How Much Water Do I Need to Drink After a Massage?

by Jay | Posted on October 30th, 2022

Massages are a real delight. You get to unwind, recover and have weird knots in your body massaged out. Sometimes, they can induce sleep-seeking in you. You can have some discomfort and soreness at other times. In either case, drinking enough water is one of the best methods to aid your body in healing after a massage.


What happens if you don’t drink water after a massage?

The short answer is that you may feel uncomfortable after your massage, including soreness, exhaustion, and what is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. The symptoms are listed below:

person massaging the back of a woman
  • Muscle fatigue
  • Reduced mobility as a result of pain and stiffness
  • Temporary reduction of muscle strength
  • Painful to the touch muscles
  • Swelling of the injured muscles

High-intensity exercise can produce little rips in your muscles, which is why DOMS is frequently felt after such activity. Your body responds by directing nutrients and blood circulation there to assist the region’s recovery, promoting the growth of your muscles.

These identical microtears can result from massages and cause comparable symptoms. Usually, these signs and symptoms show up 12 to 24 hours after your exercise or massage. After your massage, drinking water will speed up your body’s healing process and lessen these side effects.

How much water should you drink after a massage?

Make it a goal to drink the recommended eight glasses of water each day, and if your pee is clear, you can be sure you’re well hydrated. If you already know how to keep hydrated, feel free to add 3–4 more glasses of water after a massage.

You may need to experiment to see how much is appropriate for you because everybody is different. Add on a few extra glasses the following time if you feel stiff, in discomfort, or exhausted the day after a massage.

Before your massage, we advise drinking more water because hydrated muscles are simpler to handle and work on than dehydrated ones. If you properly hydrate, you’ll notice that your body feels refreshed and restored.

Why should you hydrate after a massage?

It aids in detoxification

Your kidneys, which aid in processing important nutrients and pollutants, are cleansed by water. The water oxygenates your cells to help them create more good stuff while flushing out the free radicals produced during a massage.

It kicks dehydration to the curb

Human bodies are 60% water, and massages dehydrate us. During your visit, the massage therapist will squeeze your muscles, which will cause fluid to be released into your vascular system.

You thus have to replenish all the water you use during your massage. Better start drinking up!

Prevent excess soreness

It’s typical to feel sore in the regions the massage therapist concentrates on after a massage. As a result, drinking water after a massage can reduce swelling. If you’re still feeling lethargic or unwell after your massage, do yourself a service and drink an additional glass or two.

Metabolic waste

Metabolic wastes are the components in our bodies that are useless to us, and during a massage, they leave our bodies at a rate that is considerably faster than normal. Muscle constriction brought on by metabolic waste might result in incorrect toxin flushing flow.

By drinking water, you offer your muscles an opportunity to relax and let go of the tight muscles that are holding waste.

The relationship between water and muscles

gray stones

Water is necessary for movement and muscular growth. Without sufficient water intake, the muscles cannot absorb sufficient electrolytes. Since water makes up over 70% of the entire volume of muscles, dehydration will affect how strong and effective muscles are. You might be shocked to learn that, in contrast, just 25% of the fat volume is made up of water.

By merely drinking water, you can increase your muscle weight, improve your muscles’ ability to function, and increase the rate at which your body burns fat.

The pace and amount of fat loss will improve with frequent water consumption because the only way Ketones, a byproduct of fat burning in the body, are immediately eliminated from the body is through urine.

Water consumption in large quantities promotes the body’s natural process of burning fat by aiding in removing these poisons. Your body will be unable to break down fat and even digest meals quickly if you don’t drink enough water. In addition, your heart may work too hard, making you susceptible to heat stroke on hot days.

What does water do for your body?

We are all aware that eight glasses of water should be consumed daily. Drinking the proper quantity of water hydrates you, and complete hydration allows your body’s systems to operate at their best.

Jay

Jay is a health and wellness enthusiast with expertise in water quality and nutrition. As a knowledgeable advocate for holistic well-being, Jay successfully manages Type 2 Diabetes through informed lifestyle choices. Committed to sharing reliable and authoritative insights, Jay combines firsthand experience with a passion for enhancing health."