When I was in massage school my instructors told us over and over again that it was very important to take time out to have our bodywork done. Without it our tools (our body) would get worn out and eventually injury would set in possibly ending a career. Most massage therapists I know don’t have time to go get a massage. They are busy scheduling appointments, doing massage, managing paperwork and taxes and sometimes employees. Many have families at home to care for and like most folks in the caretaking business, we put ourselves last.
So I was very excited and proud of myself when I scheduled a massage before I was hurting so bad I couldn’t work. The day finally arrived and of course, I’d spent most of it giving massage and hadn’t scheduled myself a lunch break. So as I was driving to my appointment I was wondering what I could eat to tide myself over until dinner. Then I started debating whether or not it was smart to eat and then I started laughing at myself. My clients ask me this question all the time and here I was fretting over whether I should eat or wait.
Should I Eat Before My Massage?
Yes, eat. Always eat and hydrate. Massage, especially deep tissue massage, can cause your blood sugar to drop so having something on board is a good idea. Don’t eat like it’s Thanksgiving dinner. That would be uncomfortable and you could possibly get sick. I use a lot of pressure, probably more than you realize, but your stomach will tell you about it if it’s overly full and I don’t want to clean up the mess. Also, your blood pressure can drop. It’s a side-effect of the relaxation process so hydration is important to keep the blood pressure from dropping too low.
So the takeaway, eat a small snack and drink lots of water before your next massage. Then afterwards go eat a healthy meal if you still feel like you need it.