How often should I get a massage?

My clients ask me this question when they are rebooking their next appointment with me and while I want to be respectful of financial constraints, I also want people to know that they can never have too many massages.

The best I've ever felt in my life was when I attended the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics. I was getting two or three massages a day from classmates and it was absolute heaven. I've never had better posture or felt more more zen. Then there was also the weekend in Bangkok when I had several Thai massages every day and snagged two more at the airport on my way out. For $7 an hour, how could you not? Absolutely the best trip ever and I would go back just to get more Thai massages.

Since most of us aren't in massage school...or in Thailand, the frequency of massages will vary depending on lifestyle, stress levels, physical activity, and overall health.

If you have a desk job and are constantly battling headaches and pain in your shoulders, then I recommend booking at least a sixty-minute therapeutic massage for three weeks in a row. After the first massage, you will have a reduction in pain, but it normally won't go away completely until after the third massage. At that point, every three to four weeks is recommended for maintenance.

Active individuals or athletes engaging in intense physical activity will find value in regular massages to prevent injuries, enhance performance, and promote muscle recovery. The frequency will depend on the intensity and frequency of your workout, but once a month is always a safe place to start.

Stress is a significant factor influencing the need for regular massages. If you walk around with your shoulders up by your ears and/or have trouble getting to sleep at night, you should consider more frequent sessions to manage tension. Regular massages are a proactive approach to stress management, promoting overall mental and emotional well-being.

Bottom line, you could get one massage in the morning, one in the afternoon and one before bed and you would be just fine. Never too many.