Chair massage doesn’t just feel good, it is good — for the body, for the mind, and even for the bottom line.

Don’t just take our word for it. A host of studies shows that massage — especially chair massage — relieves stress, reduces negative and depressive feelings, increases alertness and the ability to perform tasks better, and generally makes the workday more pleasant and productive for everyone.

A 1996 randomized, controlled study in the International Journal of Neuroscience (26 people got chair massage, 24 just relaxed in the massage chair for the same period, two times per week for five weeks) found that those who receive massage are both more relaxed and more alert, are less anxious and depressed, are faster and more accurate on math computations, and have lower levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”).

A 2000 study by the University of Miami School of Medicine found that massage recipients have both lower cortisol and lower blood-pressure levels.

A 2006 review of the research on massage concludes that massage recipients’ cortisol levels are reduced by 31%, while dopamine and serotonin levels (neurotransmitters associated with “feeling good”) increase by 28% and 31%, respectively.

The modern workplace can be a stressful environment, and that environment can be self-perpetuating. By helping to reduce the effects of stress and promote good feelings and clear thinking, regular massage can help break the stress cycle and promote a happy and productive work life.