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crashes caused by blind spots rose 50 percent between 2009 and 2011, probably because of a thickening of the metal structures between the front and back windows in an effort to make cars structurally safer. It makes the cars safer, but it also makes the blind spots larger. Now think about what happens when a stiff neck makes turning your head painful. Fortunately, a massage can improve blood flow to the stiff area and will provide the nutrients needed for quick recovery. Your neck will feel better, and you'll drive more safely as a result. MASSAGE CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT Starting an exercise regimen takes mental discipline, but it also takes a willingness to endure some pain. That's because after any strenuous workout, muscles get inflamed, and that leads to soreness. Suffering through a bout of aching arms, calves, shoulders, and thighs might just drive the faint of heart back to the couch. Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in California and the McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, recently studied men's muscles after they exercised on stationary bicycles. They found that when the men had their legs massaged after a workout, they suffered less soreness the next day. The reason: massage seems to inhibit the activity of cytokines, which are proteins that cause inflammation, while it promotes the growth of mitochondria, which produce energy in the cells. Less soreness means fewer excuses to skip a workout, which can help you stick to your exercise routine and see the results you seek. MASSAGE CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER DANCER ... OR TENNIS PLAYER ... OR GOLFER The reason has to do with proprioception— the body's innate sense of the relative position of all its parts. Police conducting field sobriety tests may ask drivers they suspect of being under the influence of alcohol to close their eyes and touch their nose. People with normal proprioception can usually do this pretty accurately. Those who've had too much to drink cannot, because alcohol impairs proprioception. Some massage therapists are trained in an advanced form of flexibility therapy called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), which can help clients learn safer, more natural ways to move their bodies. But even basic massage techniques have been shown to improve the mind-muscle link, therefore increasing an individual's fine and gross motor control. Massage alone won't earn you a spot on Dancing with the Stars, but it can help you be more adept and ditch your two left feet. MASSAGE CAN MAKE FOOD TASTE BETTER OK, it won't technically make the food taste any different, but it certainly can improve your digestion. Who relishes a feast when it's followed by indigestion and a bloated feeling? Massage has been shown to encourage the release of enzymes that break down food once it's been consumed. This not only makes digestion easier, 6 Body Sense