After a weekend of constant entertaining, showing your parents all the Dallas hotspots and cheering on our amazing football team on to win, who doesn’t need a relaxing outlet to recoup, rejuvenate and refocus?

Most of us love getting massages, but rarely do so because of their perceived luxury status. Well, I have good news: massages are not just a luxury.

Now, before you get too excited, read on to find out why massages can be so vital to your health, and better yet, where to get a great massage nearby.

Massages have a whole realm of health benefits. First, they are a great mind, body and soul enhancer that really relaxes and refocuses someone. Massages boost immunity by stimulating lymph node flow in your body. The lymph nodes are a part of the body’s natural defense system.

Have you ever worked out really hard one day and could barely walk the next? Getting a massage can help your recover from hard workouts, relax overworked muscles and shorten soreness time. They increase joint flexibility, which in turn reduces the chance of injury from working out and being active.

Massages can also improve the quality of the largest organ in your body-the skin, along with improving circulation by pumping nutrients and oxygen into tissues and vital organs.

As said by the wonderfully insightful and perceptive Elle Woods, “Exercising releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands. … They just don’t.” While this is true, massages also release endorphins! Endorphins are amino acids that also work as the body’s natural painkiller. Along with this, they relieve migraines, decrease muscle cramping and spasms, promote tissue rejuvenation from scars or stretch marks and increase concentration.

Needless to say, everyone should plan some time out of their schedules and money out of their budgets for getting a massage at least once a month. Not convinced yet?

Here are a few more benefits to persuade you. Massages can also:

1. Reduce anxiety2. Increase sleep quality3. Boost energy4. Improve circulation 5. Decrease fatigue

So now that you are fully convinced, what’s the next step? Where do you find a place to get a massage you ask? There are tons of Web sites where you can put in your location and a whole range of massage places will come up. One I particularly like is massagetherapy.com. On this Web site you can enter your zip code, how far you are willing to go and the type of massage you would like in order to find a place that is right for you.

Need another option? The SMU Dedman Center (yes people, the gym) now offers chair massages as well as full-body massages. The chair massages are $1 a minute, and are convenient Monday-Friday from 11:30-1:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. You can pay at the front desk and just walk in (chair massages are located downstairs next to the climbing wall). This is super easy because there is no appointment needed.

For the full body massage, make an appointment with Gina Garcia. The full-body massage is $75 for 60 minutes. A deep tissue massage can be requested at no additional fee and is held in the family locker room. The massage therapists are great at SMU, they are all certified and work at other locations as well.

So now you have no excuse but to pamper yourself. But remember, massages are not just a luxury, they are a rejuvenating, therapeutic activity. Enjoy!