Massage and Grief

Know someone coping with the loss of a loved one?
Treat him or her to a massage, which may help console people who are grieving.

Soft-tissue hand and foot massages may help soothe people who are dealing with loss, according to a small study in the Journal of Clinical Nursing. People who had recently lost a family member to cancer were offered a 25-minute hand or foot massage once a week for eight weeks.

According to the study’s author, Dr. Berit S. Cronfalk, soft-tissue massage can activate touch receptors, which release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes relaxation and decreases anxiety.