Abhyanga Benefits: What Happens to Your Body When You Practice This Ayurvedic Self-Massage for 45 Days

Ayurveda believes Abhyanga can be the simple cure to complex health problems. Abhyanga is the most popular tradition of self-massaging the body with warm dosha-specific oil.

This simple practice is one of the best ways to destress.

It nourishes the deep tissues. Relieves the knots of stress and tensions. Detoxifies the body of ama. Helps in healing the wear and tears. Reduces pain. Improves sleep and blood flow. Enhances immunity and sleep quality. It relaxes joint pain and muscle stress. And the list of Amazing benefits of Abhyanga goes on…

Ancient scripts mentions the detailed benefits of Abhyanga and modern research is proving these claims to be true. Hence, today it is adopted as a therapeutic treatment of several mental and physical diseases. 

I often recommend many of my patients to practice Abhyanga. As stress management plays a big part in the treatment of any disease and Abhyanga is a major stress-buster. 

Abhyanga – Do it Daily

Abhyanga or Ayurvedic oil massage is an integral part of the daily routine. Just like brushing and bathing takes away the dirt on your body, abhyanga churns out the toxins from inside your body.

It is a powerful recharger and rejuvenator.

The rich oil used in Abhyanga feeds your skin. The strokes of your hand relieve fatigue and stress. The gentle touch improves your quality of sleep. The skin feels nourished and lustre improves. The veins in your body get unclogged and blood flow improves. Abhyanga nourishes all part of the body, reduces your encounter with diseases and improves your longevity.

The right way to do it

To get the maximum benefits of Abhyanga, it’s important to do it in the right way and at the right time. The best time to do Abhyanga is morning or evening, before shower or before bed.

To Dos

• Always use lukewarm oil for quick and easy trans-dermal absorption.
• Massage in upward to downward strokes gently but with enough pressure.
• Cater to your joints by massaging them in a circular motion.
• Massage your legs from thighs to toes and your hands from arms to fingers.
• For the head, take a few drops of oil on your fingertips and massage your scalp gently.

Not To Dos

• You should not practice Abhyanga after your meals.
• Avoid Abhyanga in case of severe indigestion or constipation.
• You should not practice Anhyanga during fever. 
• Avoid Abhyanga during your menstrual cycle
• Consult your doctor before practicing Abhyanga during pregnancy.

What happens when you do it every day?

Abhyanga has several benefits, but it needs to be practised every day, even if for just a few minutes, five, ten or fifteen. Only regular and continuous practise of this ritual can bring lasting benefits to the mind and body!

Check out these Amazing benefits of Abhyanga –

• You feel energized instantly due to increased blood circulation, especially to nerve endings. 
• Your muscles tone up and you can feel the changes within weeks or months.
• It calms the nerves and ensures peaceful sleep from the first day.
• Massaging lubricates your joints, prevents and relieves joint pains.
• It eliminates impurities from your body and makes you feel much lighter and energized.
• Regular massages soften your skin over time.
• Apart from these, it is one of the best tools for managing stress, which is important in diabetes, cancer, arthritis, depression and any other chronic disease.

Abhyanga – A case study

A 32-year-old traffic police inspector visited my clinic complaining of tiredness, disturbed sleep and body aches. It was his strenuous duty of standing on the road for more than 10 hours that took a toll on his health. 

He was newly married and the clashes of his new personal life and professional life created more stress. He often came home late and tired, with little energy to even keep his eyes from shutting. His wife started complaining and he cursed the department for overtime.

His wife focused on his eating routine and ensured he drank enough water throughout the day. He even managed to leave early from work, but on his energy levels, nothing much changed.  His vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels which were also normal.

He complained of constant stress. The noise pollution, air pollution, busy road and changing weather were casting an effect on his health. Sometimes he would feel a tingling pain on his shoulder or legs and on other days his whole body felt burnt out.

Ayurvedic Treatment

I prescribed him Ashwagandha Tablets along with regular self-massage with warm Abhyanjana taila ( New Bhuvanendra Ayurvedic pharmacy, Udupi). Ashwagandha is a great anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. It protected his body internally by fighting off inflammation and free-radicals. 

Abhyanga dissolved his pain and recharged his energies. It helped him by relieving his stress daily at the end of the day and he could wake up the next day fully rested and energized. His married life also improved with his enhanced stamina.

He visited me after 45 days and with a big smile, he said, ‘Sir, I did everything you told me to.  My pain and aches are gone now. I no more feel fatigued or dull. I feel energized and happy even at the end of the day. And this made my wife happy.’

‘It’s been 45 days of this new ritual and my life has changed completely. Even though my stress is gone, this habit of Abhyanga is hard to leave’

I replied, ‘Abhyanga is not a habit, it’s a lifestyle. Practice it every day and enjoy health benefits.’

Amazing benefits of Abhyanga – Dr. Brahma’s Note!

Abhyanga is an important self-care ritual that should be adopted by every individual. Many people think that it is for the child or the elderlies, but Abhyanga is a boon at any age. It is one simple self-pampering technique that bestows many benefits but has no side effects.

If you are not already doing it, please start it once and continue it for just 45 days!!!