Reaping the Benefits of Massage

Have you ever thought about getting a massage? If so, there are many good reasons to give massage therapy a try. Massage therapy is an effective form of treatment for different kinds of ailments, such as chronic pain, headaches, stress injuries, and fatigue. Massage therapy is also a great way to relax, as it helps to reduce stress. While a massage does help you relax, you do need to be prepared for some discomfort during and after the massage. This is especially true if you are getting a deep tissue massage and you have a lot of knots in your muscles.

To help decrease the amount of discomfort you will feel afterward and to increase the benefits, you'll want to avoid these three things following your massage therapy session.

1. Expending Energy

Once your massage therapy session is over, you will want to get off the table very slowly, as you might feel somewhat unsteady. You'll also want to be careful while driving. It's not uncommon for your body to feel sort of jelly-like. This just means all of your muscles are completely relaxed.

To keep your muscles relaxed, you will want to avoid expending energy as much as possible. You might not feel very energetic anyway, so you might as well take a nap, listen to relaxing music, or take a warm bath. If you do opt for a warm bath, you could add some Epsom salts to the bath water, which help your muscles to relax even more.

2. Getting Dehydrated

Your sore muscles won't heal as quickly if you are dehydrated. For this reason, you will want to drink plenty of water after your massage therapy session. You may even want to drink liquids that contain electrolytes or eat foods such as fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water.

Staying hydrated will also help flush toxins from your body. To further avoid getting dehydrated after your massage, stay away from alcohol and caffeine. You will also want to keep cool and avoid the sun, as sweating can cause the body to become dehydrated.

3. Overusing Sore Muscles

The last thing you want to do after a massage therapy session is engage in physical activities that might cause you to overuse your muscles. Overusing your muscles following a massage might cause injury, or it could cause sore muscles to feel even worse. The time following your massage definitely isn't time to go for a run or pump some iron. If you do feel like being active, you can do some light stretches.