Do Massages Burn Calories, Is this for real?

There is a constant desire for effective and enjoyable ways to burn calories in today’s world. Whether it’s an intense workout or a calming meditation, we constantly explore practices that match our lifestyles. While they won’t replace your gym session, massages can contribute to a healthy lifestyle by burning a small number of calories.

One exciting curiosity that frequently arises is: Do Massages Burn Calories Massages and calorie burning are not as straightforward as some might expect, but the truth is nuanced and worth exploring.

Throughout this article, we are going to explore the science behind massage and its potential impact on calorie burn.

Calories Burn With a Massage

According to several studies and estimations, an hour-long massage may burn between 60 and 100 calories, depending on various factors. This number matches the calorie expenditure of activities like light housework and yoga, putting the benefits into perspective.

When you are receiving a massage, the therapist’s hands, with their skilled touch, work with not only your muscles and soft tissues This manipulation has a two-pronged effect on calorie burning This manipulation has a two-pronged impact on calorie burning:

1. Increased Blood Flow: The massage offered by the practitioner allows us to get a better circulation of blood to those parts of our body that are affected by the condition. The result is more circulation, which means delivering oxygen and nutrients is happening more vigorously in those tissues. Consequently, as your circulatory system goes to a higher activity level, it burns a few extra calories. Hence, the circulatory system goes through the procedure of burning calories.
2. Activation of the Lymphatic System: As part of a massage, the lymphatic system, which removes waste and toxins from the body, may be stimulated. The efficient functioning of the lymphatic system plays a crucial role in overall health and may indirectly affect metabolism, even though it is not a direct calorie-burning process.
3. Muscle Engagement: Most frequently, the massage involves diagonals and muscle stretching. They exert a stimulating effect on your muscles and make them stronger during rest time and through your daily activities. When the muscles respond to the pressure a therapist gives, they are forced into contraction and relaxation as part of a process that forces them to expend energy, which in turn causes a gradual calorie burn.

While the number of calories shed during a specific massage will differ, scientists were able to conclude that it costs anything from 100 to 200 calories for a typical 1-hour session. For more details read: Breeze Academy

Factors Influencing Calorie Burn Through Massages

Based on factors such as type of massage and body weight, an hour-long massage can burn 80 to 230 calories. Although it may seem like a modest calorie burn, it is essential to remember that the primary goal of a massage is not to burn calories but to relax and enhance health.

1. Massage Type: Different kinds of massage techniques will apply to the patients differently, creating variations in the amount of pressure and intensity. For one, a deep tissue massage involves the engagement of muscles than a gentle Swedish massage.

2. Body Weight: The case also shows that obese people lose more calories in a certain amount of time. Also, body weight can do something like that with the calorie consumption of a massage. 

3. Duration of the Massage: A massage session with a longer duration elicits a higher calorie consumption compared to those of a shorter duration. Nevertheless, it has a considerably minor effect in comparison to the health merits offered by longer-term sustained physical activity.

4. Individual Metabolism: This is very valid; different bodies process food in different ways. Factors influencing age, gender, and health status can be implied to be the ones that decipher how the body burns calories.

5. Muscle Mass: With muscles using more calories while at rest than fat tissues, this is one of the significant advantages of the body mass index in dieting. This is to ensure that the body’s fats burn at a fast rate once their number is reduced and further turned into muscles. People with a minimum of muscle mass will burn more calories in the long term when they get a massage.

6. Activity Level: Usually, active people burn up calories more efficiently, and because of their sedentary lifestyle, they might lose fewer calories while massaging as compared to the person who has an active lifestyle.

Remember! Massages may help burn calories in a subtle way, but they aren’t a replacement for exercise. By focusing only on calorie burning, massages overlook the holistic benefits they offer. Massages promote relaxation, reduce stress, and address muscular tension.

Considerations for Calorie Burn During Massages

Note: Before booking a massage, consult your doctor if you have any underlying health conditions, recent injuries, or concerns. They can advise on the suitability of massage therapy for you.