Why Massage Feels Good
Massage is known to feel relaxing, rejuvenating, and transformative. Many people seek out massage and bodywork as a part of their regular self care, to aid in injury prevention, pain management, and because it just feels good!
But what is going on inside of the body to create a new you? Well in fact, there are many physiological changes that the body experiences during a massage that leads to you "feeling good."
1. Massage activates brain regions linked to pleasure and relaxation
Whenever we see something or experience an event with our senses, the information is sent to the amygdala. The amygdala is a small part of the brain shaped like an almond that processes information extremely quickly and sends this information to the correct parts of the brain to respond. This is an automatic response that we have no control over.
During the event of a massage, the touch sensation is processed and transmitted via the amygdala. Before you can even exhale all your stress away, your brain has already translated therapeutic touch to relaxing and healing.
This is because amygdala is located inside of the limbic system which is directly related to controlling the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is in charge of automatic responses, such as breathing and letting our defenses down or regulating the nervous system.
2. Increases in serotonin and dopamine contribute to the “feel-good” effect
Our bodies use hormones and chemicals to create change and keep us safe. When we are stressed, depressed, or threatened, the stress hormone cortisol rises. During a massage, cortisol levels are known to drop on average 31%. As the body responds to cortisol dropping and begins to destress, serotonin and dopamine see an average increase of 28% for serotonin and an average increase of 31% for dopamine. These real, measurable effects suggest that massage therapy is effective for managing stress, depression, pain, auto immune symptoms, aging, and pregnancy.
3. Stimulates the brain’s “affective touch” pathways
Touch is known is produce feelings of belonging and social support. As social creatures, we have evolved to use touch for social bonding and communication. This is because of C-tactile afferents which are nerve fibers that when activated turn on the limbic system (remember her?) Therefore pleasurable touch leads to measurable individual and social benefits.
4. Increases oxytocin, promoting bonding and calm
We know that massage inspires the body to create and release serotonin and dopamine, but massage also stimulates oxytocin release. Oxytocin is known as the bonding hormone. When we feel bonded, trust can be established between massage therapist and client. This trust leads to deeper healing and quicker results (and a new bestie in your corner!)
5. Activates morphinergic and limbic processes
The simple answer is that massage feels good because it releases endorphins. But by now, we know its not that simple. Massage stimulates the limbic system which stimulates the autonomic nervous system which is why most people automatically respond to touch by feeling relaxed. Just like serotonin and dopamine, endorphins are also feel good hormones except endorphins lead to a reduction in pain specifically.
The limbic system is proving to be very important during a massage. Comment below if you want a blog post about more parts of the brain and nervous system!
6. Improves psychological well-being and stress resilience
A recent meta-analysis of the effects of touch therapy revealed that touch based therapies are effective for regulating cortisol levels, reducing pain and increasing weight in babies, and regulating depression and anxiety levels in adults. Additionally, touch therapies presented by a robot result in similar positive results except for the mental health benefits such as reduced depression and anxiety. Adults with mental health issues had better results compared to healthy adults. Babies experienced higher levels of positive results with touch therapies from their parent vs a health care provider.
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Massage doesn’t just feel good, it changes your chemistry from the inside out. Each session boosts dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins while lowering cortisol, helping your body shift into deep relaxation. The release of oxytocin supports trust, connection, and social bonding—key ingredients for better emotional and physical health. Regular touch therapy has even been shown to improve outcomes for adults experiencing anxiety and depression.
Ready to experience the benefits for yourself? Find your massage time here
References
Furnari, D., Khan, N., & Delaney, M. (2020)._ _Brain and touch therapy: Research on massage therapy, fitness, rehabilitation—Case report for a randomized controlled trial.
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., & Diego, M. (2005)._ _Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy._ _International Journal of Neuroscience, 115_(10), 1397–1413
Ellingsen, D. M., Leknes, S., Løseth, G., & Wessberg, J. (2016)._ _The neurobiology shaping affective touch: Expectation, motivation, and meaning in the multisensory context._ _Frontiers in Psychology, 6_, 1986
Rapaport, M. H., Schettler, P. J., Larson, E. R., & Carroll, D. (2018)._ _Massage therapy for psychiatric disorders._ _Focus, 16_(4), 361–366
Esch, T., Guarna, M., & Bianchi, E. (2004)._ _Commonalities in the central nervous system's involvement with complementary medical therapies: Limbic morphinergic processes
Kopf, D. (2021)._ _Massage and touch-based therapy: Clinical evidence, neurobiology and applications in older patients with psychiatric symptoms._ _Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie