- Why Do Therapists Recommend Water After a Massage?
- The Science Behind Post-Massage Hydration
- How Much Water Should You Drink?
- What Happens If You Don’t Drink Enough Water After a Massage?
- Is Water the Only Option? What Else Can Help?
- Hydration Before the Massage Also Matters
- Beyond the Physical – Hydration and Emotional Balance
- Make Water Part of Your Post-Massage Ritual
Massage therapy is often viewed as a luxury, a relaxing indulgence, or an occasional treat. But in truth, it’s a valuable therapeutic tool that benefits the body in profound ways, physically, mentally, and emotionally. One of the most frequently repeated pieces of advice clients receive post-massage is: “Make sure to drink plenty of water.” But why is this so important, and how much water is actually needed?
This guide will explore the reasons behind this recommendation, the science of hydration after massage, and practical guidance for ensuring optimal recovery and wellbeing after your treatment.
Recommend Water
Why Do Therapists Recommend Water After a Massage?
The human body is composed of around 60% water. This fluid is essential for virtually every bodily function, from nutrient transport and temperature regulation to joint lubrication and cellular health. During a massage, your circulatory and lymphatic systems are stimulated, promoting increased movement of fluids and waste products throughout your body.
Massage can help release tension from the muscles, encourage the breakdown of knots or adhesions, and stimulate the lymph nodes to process metabolic waste. In effect, it gives your body a gentle push towards detoxification. Drinking water after the session supports this process, ensuring that the toxins and waste products mobilised during the massage are efficiently flushed out of your system.
Additionally, massage can temporarily reduce fluid retention, encouraging the body to redistribute water more effectively. By replenishing with fluids, you’re helping to maintain balance and reduce the likelihood of headaches, fatigue, or mild nausea that sometimes follow deep tissue work.
Post-Massage Hydration
The Science Behind Post-Massage Hydration
When muscles are worked and manipulated, particularly during more intense massages like deep tissue or sports massage, they release stored by-products such as lactic acid. These waste materials enter the bloodstream and lymphatic fluid, where they are filtered and eventually excreted by the kidneys.
Hydration supports your kidneys in flushing out this metabolic waste. Without adequate water intake, your kidneys may struggle to perform this function efficiently, which could leave you feeling sluggish or foggy. Moreover, water helps restore normal blood volume and circulation levels, especially after a massage that’s left you feeling very relaxed or a bit sleepy.
Hydration also assists in tissue repair. When your body is well-hydrated, it transports oxygen and nutrients more effectively to your muscles, joints, and tissues. This is particularly helpful if your massage was part of a rehabilitation process, or if you’re recovering from soreness or strain.
How Much Water
How Much Water Should You Drink?
The answer depends on several factors, including your body size, the type and duration of massage, and your baseline hydration levels. However, a general recommendation is to drink at least two to three extra glasses (around 500–750 ml) of water in the hours following your massage, in addition to your usual daily intake.
If you received a longer or more intense treatment (e.g. a 90-minute deep tissue session), you may want to aim for up to a litre (approximately 4 glasses) of water in the next 12–24 hours. The goal is not to overhydrate but to gently support your body’s natural processes.
What Happens
What Happens If You Don’t Drink Enough Water After a Massage?
While skipping a glass of water post-massage isn’t necessarily dangerous, it might diminish the benefits of your treatment. You may feel less refreshed and could experience mild side effects such as dizziness, headache, or fatigue, especially if the massage was intense.
In more extreme cases, insufficient hydration may lead to muscle cramping, joint stiffness, or increased soreness the day after your massage. This is especially relevant for clients who engage in physical activity or are using massage therapy as part of a fitness or recovery routine.
Drinking water also helps prevent rebound tension. After a massage, muscles are looser, circulation is improved, and the body has entered a parasympathetic state (relaxation mode). Supporting this state with proper hydration helps extend the post-massage benefits and reduces the chances of the body reverting to previous patterns of tension.
What Else Helps?
Is Water the Only Option? What Else Can Help?
While plain water is the most straightforward and effective option, there are other hydrating choices that can offer added benefits. Herbal teas, such as peppermint, chamomile, or nettle are soothing, hydrating, and may offer gentle detoxifying effects. Coconut water provides natural electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, which can be helpful after more physically demanding massages.
On the other hand, it’s best to avoid drinks that are diuretic or dehydrating, such as coffee, alcohol, or heavily caffeinated soft drinks immediately after your massage. These can counteract the hydrating effects and may put additional strain on your kidneys.
Eating hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, and leafy greens can also contribute to your fluid intake. Plus, they offer vitamins and minerals that support muscle recovery and skin health, both important elements of post-massage wellness.
Also Matters
Hydration Before the Massage Also Matters
It’s worth noting that pre-massage hydration is just as important. Arriving well-hydrated to your appointment helps ensure your muscles and tissues are supple, making them more responsive to manual manipulation. It can also reduce the discomfort associated with deeper pressure and decrease the likelihood of post-treatment soreness.
If your session is early in the morning, make sure to drink a glass of water as part of your wake-up routine. If it’s later in the day, focus on sipping water consistently for several hours beforehand rather than gulping a large amount all at once.
Beyond the Physical
Beyond the Physical - Hydration and Emotional Balance
Massage therapy doesn’t only affect the physical body. It also has a profound impact on the nervous system and emotional regulation. Clients often report feelings of emotional release, clarity, or even unexpected fatigue after a session. Hydration helps regulate neurotransmitter activity, stabilises blood sugar, and supports brain function, all of which contribute to emotional equilibrium.
After a massage, you’re likely in a relaxed, parasympathetic state. This is the perfect time to nourish your body, reflect, and give yourself the space to absorb the full benefits of your treatment with hydration being a cornerstone of that process.
Make Water Part
Make Water Part of Your Post-Massage Ritual
A massage is more than just a physical experience, it’s a form of self-care, recovery, and restoration. Drinking water afterwards is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to prolong the benefits of your session and support your body’s natural processes.
Rather than viewing it as an obligation, consider it part of a wider ritual: just as you take the time to rest, stretch, or enjoy a warm bath after your treatment, so too should you prioritise proper hydration. Whether it’s a cool glass of water, a calming herbal tea, or a refreshing fruit-infused drink, what matters most is that you give your body the fuel it needs to continue healing and thriving long after the massage ends.
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