How to Take Care of Yourself in a Physically Demanding Profession Like Massage Therapy

Becoming a massage therapist can be quite a rewarding profession.

It is an ever growing field and you can find plenty of opportunities to expand your knowledge within.

In addition to this, it is a great profession for individuals who enjoy helping others.

Moreover, massage therapists can earn a good amount of money, depending upon their skill level and the type of massage they provide.

However, this profession can take a toll on your body as well since you will have to remain standing for the entire duration of a massage.

Moreover, you have to work on the client’s body with your hands.

After a certain point, your hands will get tired as well (there is also a risk of catching something).

Also, the constant physical stress can take a toll on your emotional well-being as well.

This is because massage therapists often become overtired and stressed due to the physical strain involved.

This is why it is important that you ensure your wellbeing by paying close attention to YOU.

As a massage therapist, you will be ensuring your clients’ relaxation and treatment.

It is only fair that you attend to your personal needs as well or you wouldn’t be able to deliver on this objective.

To relieve your stress and fatigue you can easily follow a few tips outlined in this article.

As long as you follow these tips, you should be able to immensely enjoy this profession for a long time to come.

Read how you can ensure your most valuable asset – your hands!

Ease the Mind Daily

The extreme physical stress can leave your body tired.

If you get overtired, you may become cranky and less willing to work.

This is not because you no longer enjoy the profession but because you are under a lot of emotional stress.

Fortunately, there are simple ways with which you can relieve your emotional stress.

One of the best ways is to meditate.

Meditation can help you relax emotionally since the breathing techniques involved may soothe the mind and body.

You may feel relieved of your stress after a meditating session.

However, not everybody likes meditation.

If you are one such individual, there are other things you can do to ease your mind. Always remember that the goal is to relax your mind.

You can also indulge in various activities which may relax you.

For some people, a walk in the park works just like meditation.

Other individuals prefer reading a book to ease their mind and relax.

You can also indulge in a hobby.

Basically, you can get relief from accumulated emotional stress by doing something that you truly enjoy in your leisure time.

You do not have to wait for a specific day to relieve yourself of stress.

Make it a point to relax on a daily basis. Doing so will ensure that you go to work fresh the next day.

Note: We have found a high correlation between massage therapists and yoga/meditation practitioners.

Given the need to relax and cleanse thyself, this fact pattern is no surprise to us.

Work Towards A Healthy Body

In addition to emotional stress, you can incur immense physical stress in the massage therapy profession as well.

This is because you will be standing most of the time at your practice.

Moreover, your hands will get tired giving massages to customers.

This is why you have to take care of yourself physically as well.

One of the best ways to do this is to exercise.

Whenever you think about exercise, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the gym.

Of course, going to the gym is a great way taking care of your body.

You can do all sorts of exercises there and remain healthy.

However, a gym is not the only option. There are many other ways you can exercise.

Some individuals find it relaxing to run on a treadmill at home.

If this is something that you prefer, you can get a treadmill or an elliptical machine and workout at home.

Of course, you may also get a training partner and go for a jog every day.

You can go to a park and do some aerobics as well.

Going out for a jog and aerobics will prove beneficial in two ways.

Firstly, you will get a good workout. Secondly, looking at nature can be emotionally relaxing.

You can relax physically and mentally at the same time.

Some other alternatives include biking, rock climbing and other types of sports.

The point is to stay active and fit.

Maintain a Proper Diet – Massage

Another important aspect of taking care of your well-being is maintaining a proper diet.

This especially true for female massage therapists.

Giving massages all day can cause you to develop a wrist ailment called the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Moreover, you may develop issues in your back as well.

However, most of these issues can be prevented with a healthy intake of essential vitamins and minerals.

Therefore, you should watch what you eat at all costs. Make it a point to maintain an intake of healthy foods.

If necessary, consult a doctor and consume vitamins and mineral supplements.

But most importantly, do not skip any meals. Always carry snacks with you to keep your energy levels up.

The most damage occurs to your health when you are hungry.

In addition, you should prepare a healthy snack and lunch for yourself every day.

Take it with you to work. It may not always be convenient for you to cook or prepare food after a hard day’s work.

This is why you may be better off preparing your food for a week in advance, and freezing it.

This way you can go home daily, heat the food and eat.

You won’t have to go through the trouble of preparing it daily.

Load up on fluids, fruits, vegetables and dry nuts.

Incorporate these as much as you can in your daily diet.

Other Relaxation Methods

Every individual deserves a break once in a while. A great way to do this is to get regular massages yourself.

You can get a massage every month at least, to facilitate blood flow and relaxation.

Make sure that you go to the best facility that you know.

You can even get a massage from a colleague and give a massage back in return.

This way you both won’t have to spend extra money to go elsewhere.

This is very common in the massage industry.

In addition to this, you should get regular manicures.

Not only will your hands stay soft, you will also get a chance to relax and get pampered for a change. Apply lotion to your body every now and then.

The best time to do so is after a hot shower and before bed at night.

Massage therapy is a demanding profession and it is essential that you take care of yourself physically, mentally/emotionally and spiritually.

The handful of tips above should get you started.

Neal Lyons is a founding member and volunteer contributor at the MTSI Institute, an information based portal dedicated to guiding and assisting aspiring massage therapists establish a successful career in massage. Neal is a published author and has collaborated on several mobile applications that serve the massage profession. You can view his published work on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Sony and Kobo. You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and on Google+

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