Articles posted by: polly_admin

Spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems including anxiety and depression. The modern way we live has changed radically from life in the savanna, but our brains have mostly stayed the same. We still have a deep connection with nature, and research shows that if we don’t nourish that bond despite our technological advancements, we may suffer in many ways.

There is a therapy called Ecotherapy which is a type of formal treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature and which has shown to help with mild to moderate depression. There isn’t one single definition of ecotherapy, but it’s often used to describe a regular, structured activity that includes being led by trained professionals (sometimes therapists), who are there to support you, focus on doing an activity, rather than on your health, takes place in a green environment, is related to exploring and appreciating the natural world, involves spending time with other people, (although you can always choose to interact at your own pace).

It can also be described, depending on whether the activity has an emphasis on exercise, horticulture or therapy, as green exercise, green care, green therapy, and horticultural therapy. This combination of being in a supportive environment doing regular physical work, and interacting with other people in nature has had positive results for many people with mental health issues.

Connecting to other people and nature offers a positive experience and helps support the senses by tuning into them, it can bring compassion and caring actions towards nature, which in turn can help lift mood and ease mild depression.

Being outside in natural light can also be helpful if you experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons or times of year. Symptoms can include a persistent low mood, lacking in energy and sleepy during the day.

It is thought that SAD is linked to reduced periods of sunlight during shorter seasons. The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the production of melatonin which is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher-than-normal levels. Production of serotonin which is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression and, the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm). Our bodies use sunlight to time various important functions, such as when we wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt our body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD.

Getting as much natural sunlight as possible and exercising regularly can really help to improve the symptoms –Vitamin D is produced in your skin in response to sunlight and so is really important as insufficient vitamin D levels can lead to a number of health problems, including depression and other mental health issues.

There are numerous different reasons being in nature may help you feel better mentally and physically, examples are:

Fatigue – if you are constantly multitasking in the daytime, for example you might face a combination of kids, working from home, chores, devices all vying for your attention. Your prefrontal cortex can only take so much distraction before it needs a recharge. Luckily, time in nature has been shown to restore mental abilities like short term memory and processing 3D images based on drawings.

Disconnected – one of the most basic human needs is to feel that you belong and you’re part of a larger tribe. But studies show that this concept goes beyond human relationships alone. Time in nature results in a sense of belonging to the wider world that is vital for mental health.

Stressed – nature presents scenes that gently capture your attention instead of suddenly snatching it, calming your nerves instead of frazzling them.

According to some experts, just 15 minutes outside each day is all you need to reap the benefits the great outdoors has to offer.

Jess, our specialist Sports massage therapist looks at how the changes in some of our working life’s are having an effect on our physical wellbeing – and offers some tips on how to look after ourselves, especially our back area.

“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to work from home, the vast majority of clients are experiencing back related problems, whether that be neck and shoulders or lower back.

In some ways this isn’t surprising, you’d be impressed to find out just how many risk assessments are carried out and how much money is invested in the workplace to prevent such problems.

The same, however, can’t be said for inside our homes. Some lucky people may have been provided with a fancy desk chair by their employer, however the vast majority of people have been forced to make do with the furniture they already own. In most cases, this usually means spending hours on end sat in a poorly made dining room chair, at some sort of make-shift desk.

With life already stressful enough, which in itself can cause an unwanted build-up of tension, we could all benefit from being comfortable when working from home. Here are 5 useful tips that may help to relieve pain or prevent the onset of back problems. Give them a go if your work-from-home setup is far from ideal.

Tip number 1

Whenever you find yourself with a free minute or two, try to stand up and move around. This can be as simple as walking from one end of your house to the other. Sitting in one position all day can cause both your joints and muscles to tense up.

Tip number 2

Exercise! This tip is time permitting; however, research suggests that 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day begins to counteract the negative health effects of prolonged sitting. This could involve simply going for a walk or even doing some yoga (there are loads of great YouTube videos out there to follow along to!)

Tip number 3

Be aware of your posture. This is definitely easier said than done as we often find positions of poor posture to be more comfortable. After all, who wants to engage their core all day right? Joking aside, here are some key checkpoints you can go through to assess your posture –

• Sit with legs uncrossed, with both feet flat on the floor (use a footrest if your chair is too high)
• Sit right into the chair with your back fully against the back rest (if your chair doesn’t have sufficient back rest you can fold up a towel and place it behind your lower back)
• Sit upright – lift your chest up with your shoulders relaxed
• Maintain a neutral head position
• Focus on an engaged feeling in your core – this doesn’t mean heavily tensing all day, but if you feel yourself start to slouch, actively engaging your core slightly is a good way to correct your posture

Tip number 4 

Stretching your back and the joints around it whenever you get the chance will help to decrease tension and improve circulation in the area. Again, there are some great YouTube videos out there that take you through quick and effective stretching routines. Main areas to focus on are…

• Glutes and hamstrings
• Hip flexors
• Lumbar spine mobility stretches

Tip number 5

Use a hot water bottle or microwavable wheat bag across the shoulders or lower back. This is a super easy tip that can be really great for pain relief and reducing stiffness. When sitting or lying down, place a warm wheat bag or hot water bottle over the shoulders or lower back. This functions to dilate blood vessels and promote blood flow to the area which can help sore or tight muscles to relax, whilst also promoting a sense of calm.

Whilst these tips are not guaranteed to solve or prevent back problems, if consistently performed, they can certainly go a long way to making work-from-home life more comfortable for a lot of people. That, and coming to see us for a massage”

We are delighted here at BMC to announce the launch of our first product, Rebalance Candle.

We have been planning this product for a long time, and finally it is ready and available to purchase in our shop.

Hand made and poured by Polly (BMC owner) from her studio in Devon, the candle has been created with our clients in mind – offering a relaxing and luxurious scent to lift the mood and offer a place of calm.

The candle is made only using the finest ingredients and pure, natural oil. Rebalance is infused with Black Pomegranate oil which has top notes of juicy plum, pomegranate and fresh roses, complimenting a heart of patchouli, cedarwood, violet leaf and spices, resting on a base of amber, vanilla and leather.

If you’re looking for a perfect Christmas gift, want to create a cosy fragrant winters night in, or looking for something special to help relax and unwind with, Rebalance Candle will help do just that.

Why not treat someone this Christmas with a gift voucher and candle gift set, you can find our options on the shop page

I’m very excited to be a part of an amazing new concept, launched by www.inyourelementfestival.com

They have created a new unique platform, ‘Workplace Wellness experience’ which is aimed to improve your workplace wellbeing by offering over 100 online tutorials by some amazing professionals.

My first recording for them has gone ‘live’ and is all about ‘Selfcare and massage’ at home. With so many of us now working more from home and our daily routines having changed due to the summers events, it’s so important to stay healthy, physically and mentally – sitting at a desk all day can cause havoc with your posture and create unhealthy habits. My video explains and demonstrates some super easy massage and acupressure techniques you can do which will help ease tight shoulders, headaches and ease anxiety.

If you need some inspiration and ideas for using massage at home to relax and help any stresses or anxiety then check out their Instagram page @in_your_element or log onto their website to watch the videos

Q1. Tell us a bit about yourself Jess

I am originally from South West London, and I qualified in sports massage 3 years ago. I have since been practicing freelance from home, whenever I’m not here in bath, with regular clients.
I am currently about to start the final year of my Sport & Exercise Science degree at the University of Bath. I have a history of involvement in elite sport throughout my teenage years, and I’ve since developed a passion to work in the field. I’m a happy, easy going person who loves a good chat!

Q2. Your degree sounds fascinating, would you share what the course is and what it involves

My course is Sport & Exercise Science which essentially develops an understanding of how humans’ function in sport, physical activity and health environments. There are three core disciplines within my degree here at bath, these include; 1) biomechanics – exploring the ways in which humans create and control movement, particularly athlete’s technique, 2) physiology – encompassing the structure, function, regulation and performance of the body’s systems and how these relate to sporting/exercise performance, and 3) Psychology – examining the role of thoughts, feelings and behaviours in both sport and exercise settings and the impact these may have on performance and participation.  

Q3. What made you decide to train as a Sports Massage Therapist

I decided to train as a Sports Massage Therapist during a gap year that I took before starting university in 2017. At the time I was in full time training as an elite triathlete and was looking for something that I could do to further my personal and professional development while I wasn’t studying. During this time, I required regular sports massage myself and found it frustrating that I couldn’t afford clinical prices to receive treatment as much as I needed. I also had several friends in the same position, which inspired me to complete my level 3 sports massage qualification with the intention of providing affordable treatment for athletes. Within my network at the time I was fortunate enough to have several athletes and friends who were interested in my services, many of whom I still treat today! I then also began to develop a recreationally active client base through word of mouth and friend referrals.

Q4. You have worked with some exciting organisations – tell us how you got involved withTeam Wiggins U23 Cycling Squad

I am fortunate enough that a few of my regular clients are professional road cyclists who live and train in my area. Through these athletes I was lucky enough to learn that the Team Wiggins U23 team were looking for a massage therapist to travel to the Kreiz Breizh Elites stage race in Bretagne, France, as a soigneur. After chatting to the team director at Wiggins about my experience with road riders I was invited to travel to the race as a soigneur (often referred to as a swannie) for the team. A swannie’s main role within the team is to provide massage therapy for the riders both pre (for warm up purposes) and post-race (for maintenance purposes). The role however also involves looking after the general welfare of the riders with tasks such as preparing their breakfast, preparing race nutrition (water bottles and food) and feed zone assistance throughout the race.

Q5. Tell us about your time in Australia working at the NSW Institute of Sport

Last year, as part of my degree, I was fortunate enough to secure a placement working at the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) in Sydney, Australia. NSWIS is a government funded sport science institution dedicated to supporting Australia’s most talented athletes to become the worlds’ best. The institute aims to achieve this by providing an integrated multidisciplinary service to athletes that is unparalleled around the world. This includes integrated support in disciplines of Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, Psychology, Performance Analysis, Strength & Conditioning, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Sport Consultancy and Athlete Wellbeing & Engagement. My role as a Sport Science intern was to work across all disciplines within the institute to provide performance support and to impact the success of athlete scholars within the many NSWIS sports programmes. Over time I became predominantly embedded within the track cycling and hockey programmes, mainly providing physiology and performance analysis support. However, I was fortunate to work with a great number of athletes and sports including para-archery, water polo, swimming, athletics, netball and diving to name a few. The experience was incredible and living so far away from home really taught me a lot and allowed me to develop greatly as a person.

Q6. What makes a Sports massage different from other massages and why would people need to get one?

The main difference between sports massage and other forms of massage is that it tends to be deeper and more area specific. A sports massage will often involve greater pressure and more in-depth techniques than other forms of massage, and although the goal is not to cause pain, it can be slightly uncomfortable at times. The aim of sports massage is to manipulate soft tissue in such a way, so as to prevent or treat sports related injuries. This does NOT mean that only athletes can get sports massages. Anyone can benefit from a sports massage, whether you are an elite athlete, go to the gym regularly or simply walk to keep fit! A person may get a sports massage if they have specific areas of discomfort or tightness; for example someone who is on their feet all day may find themselves with particularly tight calves or sore knees, or an individual who sits at a desk all day may suffer from tight upper back and shoulders. Additionally, an athlete (or anyone who regularly exercises!) may wish to receive what we refer to as a ‘maintenance’ sport massage. This is a more general treatment that focuses on flushing out the muscles that may be used extensively in the individuals sport. This functions to reduce injury risk and muscle soreness, allowing them to train and compete to the best of their ability.

Q7. Any finally, what do you do to relax and unwind after Uni/work?  

To relax and unwind I love to keep fit. In particular I enjoy running and cycling in my spare time and occasionally I like to set myself a physical challenge to complete to keep things interesting! I also really enjoy spending time with friends, eating out and going for coffee. I’m a huge music fan so I spend a lot of my free time listening to music and I love going to live music events.

If you’d like to experience Jess’s treatments please contact us.