What to Do After a Massage to Get the Most From It
6 min read
Take it easy for the rest of the day. Drink some water, eat something light, move gently and leave hard exercise, alcohol and saunas until tomorrow. That covers most of it.
TL;DR: the hour after a massage is for getting up slowly and staying calm. The rest of the day is for gentle movement and an early night. Wait 24 hours before hard training after deep work. Tell your therapist how you felt, so the next session is better.
The details depend on what you had. A relaxing Swedish massage needs very little aftercare. A firm deep tissue or sports massage needs a bit more. Here is how to handle each stage.
In the first ten minutes: get up slowly
You have been lying still for up to an hour, and your blood pressure has probably dropped a little. Standing up quickly can make you dizzy.
- Roll onto your side, then push yourself up to sitting.
- Sit on the edge of the couch for a minute before you stand.
- Get dressed slowly. There is no rush, and a good therapist builds that time into the booking.
Most therapists offer a glass of water at this point. Take it. You may also feel a bit spaced out or even emotional. Both are normal after deep relaxation and pass quickly.
In the first hour: should you drive, eat or go back to work?
Driving. If you feel drowsy or light-headed, sit in the car for ten minutes before setting off. Your reactions can be slower than usual straight after a very relaxing session.
Eating. A light snack or meal is a good idea, especially if you skipped lunch to fit the appointment in. Keep it light. A heavy meal straight after lying face down for an hour is rarely comfortable.
Work. Going back to your desk is fine. If you can, book massages for the end of the day, so you can carry the calm into the evening rather than straight into back-to-back meetings.
For the rest of the day: what actually helps
Drink water, but not for the reason you have been told
You will often hear that water "flushes out toxins" released by massage. There is no good evidence for that. Massage does not release a load of toxins that need washing away.
Drinking water is still sensible. Staying hydrated supports normal muscle recovery, and a glass or two after an hour-long session does no harm. Just do not force down litres of it.
Move gently
A short walk or some light stretching keeps blood moving through the muscles that were worked. It also stops you seizing up on the sofa. Gentle is the key word. A stroll counts. A spin class does not.
Use warmth, but wait a few hours for heat
A warm bath or shower later in the day can feel lovely, especially after firm work. Leave very hot baths, saunas and steam rooms for at least a few hours, and ideally until the next day. Heat on top of a massage can leave you light-headed, and it can make freshly worked tissue feel more tender.
If you had a hot stone massage, your muscles have already had plenty of heat. Skip the sauna that day.
Skip the alcohol
A drink straight after a massage hits harder when you are already relaxed and a bit light-headed. It also dehydrates you and can make next-day soreness feel worse. Leave it until tomorrow.
Go to bed early
Most of your body's repair happens while you sleep. Massage often makes it easier to fall asleep, so take advantage of it. An early night does more for recovery than anything you can buy.
Is it normal to feel emotional, cold or thirsty afterwards?
Yes. Some people feel teary after a massage, especially one that followed a stressful stretch. It is a common response to deep relaxation and usually passes within the hour. You do not need to explain it to your therapist, but you can if you want to.
Feeling a little cold is common too. You have been lying still with your skin exposed, so bring a jumper in winter. A mild thirst or a slight headache can follow if you arrived dehydrated, which is another reason for that glass of water.
If you feel faint, sick or unusually unwell rather than just relaxed, sit down, tell your therapist and do not drive until it passes.
Over the next 48 hours: when can you exercise again?
It depends on the massage.
- After a relaxation or Swedish massage: you can usually train as normal the next day, or even the same evening if you feel good.
- After deep tissue or sports massage: wait about 24 hours before hard or heavy training. Muscles that have had firm work can feel tired and tender, and lifting heavy on them too soon is uncomfortable.
- Before a race or big event: keep any massage light, and have it at least two days before. Never try a new firm massage the day before something important.
Some soreness the next day is normal after firm work and usually fades within a day or two. If you want to know what is expected and what is a warning sign, read our guide to why you might feel sore after a massage.
Look after your skin too. If oil was used, wash it off before sitting in strong sun. If you are going to exfoliate or wax, give your skin a day.
Before you book again: give your therapist feedback
This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that makes the biggest difference to your next session.
Notice how you feel at three points: when you leave, the next morning, and two or three days later. Then tell your therapist at the start of your next visit. Useful things to mention:
- Was the pressure right, or too much in one area?
- How sore were you the next day, and for how long?
- Did the area you came in for feel better, and for how long did that last?
- Did anything feel worse?
How long the benefit lasts is a good guide to how often you should go back. If your shoulders feel looser for two weeks and then tighten up again, a booking every two to three weeks makes sense. Our guide on how often to get a massage has more detail.
When should you call your therapist or GP?
Most people feel better, or a little sore and then better. A few signs are not part of normal aftercare:
- sharp, localised pain rather than a general ache
- bruising from ordinary pressure
- numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm or leg
- pain that keeps getting worse after two or three days
- swelling, redness and warmth in one calf, which needs urgent medical advice
Tell your therapist about bruising or soreness that lasts. Contact your GP or call NHS 111 for numbness, weakness, or a swollen, painful calf.
If this is your first massage, our guide on what to expect at your first appointment covers the visit itself. When you are ready to book, search our directory of massage therapists near you.