Through regular routine pairing of floating and massage therapy, you can achieve a significant difference in your daily life. But why exactly? This article aims to illuminate why these two very different modalities might be the ideal self care routine you implement on a regular basis.
If you’ve stumbled upon this article and are curious as to what floating is, we’ve put a brief synopsis for you below. For those regular floater’s feel free to skip to the next paragraph.
So what is floating exactly?
Floating is the groundbreaking practice of putting the human body in a buoyant position in about 10 inches of water. This water is infused with 1,000 pounds of magnesium sulfate, which is more commonly known as Epsom Salt.
During an appointment, you would float for about 60 to 90 minutes, and some people even prefer longer sessions. Floating happens inside, a specially engineered floatation device such as a float pod, float room, or floatation tank - the water inside the tank is kept at a warm body temperature. These devices produce a similar effect as a sensory deprivation tank and are specifically engineering to block out light & sound.
Want to learn even more about the wonderful art of floating - we highly recommend reading our intro to Floating guide → here
So, why might having a massage and floating be beneficial to do together?
Despite their stark physical differences, both massage and floating trigger relaxation responses in our body. For example while floating, all of your senses are allowed to rest. By letting your nervous system catch a well-needed break from the non-stop, buzz of the city, your body can begin to suppress the stress hormone known as cortisol. By reducing your stress hormones, it boosts the regeneration process in your body. Simultaneously, It is a great opportunity to let work worries, family & relationship pressure and all the negative forces in your life drift away giving you further mental peace. There are a plethora of scientifically proven benefits of both massage and floating.
Now your body has entered a prime relaxation state after a 75 minute float, imagine moving onto the massage table with a qualified RMT. In a peaceful room with dim lights, you further expose yourself to a high level of physiological relaxation and mental tranquility.
The combination of floating and massage regulates blood circulation and evenly distributes endorphins in your body. Endorphins are neurotransmitters responsible for pain relief, mood boost, and generating a feeling of euphoria. You no longer have to go through low appetite, foggy mind, and heightened anxiety.
Should you have a massage before or after floating?
Experts suggest that our body requires magnesium for our muscles to relax. Keeping this in mind, the added benefit of soaking in a float room before a massage may help deepen your muscles’ state of relaxation.
With relaxed muscles, your massage therapist gets complete access to the layers of tension more easily and quickly. They can work deeper into the muscles without additional effort and produce significant positive changes in your body. Working on already loosened adhesions,fascia using massage techniques such as deep tissue, trigger point therapy and myofascial release could be greatly beneficial at this point of peak body relaxation.
Do you often complain about sore muscles and tenderness that makes your day even more stressful? Floating before your massage also detoxifies your body. You can go back to your daily routine, feeling peaceful, comfortable, with a boost of energy.
In summary- we think a massage post float might be better but it is completely down to your personal preference!
Final word
If you book your appointment for this complementary combination today, it may prove to be one of the best decisions you’ll make in the way of physical wellness, considering the positive changes your body and mind will experience. Chances are that this will become your go-to combination for feeling great.
This article was written by the team over at https://mountainviewmovement.com. They have 18+ registered massage therapists who are passionate about the care they provide. They are accessible at two locations and offer direct billing to most major insurance companies.
Give them a call on:
+1-9786745857
Their locations:
Mountainview Movement Massage and Wellness
207 W Hastings St Unit 512, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4
Mountainview Movement Massage & Wellness - Burrard Health Centre - Massage Therapy
1160 Burrard St Unit 504, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2E8
Float House - They will be offering massage services out of our Gastown Float location in mid-march. Announcement to follow shortly!
