Drinking water before and after a massage is highly recommended, as it makes your muscles a lot easier to manipulate. During a good massage, your muscles will be stimulated and blood is circulated rapidly throughout the whole body, and this is the time where water, salt and other minerals are released. Having a glass of water before the massage will definitely help your body dispose of any accumulated materials in the muscles. A build up of such unwanted waste after massage can mean muscle aches and soreness.

Also, many people do not realize that energy therapy and massage can be dehydrating. The manipulation of the muscles dehydrates the body and moves the fluid around in the interstitial spaces between the muscles. It is similar to exercising; you lose water and electrolytes when you exercise. By drinking lots of water, you can reduce the chances of pain and soreness in the days following a massage.  During an energy session, your body utilizes the water and minerals in your body to help conduct and move the energy in and around your body.

In the case of lymphatic massage, drinking water after a massage is especially important, as the stimulation of the lymphatic circulation system can generate a large release of wastes in the body. If one thinks of the lymph system as the sewer pipes of the body, collecting unwanted waste material and carrying it away for disposal, lymphatic massage is like a drain cleaner, so water helps flush the drain, in a sense.

Last but not least, for some people, they may feel a little disoriented after the healing session; having a glass of water can help bring the body and mind back to the present. Drinking water after a session gives you time to return to reality and begin the next moments of your life.

There are many resources online to help you determine the proper amount of water to drink per day based on your own body, activity level and current health status.  If you are still unsure, your family physician or dietary specialist will be able to provide more information.