Professional massage therapy has been well documented as creating a number of positive changes, not only in recipients’ bodies, but also in terms of mind and emotions. Accessing this physically/mentally/emotionally healthy state is of course its own reward, but sharing this sweet state with your Valentine or someone special takes the experience to another level.

The beneficial changes created via professional massage therapy include both easily measurable physical changes and biochemical changes in the blood and brain that are less obvious, but equally valuable. Muscle tension and respiratory rate drop significantly. Other notable changes include a slower resting pulse (with an average decrease of over 10 beats per minute) and lower blood pressure (with an average
decrease of 7 mm mercury). In the bloodstream, the stress hormone cortisol decreases 31 percent on average, while neurotransmitters that reduce stress and are necessary to clear thinking increase 29 percent.

Beyond the science, accompanying all these measurable changes is a wonderful, even delicious, mental and emotional shift. This shift in internal experience can be harder to describe, but is linked to these physiological measures and is an important aspect of the massage experience for many clients.

Massage therapy is a profound tool that helps us become more present in our bodies and our breath. Sensory awareness becomes heightened while the inner voice that sometimes prattles on about the past and future and our faults and our worries just… fades. We are calmer and quieter; our experience of the present expands and we reawaken to the now. Ahhh! Life in this moment feels sufficient and satisfying.

Too often, when we spend time with a loved one—even if we plan it ahead as quality time—our usual state of stress is such that the time together  is gone before we’ve completely shifted to the “nowness” of the moment and the sufficiency and satisfaction of being fully present with someone we care about.

The shift created by professional massage is something worth sharing with any “Valentine.” Whether it’s a parent, brother or sister, old friend or
your spouse or lover, and whether you schedule massage sessions in the same or separate treatment rooms, receiving massage together and relaxing together afterward can facilitate connecting in a happier way and on a deeper level. Share the health benefits and enjoy that sweet state of “Ahhh!” together.

Couples massage and couples massage gift certificates are discounted through February. Lotus Massage & Wellness Center, open seven days a week, has three massage treatment rooms, including one room that easily accommodates two clients. Location: 2850 E. Grant Rd., Tucson. For more information call 520- 326-7700 or visit LotusTucson.com.