09 Dec Hydration

Hydration and Massage, How Do They Work Together?

Greetings,

I would like to speak today about hydration.

We all hear frequently from those in the medical field that our bodies are made up of mostly water. We’ve been told that we should be drinking on average 8 glasses of water a day. When we have some form of imbalance in our system, it seems it is always recommended that we increase our intake of water.

These are all true, by the way, but let me share the reasons a massage practitioner will always offer you water before and/or after your massage.

The Affect of Dehydration on Muscles

When we are working on you and find adhesions and hypertensity (too much tension) in your muscles, what we are finding is the fluids that normally keep those muscles healthy, supple, elastic, separate from one another, have become more gel-like and solidified. These individual muscles that normally work together, but doing their own unique thing are now sticking together, causing imbalances, restirctions and usually discomfort or pain. You, the client, perceive these adhesions and hypertonicity as pain, release, feeling of tightness, or major relief while we are working on you. When this happens, in general, yes this is a sign you need to increase your water intake.

The immediate reason we want you to drink more water the day of the massage is due to the increase in circulation now post massage. All systems have been affected by this massage & kicked up a notch, so to speak, and all systems need that lifesource called water to keep the flow of the system.

Add to your water…

I could go on and on about the many benefits one gets when well hydrated, but this is a blog 🙂 Try to get some really good, filtered water in several times a day. It’s great to add a drop of lemon essential oil in that water, if possible as well. Or cucumber slices–very refreshing!

Wishing you Excellent health,

Susan L. Chasse,  B.A., LMP

Susan Chasse

Susan L. Chasse, B.A., LMP is the president and main practitioner at Essence of The Sun Bodywork and Massage. Susan graduated from the Ohio State University with a bachelor degree in Psychology and has spent many years educating herself in Fitness and Health.