When you want to feel total relaxation and loosen up the tightness in your muscles, one effective and rewarding way is to have an hour of a full-body massage. Many people do this at least once a week to reduce the pain they feel in their backs, relieve stress, help them sleep, and eliminate anxiety.
Having someone untie the knots in your muscles and manipulate your body can be very therapeutic. Having it in a luxurious room with soft sheets, fluffy towels, and the aroma of lavender wafting through the air will bring you to cathartic bliss. You can momentarily forget your worries, drift off to dreamland, and wake up like a renewed person after an hour.
A Swedish massage like that offered by Easy Allied Health, or similar services, can help you manage your stress and pain so you can face another work day full of vigor and renewed hope. Follow on for Massage Therapy: How to Prepare Yourself for a Relaxing Session!
1. Take a Shower
A warm shower before a massage will relax your mind and body and prepare you for the activity ahead. If you came from a commute, it would help to rinse off the dirt and dust that may have accumulated on your skin, which will be appreciated by your therapist.
Removing all the impurities and unwanted pollutants from your skin will prevent them from spreading throughout your body, which could cause irritation and breakouts. A warm shower will also loosen your muscles, which is great so you can receive more benefits from the massage.
2. Don’t Eat Before the Massage
Ideally, before your scheduled massage, you should not have a heavy meal. If you need to eat, you can have a very light meal. Avoiding big meals before a massage is crucial because it will prevent you from experiencing indigestion.
Most massages will require you to lie down on your back or your stomach, and if you just ate, your stomach will not be able to digest the food properly. After eating, you must be upright for at least an hour to help your body digest the food well. When you immediately lie down and the therapist starts the session, you might experience acid reflux, which is the last thing you want.
When you get a massage after having a meal, you might experience discomfort similar to the feeling of being bloated as soon as the therapist presses the muscles on your back. Lastly, you might need to go to the bathroom to relieve yourself, which might ruin the entire experience.
3. Drink Warm Water
Not only before the massage, but also remind yourself to drink water often. Not drinking enough water causes your muscles to stiffen, which could be painful when the therapist begins to knead them. When you drink warm water before the massage, your muscles will loosen up and relax, giving you a great head start before plunging into the massage.
4. Communicate Your Needs to the Therapist
Talk to your therapist before you start the session, and let them know the location of the pain you’re experiencing. To enjoy the massage best, it would also help if you told them where you are sensitive and ticklish. This way, you can enjoy the massage without squirming the entire time.
You may also be conscious and sensitive in some areas of your body; to lessen the discomfort, let your therapist know about this. Some women don’t like guys doing the massage, and some men feel the same. If you only feel comfortable with a female therapist, let the one in charge know, and vice versa of course.
Having a stranger massage oil on your almost naked body is pretty strange, and although therapists are professionals, you won’t be able to shake off some nagging thoughts playing in your head. What if they see my stretch marks? What would they say about my unshaven legs? What if they accidentally touched my breast? Let them know your preferences to keep your massage a relaxing experience.
5. Be on Time
Massages are usually booked in advance, and if you arrive late, this may cut your massage time down significantly since other clients are scheduled after you. And if you’re a new client, you may need to complete some paperwork first, so allow extra time to enjoy the experience.
6. Relax and Breathe Normally
The goal of the massage is for you to relax your body and feel cared for. To do this, you need to relax and breathe normally. Not doing so can make your muscles tense under the hands of even the most capable therapist.
You deserve a relaxing massage after all the hard work you do every day. Your muscles are tense and tight because you are trying to fulfill many responsibilities and wear many hats.
Try to give your body the break it deserves by treating yourself to a Swedish therapeutic massage. But before heading to the masseur, ensure you prepare well for a well-spent and relaxing session with your massage therapist. Do you get regular massages? Let us know in the comments below and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
