It’s not just you, sometimes massages make people sleepy! If you’ve been wondering, “why am I tired after a massage?” we promise it’s completely normal. This is due to the relaxing nature of many massage types and the way your body shuts off senses to external stimuli as it falls into deep comfort and peace. Today, we’re looking at what happens to your body from a massage and why you may be tired after a massage experience. Read on, and see why being tired after a massage is a great thing!
WHY DO I FEEL TIRED AFTER A MASSAGE?
If you thought that massages were only self-indulgent activities, you couldn’t be more wrong. Getting a massage is a healthy self-care activity that looks after your mind and body, improving your overall well-being. Plus they feel good! If they’re supposed to boost your overall health, though, you may be wondering, “why am I tired after a massage?” Sure you were resting, but it’s all the other ways a massage works on your body that have you feeling drowsy.
Why does massage make you tired? A few reasons include:
- Deep relaxation
- Lowered heart rate
- Pain relief
- Reduced stress levels
Deep Relaxation
First up as we explore why you may feel tired after a massage is simple: you’re feeling relaxed! Getting a massage can be one of the best ways to relax. This is especially true with more therapeutic types of massage like Swedish massage techniques. Long, gentle strokes along the body sets your mind and body at ease, allowing you to relax and recharge as you experience your massage.
Don’t you use massage to increase energy levels? Just because you feel tired after massage sessions doesn’t mean you won’t experience a surge in energy later on. One of the great things about getting massages regularly is that their benefits continue even after your session has ended. This is why so many have turned to the benefits of owning a massage chair at home, allowing them to experience a relaxing massage whenever they want without the need to get up and drive home afterward, avoiding potential stress from traffic, driving, and more.
Lower Heart Rate After Massage
Feeling relaxed isn’t the only reason you may feel tired after a massage. One of the many benefits of massage therapy is stimulating blood flow throughout the body, lowering blood pressure naturally and reducing your heart rate. All of these side effects of massage work to improve heart health naturally, but can also lead to you feeling a little drowsy after your session.
Your body begins to set into a state referred to as “rest and digest.” This is the result of therapeutic massage strokes and helps regulate your autonomic nervous system. It’s also the period of time when your body is able to heal itself most efficiently, making massage chairs ideal recovery tools for athletes and other active individuals who put extra wear and tear on their bodies.
Pain Relief
Another reason you may feel tired after a massage is because of what you’re not feeling: pain. Massage has been shown time and again to be a potential source of pain relief. Whether you’re using massage for back pain relief, to loosen up muscles in your neck or back, or have a full body massage to unwind from head to toe, the release of that excess tension can be exhausting.
Pain can cause us to tense up, sleep poorly, and be otherwise spent before the day is over. Getting pain relief from a massage lets you sink into being pain-free, letting your mind and body relax and start the recovery process enhanced by sleep.
Reduced Stress Levels
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons people get massages is because massage reduces stress levels. Did you know, however, that all your stress relief may also be why you feel tired after a massage, as well? As your body is relaxing into the biological “rest and digest” mode, it’s also alleviating your “fight or flight” instincts.
These tensions we feel from stress elevate cortisol levels and keep us from being able to relax, impair mental judgment, impede sleep, and even cause physical pain from muscle tension. Massage lowers cortisol levels naturally, allowing your mind and body to unwind and recover. The energy you spent carrying around physical and mental tension throughout the day may leave you feeling exhausted as your favorite luxury massage chair takes care of your body.
As you’ve now learned, there are a number of reasons you may feel tired after a massage. From stress management and lowered blood pressure to physical pain relief, getting a massage works to improve your overall health and wellness. To enhance your experience, compare massage chairs for home use and allow yourself to experience a massage on your schedule without the need to leave the comfort of home. You won’t regret it!
Ready to make the most of every massage experience? Try the Ogawa Master Drive AI Massage Chair and see how this AI massage chair delivers a unique massage just for you every time you use it.
