The Art of Relaxation: Four Ways to Make Your Massage Work for You
Want to get the most out of your next massage session? Like anything the more you do something the better you get at doing it and believe it or not you can get better at receiving a massage. Over the years I have had many clients tell me that they “don't know how to relax.” Being able to relax is a skill that can be learned by anyone. In today's world, we are constantly being bombarded by depressing news cycles, doom scrolling the internet, drama at work with your coworkers, getting Billy to karate and little Susie to soccer practice, what your mother-in-law thinks about your cooking, etc. The stress will never go away indefinitely. That is why having a regular massage schedule can help you decompress, and if you are not able to relax for an hour or more in your session, that defeats the purpose of the session in the first place. Luckily for you, you clicked on this post and started reading. Here are four things you can do to help you get the most out of your next massage.
Hydrate for Better Results
Every massage therapist you see will tell you to drink more water, so we are going to start with this to get it out of the way. Our bodies are 70-80% water. If all you drink is tea, soda, coffee, or beer that isn't water. Most of those products have caffeine or alcohol which both are diuretics (yes, even decaf has caffeine). Diuretics cause your body to increase urine output, which causes your body to lose water. Lose of water leads to dehydration. Massage can also cause dehydration. When you get a massage the kneading of the muscles can squeeze water from the muscle tissues. Massage also stimulates the lymph system which flushes out metabolic waste. This is why many have to use the restroom after they receive a massage.
When getting a massage treat it like you would a workout session. In fact a good deep tissue massage is like a workout for your muscles. Drink plenty of water before and after your session. Drinking water before a massage will help keep your muscles soft and they will be easier to manipulate during your session. Our muscles are like sponges if they are dry they are tough and rigid, but if they are wet they are soft and malleable. Drinking water after a massage will help to rehydrate your muscles and flush out any metabolic waste that was knocked loose during your session.
Once you've hydrated, make sure to plan a recovery day to get the most out of your massage.
2. Plan Your Recovery Day
Plan ahead. Schedule your session on a day where you don't have a whole lot of physical activity going on. Pick a day or evening that works for you. It can be after work one day some week, or on a Saturday or Sunday where you can squeeze in some time for yourself. There is nothing wrong with getting a massage and then going to Pilates class later, but you could get more out of the massage if you took a rest day. I have had people tell me that they have had “the best work out” after a massage, and there is something to that. I personally think that it is best if you work out before rather than after your massage session. However, if you want to get the most out of your massage, schedule it on an off day. Focus on recovery that day and go home after and get a good night's sleep. Then the next day tackle that gym session, go to that pilates class, run that four miles! Your body will thank you.
While you're resting, don't forget the power of meditation and breathwork.
3. Breathe Your Way to Relaxation (The most important point)
While all these points are important -especially when you incorporate all four- this is the most important thing to do in my personal opinion. “Remember to breathe.” I say this to all my clients. It sounds weird but a lot of people don't know how to breathe properly, and a lot of people forget to breathe when they get a deep tissue/therapeutic massage. The whole point of the massage session is to get your muscles to let go and relax. A lot of clients tend to hold their breath when you are working on a tender spot. Holding your breath causes your muscles to tighten up and they refuse to relax!
When you breathe, breathe through your nose. When you breathe through your mouth it activates your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) which in turn heightens your anxiety or stress. If you breathe through your mouth regularly your body thinks it is in a stressful situation, like being chased by a tiger. After strenuous exercise your body naturally starts breathing through the mouth to repay the so-called oxygen debt on the muscles and use it to process lactic acid produced by your vigorous exercise. If you are at rest breathing through your mouth you are sending mixed signals to your body and causing excess stress. Breathing through your nose activates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Which is what you want to be in when receiving a massage.
I am a huge proponent of meditation. I have a meditation practice myself that I do everyday. Meditation combined with breathwork has helped me out tremendously! There are many different types of meditation (and breathwork). If you go to YouTube and type in guided mediation, guided meditation for sleep, guided meditation for relaxing, guided meditation for stress, etc. You will find thousands of free videos to take advantage of. You could also attend a yoga class. Yoga is a form of meditation in itself, it is sometimes considered a “moving meditation” where you focus on the poses and stretches along with your breath.
While breathwork involves consciously manipulating your breathing to achieve specific outcomes, meditation focuses on cultivating awareness and presence. Combine these two during your next massage.
Step 1: Take a deep breath through your nose.
Step 2: Hold the breath for a few seconds, focusing on the tender spot.
Step 3: Release the breath slowly, imagining the tension leaving the area
I highly encourage you to start your own practice. Whether that be meditation, mindfulness, transformational breathwork, body scan meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, etc.
Here is a link to a great breathwork video. It is the 4,2,8,2 method. Try it out tonight before you go to bed!
https://youtu.be/BfdePdvWWXM?si=2_ygy77OHcDAYZ7L
When it comes to getting the most out of your session, sometimes less is more—especially when it comes to talking.
4. The Power of Silence
I personally am a talker. Some of my clients are talkers too. When you find a good massage therapist that you like, you end up forming a bond with them. Some of my clients share a lot about themselves, their lives, and their philosophy with me. Some sessions we talk the whole time, while other sessions we might not say more than a few sentences to each other. I have had some truly excellent conversations over the years. While I do enjoy talking to all of my clients, I can tell you that you are going to get a better massage from me if we do not talk much. You will get a great massage from me either way, I can promise you that! Although, If we don't talk, other than a few questions about our session that may come up, I get into a flow state and I can focus more on what I am doing. There have been numerous studies on multitasking over the years and the consensus on all the studies shows that it generally results in slower performance, increased error rates, and higher mental fatigue. Focusing on one task at a time is typically more productive, especially when tasks require deep thought or attention. I want to provide the best possible service to my clients and if we are talking about the latest Netflix or HBO shows we are obsessed with that can hinder my performance.
Sometimes talking is part of the therapy for people, so it's not like you never have to talk to your therapist again in order to get a good massage. Sometimes people just want to zone out. If that is what you want, tell your therapist that at the beginning of your next session. While talking can be cathartic at times, sometimes talking can increase your stress or frustration. I get the need to vent at times and therapy is in our job title, but we are not Therapists. Our job is to make the session about you; not give advice, opinions, or talk about ourselves. It is your session after all.
There is nothing wrong with talking during your session, if you are a client of mine none of this is about anyone in particular. Life is a balancing act, I think finding a good mix of talking and being present with oneself to be a good thing.
By incorporating these tips, especially breathwork and regular relaxation practices, you can enhance your massage experience and truly let your body unwind. Picture yourself in a serene garden, breathing deeply as you prepare for your most relaxing session yet—let’s make that vision a reality! Now that you have these tools, click on our book page and book your next massage with me and let’s work together to make it your most relaxing session yet!
Remember: relaxation is a skill that you can strengthen with practice!
-V
