You too can massage your own body to improve your health and well-being. You will be able to relieve the symptoms of minor complaints as well as help you manage the demands of modern life by reducing tension, easing anxiety, and promote a positive health outlook.

Self-massage can help bring great relief from everyday ailments and pains. It can also offer many long-term benefits such as boosting and maintaining a positive health and mental well-being. Here are some tips:

Tense neck, we all experience aching, tense, tired muscles around the neck and shoulders. You can do self-massage which can be extremely effective.

1- shrug your shoulders a few times, lift them as far as possible and then drop them and relax

2 - aching muscles can also mean that waste matter is not going away as quick as it should therefore, perform some kneading with your hand to the base of the neck and shoulder area. Firmly grip your opposite shoulder with your hand and use a squeezing motion. This will allow fresh oxygenated blood to go the muscle. Do this slowly on both sides.

3 - next with the fingers of both hands grip the back of the neck and squeeze slowly and perform some circular massage with some pressure. This relaxes the muscles that lead up the neck. Go down the base of the neck as far as you can. Now place your hands on either side of the head and with your thumbs at the base of the head perform some circular movements now apply some moderate pressure to the base of the skull on either side as this is a pressure point.

Neck Massage:

To try and ease an aching neck, hold your head with both hands and move your head lousily from side to side. Attempt to take the head to its limit of movement but make sure that you are gentle. Try and keep full control of the weight of your head with your hands at all times. Now try to relax the neck and shoulder muscles each time you move your head.

Shoulder massage:

If you have sore shoulders try placing your left hand on your right shoulder just below the ear and grasp the area firmly for 3 - 5 seconds. Move down the shoulder about a hand width and do the same. Now for the pressure point, which can be, painful but will be very good to push firmly. Place 1 or 2 fingers over the middle of your shoulder and press firmly for 5 seconds then slowly release. Do the same on the other shoulder. You can also shrug your shoulders several times up and down then backwards and forwards.

Hands:

Hold your hands above your head for 20-30 seconds then shake your fingers whilst still in the air. Shake your hands then arms, as all of this will help the circulation. Now grip each finger individually with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand and do some kneading/pinching movements and move also along the outer hand. Stretching the wrist muscles will also help…. Straighten your fingers and with the other hand push them back then all the way forward and down - you will feel the stretching take place and release tension.

Legs:

Whilst sitting perform some kneading all along the leg both on top and bottom and do this firmly as this is a large muscle area which you want to improve circulation. Leg massage can be great if you have been standing for a long period or help tired muscles recover after exercise. Many say it will also make legs smoother and prevent cellulite.

Feet:

This is easy and it can refresh your whole body…so do it daily. Make a fist and press your knuckles into the bottom of your foot moving from the heel all the way to the toes. Do this 4-6 times. Then massage each toe by gripping each one and puling, moving from side to side and some pinching. Bend all the toes back and forward a few times.

There are many other techniques, which you can perform to improve your total body and ensure that it is operating at high efficiency. There may also be a few occasions when it is not appropriate for you to give yourself a massage or you may need to take extra care. These occasions my be when - you have an ongoing medical condition, a recent injury, varicose veins, pregnancy, thrombosis, infectious skin condition, recent surgery, etc.

So be careful but if you can give yourself a little pampering with a self massage.