Welcome, January!
(Originally published December 28, 2022)
Are you a "New Year's Resolutions" kind of person? I've always looked forward to the start of the new year as a blank slate that is full of possibilities, and I like to take a bit of time at the end of each December to reflect on the past year and set some intentions and goals, both personal and professional, for the upcoming year. This year, my professional goals include (finally) getting my website up and running, and my personal goals include drinking more water (two words: kidney stones. Not fun. That's four words, so consider the extra two a holiday bonus.) If you've set some resolutions for yourself, great! And if you haven't or don't plan to, that's okay, too. My blog, like my treatment space, is a judgement-free zone.
If you have set some wellness intentions or goals for yourself, I'm here to remind you to consider making massage a regular part of your wellness routine. Massage isn't just a luxury to treat yourself to a few times per year. With regular appointments, you can make more progress toward your physical wellness goals, and eventually maintain those results longer between appointments.
You know that amazing, post-massage feeling when your previously-sore muscles feel all loosey goosey and relaxed, and your brain isn't running at 100 kph? That's the power of the parasympathetic nervous system engaging. I'll write about this in more detail in a future blog post, but the Reader's Digest version is that in our fast-paced Western society, most of the time we are operating with our sympathetic nervous systems engaged. That's the branch of the nervous system that reacts with "Fight, Flight or Freeze." When we allow our bodies to slow down and relax (like during a massage session), we allow the parasympathetic nervous system to take over, and our body enters "Rest and Digest" mode. Like anything, this becomes easier with practice. The more we practice engaging the parasympathetic nervous system -- through yoga, meditation, or massage, for example -- the easier it becomes for us to move away from a Fight/Flight/Freeze state into a Rest & Digest state. Regular massage teaches our brains and physical bodies to relax more easily and quickly, allowing our muscles to respond to the therapy and get the most out of a session. It enables you and your therapist to make steady progress toward the goals you have set together.
Think of it this way: if your goal is to get stronger, you wouldn't expect that one session with a personal trainer will get you into the shape you want to be in. You’ll likely feel good after that one workout, but you wouldn’t expect to feel the effects of the endorphins for weeks afterward. Nor would you expect that one workout to have a long-term effect on your physical strength. For that, you’d need to work out regularly and consistently, and eventually you'll see results over time. If your goal is to feel better by eating more nutritious food, you wouldn't expect that you'll feel like a new person just because you ate one salad. Again -- you'd need to choose more nutritious food regularly and consistently, and eventually you'll notice a difference in the way you feel. Massage is no different! In general, clients who come for massage regularly often find it easier to let their muscles relax earlier in the session, which allows for the therapist to work on the deeper layers of muscle without using uncomfortable heavy pressure. Regular massage clients are also able to maintain the results between appointments, allowing for progress to continue its path forward.
Talk to your therapist about the booking interval that's best for you to achieve your goals. You will likely benefit from a shorter interval between appointments (biweekly, or even weekly) if:
you're new to massage
it's been more than three months since your last massage, or
your goal is related to a more acute concern such as injury rehabilitation or the physical effects of early grief.
If your goal is more related to maintenance, a longer interval between appointments (such as every four to six weeks) might be better to help you accomplish that. One way to make sure you prioritize your progress is by booking your appointments in advance. If you (like me) love your paper calendar, bring it with you to your appointment! When your therapist asks you to rebook, get your next appointment on the calendar immediately. That's one less thing you need to remember to do.