By: Mari Perez-Lewis
1. Steamy Stretch: Use the heat and warmth of your shower to increase the effectiveness of stretching! Doing neck stretches in the shower is a great way to add some much needed muscle lengthening to your daily routine. Take your time and make sure you are balanced. Only stretch in the shower if you can do so safely! At your next massage session, ask your therapist for stretching tips to take home and take care.
2. Aromatherapy: Put a few drops of Eucalyptus or Tea Tree oil in your hands and inhale while letting the warm water hit your chest. This can help with congestion, inflammation, sore throats, colds, flus and even laryngitis. Want a bright pick me up for the start of your day? Anything citrus – Lemongrass, Orange or Grapefruit – will do the trick. Taking a bath to calm down for the night? Try Lavender, Chamomile or Ylang Ylang. A great resource for great, therapeutic grade oils can be found here.
3. Scalp, Head, Face and Ear Massage: Take a little longer with that shampoo lathering to loosen up your scalp and the base of the skull where all those tense neck muscles attach. Tug on your ears to loosen up that fascia that might be triggering your TMJ. Find all those yummy acupressure face points that help with headaches or sinus issues and give yourself some relief. (Ask your therapist to show you where these are!)
4. Soak it Up: A massage therapist’s best kept secret – Add some epsom salt to your bath and let your whole body unwind in it’s grain sized mega magic. In the warmer months, add some Peppermint Oil to draw the heat out of your hard working body.
5. Use a Scrub: Yes, sugar or salt scrubs exfoliate the superficial layer of the skin, making a brighter new you, but the actual act of rubbing the scrub all over is massage! So go to town, massage yourself to de-stress while you clean up!
2. Aromatherapy: Put a few drops of Eucalyptus or Tea Tree oil in your hands and inhale while letting the warm water hit your chest. This can help with congestion, inflammation, sore throats, colds, flus and even laryngitis. Want a bright pick me up for the start of your day? Anything citrus – Lemongrass, Orange or Grapefruit – will do the trick. Taking a bath to calm down for the night? Try Lavender, Chamomile or Ylang Ylang. A great resource for great, therapeutic grade oils can be found here.
3. Scalp, Head, Face and Ear Massage: Take a little longer with that shampoo lathering to loosen up your scalp and the base of the skull where all those tense neck muscles attach. Tug on your ears to loosen up that fascia that might be triggering your TMJ. Find all those yummy acupressure face points that help with headaches or sinus issues and give yourself some relief. (Ask your therapist to show you where these are!)
4. Soak it Up: A massage therapist’s best kept secret – Add some epsom salt to your bath and let your whole body unwind in it’s grain sized mega magic. In the warmer months, add some Peppermint Oil to draw the heat out of your hard working body.
5. Use a Scrub: Yes, sugar or salt scrubs exfoliate the superficial layer of the skin, making a brighter new you, but the actual act of rubbing the scrub all over is massage! So go to town, massage yourself to de-stress while you clean up!
Hope you enjoy these 5 simple steps to making sure you take time to take care of yourself!
