Massage therapy is one of the oldest and most effective practices to relax both your body and your mind. Because massage therapy can have a positive impact on just about every system in your body, there are tremendous health benefits to getting massages regularly. Massages prevent and relieve back, shoulder, and neck pain, soothe anxiety and depression, help maintain proper posture, and improve circulation

Features

Massage chairs come with different features to choose from. Shiatsu massage chairs target pressure points all over the body with pressing, swaying, and rolling movements. Some offer Swedish massages that use light intensity kneading movements. Then there are zero-gravity chairs that recline to a zero-gravity position before providing the massage. While there are certainly talented massage therapists out there, a therapist cannot massage your entire body at once. A massage chair can target your back, arms and feet simultaneously, if desired.

Cost

Compared with regular visits to a massage therapist, the “cost per massage” in a massage chair is much lower. Plus, financing is available to mitigate the upfront cost of a massage chair — an option not typically available for one-time services rendered, like an in-person massage. Unlike a massage therapist’s services, the purchase of a massage chair comes with a guarantee that you’ll get your money back if you’re not satisfied. Most massage chair warranties also provide support or replacement parts for multiple years, if necessary, at no extra cost to you.

Time and Availability

How long does it take to drive to the massage therapy clinic? How long does it take to book an appointment?

These are questions you should ask yourself when calculating whether a massage chair is worth it or not.

With a massage chair, your very own “mechanical masseuse” is open and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t have to go anywhere, squeeze time into your busy schedule, or make an appointment.

And what happens if you wake up in the middle of the night with pain? We’re not aware of any massage therapists who make middle-of-the-night house calls. But with a massage chair, you’re always a few feet away.