Winter is upon us and the bad news is the cold, dark, dreary weather can wreak havoc on our energy levels and lower our mood. Poor energy and lowered moods can easily translate to comfort eating, weight gain or over-indulging in other unhealthy crutches to bring us comfort and soothe our souls. Here’s the good news…

The good news is that a good scalp massage can work like medicine to raise your energy and lift your mood. Did you know that massaging the head and scalp stimulates thousands of nerve endings, sending a wake-up call that ripples throughout the entire central nervous system? The result, according to researchers at : improved delivery of energizing oxygen to the brain and greater output of fatigue-fighting neuropeptides like endorphins and enkephalins.

So get a chair and sit upright. Get your partner to gently yet firmly make small circular motions over your entire head with their fingertips. For best results, get them to pay extra attention to the area behind your ears, the base of the skull and the temples, where nerve endings are closest to the surface. You can take turns with these few loving touches that can work wonders for both of you.

Other benefits of scalp massage include .