Massage helps heart... but keep it to an hour

Spa sessions are good for the heart — but only if you limit them to an hour.

A study shows for the first time that while promoting a sense of wellbeing and relaxation, essential oils used in pampering treatments also lower blood pressure and heart rate.

The effects could cut the risk of cardiovascular disease in the long term. However, exposure of more than an hour sends blood pressure and heart rate up, according to research by doctors at Tapei Medical University in Taiwan, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Essential plant oils, the basis of aromatherapy for stress relief, also contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, as do some beauty products such as certain hair-straightening treatments. Previous studies have shown a link between VOCs and heart and lung problems.