Chilling at Home Just As Effective as Massage in Relieving Anxiety?

A study has found that people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder  (GAD) may get as much benefit from relaxing and listening to soothing music, as from getting a body massage or from thermotherapy, a treatment where the client receives alternating warm and cool applications.

Researchers evaluated the efficacy of therapeutic massage for patients diagnosed with GAD by comparing it with other relaxing treatments that persons with tension might employ to relieve their symptoms.

Participants were randomly assigned therapeutic massage (23 people), thermotherapy (22), or relaxing room therapy (23) for 10 one-hour sessions in a period of over 12 weeks.

At the end of the trial period, all three groups reported decreased anxiety and depression. The findings tell us that there is no need to go out and get expensive treatments in order to relieve stress and anxiety. All it takes is setting up a small space, setting the mood, and setting aside time to simply relax.

For details on how the treatments were done, read the full article. Then come back and share with us your most effective relaxation techniques!