Following, we want to give you 10 tips that will allow you to enjoy and get the most out of a massage. And if you’re a massage therapist you can recommend them to your clients.
1. Be receptive.
2. Don’t eat just before a massage session.
Let your body digest the food first.
3. Don’t be late.
If you arrive in a rushed state, it will take you longer to relax.
4. Undress to the point of where you feel comfortable.
If you don’t want to remove all your clothing, wear what you will be comfortable in that will allow the massage therapist to work on the areas of your body that need it.
To keep your privacy, the massage therapist will go out of the room/cabin whilst you get undressed. You will be given a towel to cover yourself during the massage, and the manual therapist will undrape only the part of your body that will be worked on, respecting your sense of modesty at all times. Once the massage has finished you will also be given privacy to get dressed.
5. Communicate with your massage therapist.
Trust is vital to get the best out of a massage session:
- Before the session, give accurate health information and let your massage therapist know what you want from the massage.
- If you have allergies to oils, lotions or powders let the massage therapist know, so he or she can use an alternative, as it’s very common for a manual therapist to use these products in order to reduce skin friction.
- In some sessions, the massage therapist can put music on. There are people who really enjoy listening to relaxing music during their massage session, but there are others who get distracted and can’t relax properly. If this occurs to you, let your massage therapist know or ask if he or she can please turn off the music.
- Some people like to talk during a massage, while others prefer to remain silent. Let your massage therapist know which your preference is.
- During the massage session, communicate if you feel any discomfort, whether it’s from the massage itself or any other cause related to the environment. For example; temperature, music volume, lighting, etc.
- Comment with your massage therapist about the pressure of the fingers, the speed of the movements being used, etc. If something doesn’t feel comfortable, you have the right to ask the massage therapist to change the massage technique being used. Your massage therapist is a professional who masters different techniques and can perfectly adapt to those movements that work better for you.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about anything that scares or worries you. It is important to feel as comfortable as possible during your massage. The manual therapist is also a qualified professional dedicated to doing his best to make you feel at ease.
6. Remember to breath.
Breathing helps to facilitate relaxation. People often stop breathing when they feel anxious or a sensitive area is massaged.
7. Relax your mind and muscles.
It’s counterproductive for muscles to tighten during a massage. Let your massage therapist know if this is happening. He or she can change the massage technique being used and can help relax the affected area. If your thoughts are interfering during the massage, one way to be more “body-centered” and to quiet the mind is to follow the hands of the massage therapist and focus on how the touch feels.
8. Drink water after the massage.
9. Don’t get up to fast after the massage and enjoy a moment of silence and relaxation once the massage has finished.
If you feel dizzy after the massage, do not get off the table to fast. Take some time to integrate and absorb the results of the session.
10. Schedule several massage sessions.
A massage has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects of a massage are cumulative, so the more often a person gets a massage, the better he or she will feel and the more quickly one’s body will respond. From one session to another, the relaxation gets better as the chronic patterns of stress in the body are fought and released. If you are getting a massage to address chronic muscular tension, more than one session is usually needed.