Anyone who has experienced head massage will know of the many benefits it gives. These include helping improve circulation to the area giving that vital organ – our wonderful brain – a boost for clearer thinking and better concentration, nourishing hair follicles, feeling generally calmer and reducing tension in the upper body, in particular the scalp.
Here is an easy and effective self care tip for soothing tension in the scalp. Simply place your hands over your temples so that the hollow of the palm is over the temple area. With a gentle pressure make large circles and feel the skin moving nicely and the temporalis muscles (one located above each ear) feeling easier and more relaxed. Use this alongside some easy belly breathing and notice how much calmer you feel.
This perfectly complements other self care techniques or can be used as a stand alone quick tip.
Anatomy of the scalp area – As well as the temporalis muscles, you have a muscle in the forehead area (frontalis) and one at the base of the skull at the back of the head (occipitalis). In between these muscles the scalp made of a large flat tendon. If the muscles are tense and tight, this results in a tight and tense scalp and symptoms such as headaches.
Massage of the head area is contraindicated for anyone with epilepsy. Please seek medical attention if you are concerned about headache symptoms.
Photo credit Emma Sheridan of EKS Images
