Drinking water after a massage is a great way to increase the benefits of your treatment after you’ve left the table. You may be thinking: What’s so important about having extra water on a day you’ve done little more than lay still and relax?

You may be surprised to know that a massage has a similar physiological effect on our circulatory system as exercise. The act of kneading a person’s musculature releases water, metabolic toxins, lactic acids, and electrolytes—all of which can be dehydrating. Keeping hydrated on a daily basis, as well as before a massage will make your muscles more pliable, allowing your therapist to give you greater results. And drinking a glass or 2 of water after a massage will help your body sweep out the metabolic toxins you’ve released. Both Deep Tissue Massage and Swedish Massage increase circulation, which helps send nutrients as well as toxins out of your muscles and into your bloodstream.

A simple rule of thumb is to hydrate yourself in the hours leading up to and following a massage, even if you don’t feel thirsty. You’ll get more mileage out of the massage itself, and feel deeper, longer-lasting results. Your body will thank you!

[Originally published on Massage Williamsburg's blog]