It’s no secret that a good massage can seriously soothe your mind and body. It has impressive health benefits such as better blood circulation, improved immunity, elimination of anxiety, and even better sleep quality. However, beyond the obvious, there’s more to say about the wonders of massage.
Tips from the kitchen on how to prepare for an enjoyable massage experience
Drink lots of water
It is especially important to hydrate well after a massage. Similar to exercise, your muscle tissues are dehydrated during therapy. That’s why drinking a lot of water after a massage helps with hydration, building healthy muscle tissue, and cleansing the body of metabolic toxins that build up during muscle work.
A warm shower beforehand is a good idea
To ensure the best experience, it is important to take care of yourself before going to the massage studio. The easiest and most relaxing way to get ready is a long, hot shower. The relaxing effect of the warm shower on the body will help you to be less tense during the therapy, which will benefit both you and the massage therapist.
Exercise before a massage
If you have to work out, but you have a massage appointment on the same day, be sure to visit the gym beforehand. The muscles will be tired after the workout but well warmed up before the massage. Exercising immediately after a massage is not a good idea as you are likely to strain and injure the muscles that have just been relaxed. You also run the risk of being too tired, injuring yourself, or simply losing motivation after relaxing during the massage.
Professional massage therapists from MassageAddict advise that it is best to wait 12-24 hours before exercising to allow the body to fully recover from the massage. Deep tissue massage can cause micro-tearing of the muscle fibers, as with hard training, and the muscles need time to recover.
Avoid eating right before the massage
In general, a large meal right before your massage appointment is not recommended, as the massage stimulates digestion. Specialists suggest a light snack just before therapy and a hearty meal a few hours before. Of course, you should not starve in the hours before, as you may feel dizzy or light-headed during the massage. A light, nutritious breakfast an hour or two earlier will allow digestion to work normally without making you feel uncomfortable.