Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. It’s released by the adrenal glands when we feel anxious, overwhelmed, or under pressure. In short bursts, cortisol is helpful it prepares the body to respond to stress. However, when cortisol levels stay high for long periods of time (which often happens with ongoing anxiety), it can contribute to:
- Increased muscle tension and pain
- Fatigue and poor sleep
- Weakened immune function
- Elevated blood pressure
- Heightened feelings of stress and anxiety
This is where massage therapy has been shown to make a real difference.
Remedial Massage for Cortisol Management
One of the most well-known researchers in this area, Dr Tiffany Field and her team at the Touch Research Institute in the United States, conducted multiple studies examining the effects of massage on stress hormones.
In a 2016 study, Field et al. found that participants who received massage therapy experienced significant decreases in cortisol levels, along with increases in serotonin and dopamine, chemicals linked to improved mood and relaxation. This showed that massage doesn’t just feel relaxing it actually produces measurable changes in the body’s stress response.
Earlier research by Field et al. (2006) also showed reduced cortisol levels in adults following massage sessions, alongside lower anxiety and improved physiological relaxation.
Further supporting this, a study by Rapaport, Schettler, and Bresee (2016) looked at the effects of repeated massage treatments on healthy adults. They found that regular massage led to long-term reductions in cortisol levels, suggesting that consistent massage may help regulate the body’s stress response over time not just immediately after a session.
Research in clinical settings has shown similar results. For example, Chen et al. (2016) observed significantly lower cortisol levels in caregivers of cancer patients who received massage therapy compared to those who did not. This group also experienced reduced anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Together, these studies suggest that massage therapy helps the body shift out of a constant stress state by lowering cortisol. By reducing this hormone, massage supports relaxation, emotional balance, better sleep, and improved overall wellbeing.
