What about after your massage? 4 things to think about.

It’s very easy to leap back into the hustle and bustle of life after your massage but a little thought about how you want to be for the rest of the day will allow you to take the benefits of the massage with you – after all, it’s your massage. Here are four things for you to think about:

Plan for the rest of the day

Very few people think about what they are going to do after their massage; it’s as if the massage is a brief moment in time to relax and unwind, work out tension and just be – a massage bubble. A little planning around your massage will help you take your massage with you, why should it stop on the hour?

If you are using massage to work out the tension and relax, plan for quiet time for the rest of the day. Perhaps look at booking the massage for later in the day when you know you don’t have to do anything else. Alternatively, book the massage at the beginning of the day and plan the rest of your day with that in mind – more ‘me’ time.

Sometimes we want that time for massage but the day is what it is and we want to finish the massage feeling relaxed and loose but also awake and energised. Talk to your therapist before the massage and let them know this. They will be able to work on relaxing and loosening your muscles but also, especially towards the end of the massage, work to wake the body up.

Take your time to get off the table

The massage is over right? You’ve zoned out and relaxed and had all those tight places loosened up, so why waste it by leaping off the table, staggering around while you fumble back into your clothes trying to wake up enough to hold a conversation with your therapist. Taking a few minutes to come around slowly, doing little stretches to gently wake your body back up, sitting up and pausing before standing up can all help you take your wonderful massage with you. After all, have you ever seen a cat leap into action after their post-breakfast, pre-walkabout snooze?

Ask your therapist for any advice on aftercare

There’s so much you can do to carry on the good work after a massage. Talk with your therapist about any stretches they can recommend that can help keep those muscles that tend to get tight loose. Are there any strengthening exercises that can be done so that muscles don’t feel so over worked?

Tight spots in places you can’t easily reach? Take a look at my article on tennis ball massage, fantastic for reaching the areas that are hard to get to; shoulders, buttocks, etc.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Massage increases the blood flow to your muscles, bringing all the good stuff. The body will also be trying to get rid of all the bad stuff in your muscles as well and by being hydrated we aid this process of flushing out the bad to welcome in the good. The knock on effect is that our muscles are less likely to feel like they’ve been worked on during the massage and your body will feel more energised. Water is the best way to hydrate and avoid any drinks that will dehydrate you, yes that means anything with caffeine (Coffee, Tea, fizzy pop or energy drinks) and alcohol!

Enjoy your massage and remember to take it with you.