When you think of all the positive effects of massage, better breathing might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But along with easing muscle tension and stress, it turns out that a good massage may also be able to help you breathe easier. So, what kind of benefits can it offer — and how can you try it yourself?
Whether you’re dealing with a stuffy nose or often find yourself holding your breath due to stress, here’s what to know about the benefits of massage for better breathing, plus tips for getting started.
Causes of Breathing Difficulties
Breathing difficulties can occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from chronic conditions like asthma to short-term issues like seasonal allergies or the common cold. In many cases, you’ll have to treat the problem (or wait for your body to fight it off) before your breathing can return to normal again.
But did you know that 6–12% of the population has a chronic breathing pattern disorder (CBPD)? These conditions are often related to overbreathing — or breathing quickly and shallowly. Over the long term, these breathing patterns can affect stress hormones and other aspects of your health.
Chronic shallow breathing can sometimes be due to underlying health conditions, like asthma or COPD. But it can also happen in those who have an overactive fight-or-flight response — a common symptom of anxiety and other mental health conditions.
The Importance of Healthy Breathing
Whether it’s through treating an underlying condition, reducing stress, or retraining your body to inhale more deeply, the benefits of healthier breathing include:
- Managing stress and anxiety
- Supporting proper oxygen and carbon dioxide levels throughout your body
- Soothing your nervous system
- Calming your blood pressure
How Can Massage Support Healthy Breathing? 4 Surprising Benefits
The respiratory system is very complex, and everything from air pollutants to health conditions and emotions can affect the way we breathe. The good news is that by soothing stress and relaxing the muscles, massage can support healthy breathing in a few key ways:
1. Healthier Posture
You probably know that poor posture can cause aches and pains, but did you know it can also affect your breathing? When your spine and shoulders are hunched forward, it can get in the way of your diaphragm — a large internal muscle that helps your lungs inhale and exhale.
Fortunately, massage can help target tension, knots, and imbalances that may be affecting your posture, like tight pectoral or upper back muscles. At the same time, it can also help you get more in tune with your bodily awareness.
Used regularly, it can help you stay in aligned, natural posture more often — giving your lungs more room to expand with every breath.
2. Stress Relief
When you feel anxiety due to a perceived threat, your body reacts by releasing stress hormones and tensing your muscles. This response is meant to help you flee or fight when faced with danger. But over time, too much of this stress response can cause you to rely on shallow chest breathing, as opposed to deep belly breathing.
The good news is that massage can act as a naturally calming tool for stress and anxiety. It works by triggering the body’s relaxation response, which may help slow your breathing, calm your heart rate, and even temporarily reduce blood pressure.
In addition, it’s the position of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) that massage may help ease anxiety symptoms for many, including:
- Those with chronic pain
- Seniors and elderly adults
- Healthy adults
- People with chronic headaches
- Those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
3. Muscle Relaxation
Whether from chronic stress, poor posture, or a bit of both, you’re not alone if you unconsciously hold tension in your upper body. Unfortunately, this tension can affect the ribs and chest wall, which can make breathing deeply more difficult.
Luckily, the gentle pressure of massage can help relax your back, rib, and chest muscles — all of which can help support your chest’s ability to expand. Plus, its all-over calming effects can help your body let go of muscle tension on a holistic level.
4. Sinus Congestion Relief
When your nose is stuffy due to allergies or a seasonal cold, it turns out that a gentle facial massage may be able to help clear it out.
One article from the Cleveland Clinic states that while there aren’t many studies on sinus congestion massage yet, licensed massage therapist (LMT) Vickie Bodner has seen positive effects from it in her experience.
This technique typically involves using gentle pressure on the frontal sinuses — or the ones near your brow bones — and on the maxillary sinuses, which are on either side of the nose near the cheeks. It may help with:
- Pressure relief
- Relieving headache pain
- Runny or stuffy noses
What Kind of Massage Is Best for Better Breathing?
Whether you’re looking to target postural issues or everyday stress, here are some of the best types of massage to support deeper, healthier breathing:
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage uses flowing, gentle strokes in the direction of the heart to help support the body’s circulatory system. It’s also specifically focused on stress relief — meaning it can be extra helpful for those whose breathing is affected by high stress levels or an overactive startle response.
Plus, Swedish massage involves the use of “tapotement,” or a rhythmic tapping believed by some to provide even greater benefits for healthy breathing.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage can be an excellent option for relieving deep tension in the muscles and fascia. And if your goal is postural improvement, an experienced deep tissue therapist can help pinpoint muscles and areas of tension that could make the biggest difference.
While deep tissue massage can sometimes come with some wincing (and you may need to let your therapist know if it feels too uncomfortable), it may bring benefits like:
- Relief from deep, chronic tension
- Better mobility in tired, overused muscles
- Stress relief and relaxation
Self-Massage for Healthy Breathing: 3 Techniques
If you’re curious about using regular massage to support better breathing, here are three simple techniques you can try yourself:
Sinus Massage
When you have a stuffy nose, a simple sinus massage can be a great way to help get mucus moving. It’s also easy, gentle, and requires just a few minutes to try. Here are the steps:
- Start by placing each pointer finger just above the front of your brow bone, on your forehead.
- Use gentle pressure and small, circular motions to begin massaging the area.
- Make your way down toward the front of your eyebrows, repeating the circular motions to help stimulate your frontal sinuses.
- Move down and repeat the circular motions on either side of your nose, near the inner corners of your eyes.
- Continue the massage down along the sides of your nose, and slowly move diagonally outward along the inner cheekbone to target your maxillary sinuses.
- Repeat for a total of 5 minutes.
Upper Body Self-Massage
This simple self-massage can help soothe the muscles that tend to be the biggest sources of upper body tension — like the trapezius and chest muscles. Plus, it can work as the perfect time to mindfully practice deep breathing. Simply:
- Have a seat somewhere comfortable. Be sure that your shoulders are back, your spine is straight, and your muscles are relaxed.
- Take a deep breath in, and make a mental note to be conscious of your breathing during this massage.
- With moderate pressure, use a few fingers to massage the chest muscles in circular motions. Start at the center just below the collarbone, and make your way out toward each armpit. Repeat for 2–3 minutes.
- Then, cross your right hand up to reach your left trapezius muscle. (This is the upper back muscle between your spine and shoulder.)
- Use moderate pressure to squeeze and massage this muscle for another 2–3 minutes.
- Repeat with the right trapezius muscle.
- Finally, use both hands and gentle, downward motions to massage both sides of the neck for another 2–3 minutes.
Use a Body Massager
A home massager like the MedMassager Body Massager Plus can bring gentle, restorative massage to your home — without you needing to DIY it or ask a partner for help. This tool was created with expert insight in mind, using a blend of oscillation and vibration to mimic how a massage therapist would work on the muscles.
One way to use it for healthy breathing is to focus on the middle and upper back muscles. On top of being deeply relaxing, working these areas can ease tension that might be adding to forward posture and limited chest movement. To try it:
- Start the device to its lightest setting. (You can increase the intensity later on as needed).
- Find a chair with a high back, and place the massager behind you. Gently situate it between your middle back muscles and the chair so that it stays in place.
- Allow it to work into the muscles for 3–5 minutes. Shift its position as needed to focus on any extra sore areas.
- Then, repeat the technique on the upper back. Adjust the massager as needed to work on the trapezius, rotator cuff, and other upper back and shoulder muscles.
- Allow the massager to work into the muscles for a total of 10–15 minutes, up to a few times per day.
Tips for Getting the Most From Your Massage
Before you try massage for better breathing, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:
- Make it a point to be mindful of your breathing. Massage on its own is great, but it can be even more helpful when paired with deep breathing practice. Done often enough, it can help you make deeper, healthier breathing a habit.
- Use it regularly. A one-time massage can feel wonderful, but if you want to reduce muscle tension and support your posture long-term, you’ll likely see a bigger difference by using it more often.
- Pay attention to your posture after massage. Once your muscles are relaxed, it can feel easier to keep your shoulders back, chest open, and spine straight. By sticking to this posture after your session, you can help your body remember to stay in a healthy position more often.
Are There Any Risks of Massage for Better Breathing?
As long as you’re using gentle techniques or working with a professional, there typically aren’t many risks of trying massage for better breathing. However, it’s always key to ask your doctor before trying any complementary therapy — even one as gentle as massage — if you have any prior or current health conditions.
These include:
- Heart conditions or uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Respiratory conditions including asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, etc.
- A history of blood clots
- Cancer
- Kidney or liver diseases
- Pregnancy
- An infection or other contagious disease
- Any other condition that hasn’t been approved for massage previously
In addition, while massage can be helpful for deeper breathing and congestion, it's not a treatment or cure for respiratory health conditions. So, if you decide to try it, just remember to use it alongside your current treatment plan — not in place of it — and check in with your doctor along the way.
Other Ways To Support Healthy Breathing
If you’ve noticed that your breathing patterns have changed over time, here are some of the best steps you can take to monitor and support your respiratory health:
See Your Doctor About Any Concerns
The most important way to support healthy breathing is to see your doctor about any concerns you have. Specifically, be sure to make an appointment if you notice:
- New or worsening shortness of breath
- Swelling in your legs, feet, or ankles
- Other symptoms that come with breathing challenges, like a fever or cough
- Finding it harder to breathe while lying down
Beyond that, don’t forget to schedule annual check-ups with your physician. During these visits, they can listen to your heart and lungs to help you catch any breathing issues early on.
Practice Regular Physical Activity
You probably know that exercise can make your muscles stronger, but did you know that it can also strengthen your lungs and support healthy breathing? By exercising a few times per week, it can bring benefits like:
- Increasing your lung capacity
- Improving circulation
- Strengthening your heart
- Helping your body become more efficient at moving oxygen where it needs to go
- Reducing stress and anxiety, which can help combat long-term shallow breathing patterns
Reduce Exposure to Toxins and Air Pollutants
Another key way to promote better breathing is to reduce exposure to toxins and air pollution where you can. For example, if you smoke, quitting or cutting back can make a major difference in your breathing and lung health.
Beyond that, some other steps you can take to help yourself breathe cleaner air include:
- Investing in a home air purifier
- Keeping an eye on the air quality forecast each day, so you can know when to limit your outdoor time
- Keeping your windows open on days with good air quality
Practice Deep Breathing Exercises
Most people know that deep breathing can curb stress and anxiety, but it may surprise you to find out that it can also support healthy lung function. According to the American Lung Association, practicing breathing exercises can help your lungs rid themselves of stale air — which can build up over time due to shallow breathing patterns.
Plus, these exercises can boost lung capacity and help your diaphragm function at its best, in turn taking some of the strain off your chest and back muscles when you breathe.
So, what are some of the best exercises to try? Two great options include:
- Pursed lip breathing: Inhale through your nose for two seconds, purse your lips as if you’re about to sip through a straw, and blow out through your mouth for a count of four.
- Belly breathing (diaphragmatic breathing): Relax and place one hand on your belly, with the other on your chest. Breathe in for four seconds, noticing how your belly inflates. Hold for two seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth for 5–6 seconds.
The Takeaway on Massage for Better Breathing
From relaxing the upper body muscles to combating congestion and easing stress, massage can come with some surprising benefits for better breathing. And the good news is that it’s easy to add into your routine — whether you visit a pro, use your own hands, or add it to your self-care regimen with a home massage tool.
Pick up the MedMassager Body Massager Plus today to get started with regular home massage, or view the full range of restorative tools here.
