Can we think of a right time to get a massage therapy or is it just a treat to oneself every time you can afford it? Well, these are two distinct ways of thinking about it: you can think of a massage session as a gift or you can think of it as an ongoing treatment that can help you live a better life.
The medical benefits of massage therapy have been studied and documented largely, but which is the perfect timing to make the best out of your investment? There is no unique answer to that question. Read on as we give you some tips to answer it for your particular case.
Massage at a Given Time of the Day
This is the first approach that we are going to go through. Which is the best time of the day to get a massage session? Some people prefer to have it in the morning, others right after lunch during the afternoon and some other at night before going to bed. Let´s see pros and cons.
Morning Massage Session
Morning massage is a favorite for people whose schedule allows them to find a moment and then face the rest of the day with rested shoulders and back. If you start your day too early, though, it is not recommended to wake up an hour and a half earlier just to get to your massage session. Also, if you are not a morning person and wake up grumpy, then you should not be getting a massage session so early, since you might find it more
difficult to relax and make the most out of it. On the other hand, if you are a morning person who loves to have a nice breakfast and a nice wake up ritual, then a morning massage is exactly what you need to make a good morning a perfect one.
Afternoon Massage Session
This is, perhaps, the ideal time to cut a busy day at work in half. Some people book massage sessions next to their working place and can have a forty-minutes massage with their favorite masseuse on a Thursday afternoon to cleanse all kinds of stress and go back to work with a smile upon their faces. If you are not a morning person and can fit this into your schedule, it is the best way to make the day and the week easier to digest.
Evening Massage Session
After a long day and week of non-stop wok, it is ideal to hit the massage center before heading home. Most people choosing this time of the day also pick Thursdays or Fridays as the days to go and start the weekend with a relaxed mind and body. In fact, if
you do happen to go on a Friday night and can start your weekend on Saturday, you will notice that next Monday is less complicated and also that the time you spend with family and friends will feel even more valuable. Being on a good mood because your body feels fresh and elastic is great for an awesome weekend, just don´t spoil it by getting little sleep the following days or worrying about your team winning or losing a match!
Massage Therapy for Athletes
Athletes have massage therapy as a part of their training and not just an optional thing as it is for the rest of us mortal humans. Let´s review which the frequency you should be getting your massage is depending on the frequency that you work out with.
Active Athletes
Active athletes are people who work out at least four to five times a week. This people should be getting regular massage as a part of their training schedule. Most athletes who face competition in the higher elites like Olympics or professional football players get a post-workout massage and a pre-competitive one when they are about to have a big event. If you are an athlete that trains four times a week, we recommend you schedule
your massage session during your day off and maximize its benefits.
The sore muscle tissue and the muscle knots you might have after a week of non-stop training have to be treated by the hands of a professional. Having your massage session once a week should be enough.
Moderate Athletes
Moderate athletes work out anywhere between once and three times a week but are not involved in any kind of heavy competition. In these cases, massage therapy can really help them out to keep focused and on-task. There is no better excuse for a moderate athlete to stop going to the gym than a sore articulation or muscle. This is because they don´t have the metabolism so high-up as the active athletes do and hence, every
workout session is like starting over again from scratch. A regular massage session every time you are really sore or once every two weeks, even once a month will be fine to keep you on the right track.
Sedentary People
There are two outcomes that sedentary people can have from massage sessions. The first and most common is to use it as a liberation from the stress that modern life puts on our backs and necks day after day. The other one is to get started physically and do something with your sedentary lifestyle. If you get a night massage and your metabolism gets a little kick from the increased circulation and muscle activation, then
you will feel more active during the next morning and can take on some running or any kind of cardio. Both are great ways to enjoy massage therapy if you are not a real athlete or an aspiring one.
Conclusion
These two ways to see massage therapy are drastically different from each other. On one hand, you have the people who use it as a part of their training and on the other, the people who use it as a relaxation of
stress. Whichever is the case, pick the right schedule for you (even with a trial-and-error approach) and enjoy the benefits of a massage
session.
