, but fortunately, our bodies have a built-in system for managing and recovering from it.
This system is called the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that taking time to relax — especially when it involves massage — can activate the PSNS, the new study by psychologists at the University of Konstanz in Germany has scientifically measured and confirmed this effect.In their paper, the researchers conclude that short periods of relaxation may be psychologically and physiologically regenerative and that the effect is even more pronounced with massage.The senior author of the study is Prof.