Meditation has become an increasingly popular practice with people worldwide for a variety of reasons. According to a Fitbit study, practicing meditation increased 2,900% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yes, you read that number right!)
Meditation is an age-old practice that helps people calm their minds, relax their bodies, and achieve a soothing state of inner stillness. Whether you are finishing up a yoga workout by meditating or just looking to calm your mind and relieve your stress, meditation has many benefits. For example, it has been reported to enhance focus, lengthen attention spans, and create emotional resilience.
When we are relaxed while our bodies are alert, we’re ready for anything. This state also supports healing. When people practice regular meditation, they strengthen their prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the portion of the brain responsible for focused concentration and decision-making.
Supplementing Meditation With Massage
Many people find that meditating consistently and also getting regular massages enhances the effectiveness of both activities. That is not surprising.
Like meditation, massage is an ancient practice that is proven to deliver many health benefits. Not only does it soothe and relax tight muscles, it can improve range of motion, reduce pain and stiffness, increase circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid, and aid recovery from workouts and other intense activities. So, while meditation focuses more on the mind and massage on the body, there is significant overlap in the results they deliver.
Can You Meditate in a Massage Chair?
People looking to maximize the benefits of meditation and massage (while also saving time) often ask, “Can you meditate in a massage chair?” Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, some massage chairs have Bluetooth speakers that are perfect for listening to relaxing music or a guided meditation during a massage.
When you leverage that capability, the massage movements relax your body while meditating calms your mind. The resulting benefits can be impressive.
For example, imagine that you enjoy improved circulation and reduced tension from daily massage chair sessions. As a result of those changes, you may also lower your blood pressure. Similarly, regular meditation has also been linked to lower blood pressure. So, meditating in your massage chair can make it even easier to achieve and maintain a healthier, lower blood pressure level.
Another example is using meditation and a massage chair for anxiety symptom reduction. Neither can “cure” a mental health condition, but both (particularly together) can create more relaxed states where anxiety symptoms are not as pronounced.
There may be times when you want to meditate somewhere besides your chair or when you crave a massage but are not “in the right headspace” for meditation, and that is fine. But many people find there is a “better together” relationship between the two practices.
Getting the Right Features for Meditation in a Massage Chair
You can meditate in any massage chair. However, the smoother and more lifelike the massage motions are, the easier it is to avoid being distracted and stay focused. Does that mean you need to buy the most costly massage chair for meditation? Certainly not. But thinking about how the massages a chair delivers will affect your state of mind is crucial if your goal is to meditate in the chair.
You should also consider whether you want or need additional features. The Bluetooth connectivity mentioned above is one. Other chairs enable a zero gravity reclining position, which may help you reach deeper levels of relaxation as you meditate.
Massage and Meditation: Tips for Finding the Ideal Chair
When looking for a massage chair for meditation, you should “do your homework” before making a purchase. A massage chair is an important investment in your health and well-being with a significant price tag, so you want to select a chair that will meet your needs for many years to come.
Remember that features and cost are important characteristics, but ultimately, how you feel during and after a massage and how well a chair supports your meditation practice should be your top priority and purchase criterion. For that reason, we advise you to start by educating yourself about massage chair technology in general and specific features and functions. (There is a great deal of helpful information available in our Learning Center, and you can also reach out to us via phone, text, or chat with questions.)
Then, we strongly encourage you to visit a Furniture For Life showroom and talk with one of our Comfort Consultants. Different from typical sales reps, they will focus on your wants and needs rather than immediately trying to sell you a massage chair. Our goal is to help people find the ideal model for their requirements and lifestyle, and we never rush the decision-making process.
Once the Comfort Consultant has helped you identify a shortlist of candidates from our curated collection of The World’s Best Massage Chairs®, they will guide you through detailed demonstrations of each of those chairs. That way, you can determine which most effectively meets your needs.
When your massage chair has been delivered and you are enjoying meditating while you get massages, another thing that should calm your mind is that Furniture For Life is a company that stands behind the chairs we sell. From excellent warranties to prompt service from a network of skilled technicians (should it ever be needed), you can be confident that your chair will serve you faithfully for the long term.
