What Happens Inside Your Body After a Massage

Ever wondered why you feel so incredibly different – lighter, calmer, maybe even a bit dreamy – after a massage? It’s not just in your head (although that’s definitely a part of it). Massage therapy kicks off a series of fascinating changes inside your body, from the way your blood flows to how your nervous system reacts. Whether you come in here with sore muscles, chronic headaches or just need a moment to switch off and relax, massage goes so much deeper than you might think. 

 

Let’s unpack what actually happens inside your body after a session – and why those post-massage feels are anything but ordinary. 

One of the first things that happens during a massage is your blood starts moving more efficiently (really). 

 

Masasge increases the blood flow to muscles and tissues, which in turn delivers more oxygen and nutrients: perfect for tissue repair. It’s especially helpful if you’re recovering from an injury, feeling like you’ve overdone it on the workouts or just carrying the usual tension of modern life. That improved circulation means your muscles can heal, your body feels more energised and everything just works better. 

You will always hear that you should drink plenty of water after every massage but do you know why? 

 

When we apply pressure during a massage, it stimulates your lymphatic system – your body’s own waste disposal service. This helps flush out things like lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts that can build up over time. This helps to detoxify the body and can even reduce inflammation. In other words: massage clears the path for your body to feel better inside and out. 

You may walk into your massage feeling anxious or wound up but chances are, you’ll walk out feeling like you just hit a mental reset button. That’s not just the ambiance talking; it’s biology. 

 

Massage therapy is proven to lower the body’s cortisol levels. As your primary stress hormone, high levels of cortisol make it harder to relax, sleep and think clearly. So, it stands to reason that if we can lower the amount of cortisol running through your body, your stress and anxiety levels will ease too. And when that stress melts away, your muscles naturally follow suit, releasing tension you may not have even realised you were holding. 

A client came to us with chronic tension headaches – you know the ones, their painful, pressure filled and seem to creep in from the neck and shoulders. After a series of massage sessions, not only did the intensity of their headaches go down but they started noticing fewer of them overall. A huge win! 

 

Releasing the tension in the neck and shoulders calms your nervous system and the muscles that were clenching and bringing that pain start to function better. The ripple effect? Better sleep, better mood and fewer days spent on the sofa in pain. 

To really lock in the benefits of your massage, there are two small but super important things you can do: 

 

 

Massage therapy is more than just a treat – it’s an essential part of your long-term wellbeing routine. Whether you land on our table to manage pain, take a break from stress or simply take a little care of yourself (as you absolutely should), it’s comforting to know that while you’re relaxing on the table, your body is doing some serious behind the scenes work to help you heal, restore and thrive.