Mechanical massage and mental training programs effect employees’ heart rate, blood pressure and fingertip temperature—An exploratory pilot study

Inability to relax and recover is suggested to be a key factor for stress-related health problems. This study aimed to investigate possible effects of mechanical massage and mental training, used either separately or in combination during working hours. Employees were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: i) Mechanical massage combined with mental training (n = 19), ii) Mechanical massage (n = 19), iii) Mental training (n = 19), iv) Pause (n = 19), v) Control (n = 17). The study lasted for eight weeks. Heart rate, blood pressure and fingertip temperature were measured at start, after four and after eight weeks. Between-group analysis showed that heart rate differed significantly between the groups after 4 weeks (p = 0.020) and tended to differ after eight weeks (p = 0.072), with lowest levels displayed in the massage group and the control group. Blood pressure and fingertip temperature did not differ between the groups. Within-group analysis showed that mechanical massage decreased heart rate (p = 0.038) and blood pressure (systolic p = 0.019, diastolic p = 0.026) and increased fingertip temperature (p = 0.035). Mental training programs reduced heart rate (p = 0.036). Combining the two methods increased diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.028) and decreased fingertip temperature (p = 0.031). The control group had a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure during the first four weeks of the study (p = 0.038) Receiving mechanical massage and listening to mental training programs, either separately or in combination, during working hours had some positive effects on the employees’ heart rate, blood pressure and fingertip temperature. The effects were especially strong for employees who received mechanical massage only.