The Top 5 Series

Welcome to my blog! A place to go if you want to delve a little deeper into all things wellness! My first post I want to start a list series called "Top 5". Because we all love a good list, sometimes you just don't have time for a whole article, and there's a certain refreshing feeling when someone just hits the keys points and lets you get back to your regularly scheduled activities.

So in this series, each week I will doing a top 5 of random things wellness related. Let's begin with the awesome, classic, thing that you know me for...MASSAGE!

My list of the top 5 things you can do the day/night after a massage session that will ramp up the effects of the work you have just received.

1. Drink UP!

The Institute of Medicine sets general guidelines for total water intake. It recommends that women consume a total of 91 ounces per day – from all food and beverages combined. For men, it's about 125 ounces a day. If you're like me you don't always hit that mark, but after a nice massage where many toxins, and lactic acid are released, you'll want to hit the water bottle, and flush out all the nasty stuff out that can leave you feeling sore the next day.

2. Soak IN!

Treat yourself to nice soak in some epsom salts, you can keep it simple with unscented or if you're feeling fancy, you can add in some essential oils or a carrier oil like almond or grapeseed! Magnesium Sulfate aka epsom salts have a natural wonder of reducing soreness and inflammation, and there is nothing wrong with a little extra of those things.

3. Rub ON!

After the treat of a soak, some might put lotion on, but my suggestion on top of your normal post soak routine is to add in a cooling analgesic gel/cream such as biofreeze, sombra, or tiger balm. A warming soak will draw in new blood flow, and a cooling topical will help constrict, and create a kind of flushing effect to any lingering sore areas.

4. Stretch OUT!

We are talking about easy relaxing stretches to further calm the mind, and test the limits of all the movement that has been given back to your body by the massage. Don't lose that feeling! Hang on to the new mobility that you feel, life may start back up once you're out the door, but the way you feel doesn't have to fade so quickly, small careful movements to your usual trouble spots can shed light on a better way of feeling in your own body!

5. Lay DOWN!

After all is said and done, and hopefully you have followed the list above, it's time to lay down, and I don't mean sleep. The ideal situation you can put yourself in after a massage is one of minimal physical (and mental) stressors. Which means you're free to lay down, meditate, let your mind wander, listen to music, think about and do whatever gives you a calm moment. When you're very relaxed, but not asleep you brain enters a state that is of great benefit to you, many people experience this on the massage table, but can't seem to find it at home. Try and reach that place, it will keep you going strong until it's time for your next massage!

If you haven't heard of some or all of these things, or even if you have, I hope this list has shed some light on ways which you can feel your very best the day post massage. The healing doesn't have to stop when the massage does! I always call these 5 things the icing on the massage cake, the trick is, that the "icing" is up to you.