Studies: Effects of Massage in Acute and Critical Care.
Research:
In this systematic review of 22 studies on the effect of massage on relaxation, comfort and sleep, 8 out of 10 research studies indicated that massage significantly decreased anxiety or the perception of tension.
Results:
Seven out of 10 studies showed that massage produced physiologic relaxation. Three studies found massages to be effective in reducing pain. The results on sleep promotion were inconclusive.