Self-Care Between Massage Services
There it is… the wonderful feeling after a massage, where you forget where you are, stumble a little because your legs feel like jello and contemplate napping on the massage table. As a Massage Therapist, I give my guests home recommendations to use in between their services. Massage plays a big part in self-care. My tips and tricks help them take care of themselves and achieve longer lasting effects of relaxation.
Post-Massage Tips
Self-care is essential for positive confidence. It keeps a healthy balance between your physical, mental and emotional body. Self-care looks a little different depending on the individual, so you can adjust these to fit into your lifestyle and routine.
Stay Hydrated
Being mindful of your hydration levels is important after your massage, but incorporating healthy water intake into your daily lifestyle is super important.
Your body uses water in cells, organs and tissues to help regulate temperature and maintain homeostasis. It carries nutrients to all cells and aids in bringing oxygen to our brain for stimulating brain function. We lose water through digestion, breathing and perspiration, so it’s vital to re hydrate throughout the day. You are what you put in your body, so eating and drinking consciously will help you feel great.
Maintain Flexibility
Stretching helps maintain muscle elasticity and range of motion in the joints. If you don’t stretch, the muscle will shorten and become tight. Tightness in the muscles can cause joint pain and muscle damage. Another great benefit of stretching is the improvement of posture, increased blood circulation, and the calming of the mind – hence the reason yoga is so beneficial.
Take A Bath
Hot water helps to effectively relieve tension and soothe achy muscles. It opens the pores of the skin which aids in removing dirt and toxins from the body.
Pro tip: proper sealing of moisture when you dry off will re-hydrate the skin cells. I recommend using Aveda Stess-Fix Soaking Salts with a few drops of lavender essential oil in your bath or foot soak.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is a self myofascial release technique. It relieves tight, sore muscles, increases range of motion and aids in muscle recovery after a demanding workout. Turn on a calming music or podcast to have added zen benefits.
Meditate
There are different forms of meditation; reading a book, listening to music or being still while using deep breathing exercises. Your form of meditation is up to you, but use this to calm and connect to your inner self.
I feel as a therapist it is my responsibility to help my guest take care of themselves on and off the table. Doing so makes my job a little easier. It’s not easy finding small time for ourselves while taking care of others, but we must try. You come first. If you don’t put yourself first, who will? Try using these tips the next time you receive a massage.
Blog written by North Shore Massage Therapist, Ar’Shaunte. Want to stock up on your products? Call 414.227.2888 to place your curbside pickup order or stop in during our special store hours. Schedule your reservation on the Neroli app, online reservations or call 414.227.2888.
