There are very few people who don’t enjoy a massage, of course at Sheer Bliss we are passionate about massage and most definitely the experts in the field of having a massage at home so here are a few pointers on how to give the best massage at home, whether you know what you are doing or not.
Set the scene
Start by warming up a room and make sure it is nice and quiet and you wont be interrupted by kids, pets or any other household demands. If the weather is cold, be sure to put on an electric blanket and warm the room with a fire or heater.
Light some candles and burn some incense, the benefit of having a massage at home is that you can begin or end with a nice hot bath kitted out with bubbles, candles and oils so go all out and enjoy your spa day in.
Music
Having the right music for a massage is a must, try to avoid any familiar tunes that cause you to sing along in your head while they play. Rather get onto You Tube or Apple Music and look for some massage music that is unique and relaxing. You want music that is slow and relaxing rather than up beat.
Oils
Massage oils are available from any pharmacy, don’t mess around with aromatherapy oils if you don’t know what you are doing. They can have very real affects and can be harmful to your health if you use the wrong ones. Aroma oils will have an effect on a pregnancy and epilepsy so rather avoid them in their pure state. Pre-mixed aroma blends are available and will say on them what they are for but not all of them are safe in pregnancy. Good oils to start off with are Grapeseed oil, Coconut oil and Arnica oil is great for sore muscles after a workout or if you have back pain in general.
The Massage Itself
The number one rule of massage is to slow down, keep your movements slow and consistent. Make sure that you complete each movement and finish off each movement properly, for instance; when you are working on the back you will begin on the coccyx and work your way all the way onto the shoulders and around the top of the arms to bring your hands back round down the sides of the back to the starting position on the coccyx again.
Listen to your music and keep the pressure on your hands stable, not harder in the fingers or palms but evenly spread on the whole hand. You can start to experiment with using your forearms and elbows as you get more experience.
Always check with the person you are massaging that the pressure is not too hard or too soft and then focus on areas that are sore. Never work on the spine and always work away from the spine when you are trying to work a knot out. Once you find a knot ( this is a tense section of a muscle that forms a hard bit that can cause a fair amount of pain and lead to headaches) you will use your thumbs to do friction movements by putting one thumb in front of the other and pressing down in short movements to drain the knot away by stimulating circulation.
A back massage should be no shorter than 20 minutes long, we always hear people saying that they get a massage at home for 2 minutes so be aware to take the time to really give your best massage.
The most important part is that you have fun, feel comfortable and enjoy the experience, we hope this guide is helpful and are happy to answer any questions in the comments. Happy massaging!