Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
You know those mini-quizzes on social media that ask if you could have one service for free for the rest of your life? The options usually include a gourmet chef, live-in housecleaner, or massage therapy daily.
It’s hard to choose (even in fantasy world), but personally I’d always pick the massage!
We often have a lot of stress as mothers, and since massage therapy has many health benefits, it’s a match made in relaxation heaven… except for the time and money!
Thankfully there are great ways to get massage therapy benefits at home.
Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy has many benefits besides the obvious one of relaxation. It is now often suggested by doctors, physical therapists, and chiropractors for various reasons (along with other therapies such as cupping and acupuncture).
Massage can range from light pressure to deep tissue (a lot of pressure) and there are many types of massage, including:
- Swedish– A gentle massage that uses gentle, long strokes. Mainly focused on relaxation and tension relief.
- Deep Tissue– Uses slower strokes and more pressure to reach deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue.
- Sports– A style that often uses a combination of different techniques to help relieve sports strain or injury.
- Trigger Point– A focused type massage often used for relief of tension from overuse or injury.
No matter the type, massage can help:
Relax Muscles
Massage provides external physical pressure to muscles and helps remove tension. This is the most common reason people get a massage.
Improve Flexibility & Reduce Injury
The pressure and stretching of the muscles can help improve their ability to stretch. Athletes often get a regular massage to help increase flexibility and reduce the chance of injury (and to help rehab from injury).
Increase Immunity
Though less well-known, massage may also increase immune function by stimulating lymph flow in the body. This helps promote a strong immune system.
Shorten Hospital Stays
A study found that women who received regular prenatal massage had shorter hospital stays when they delivered their babies. The reason is not completely clear, but researchers suspect that it is the affects of increased relaxation and blood flow.
Improve Sleep
A number of studies have shown that massage has a positive effect on sleep. This is likely because of its affect on delta waves, the ones most connected to deep sleep.
How to Get the Benefits of Massage At Home (On the Cheap)
Of course, while it is fun to think about a live-in maid, chef, or massage therapist, it is unfortunately not very realistic. Even if money weren’t an issue, it would be impossible for most moms to sneak away for a daily massage.
Regular massage from a trained therapist is the most studied way to get the benefits, but there are some much cheaper and almost as good ways to get some of the benefits!
Whisk yourself away to a massage in the comfort of your own living room with these at-home ideas.
1. Lacrosse Ball or Racquet Ball
By far the most cost effective at-home massage option. In fact, my chiropractor recommended this to help relieve sore muscles at home and provide some back relief during pregnancy.
All you need is a couple of lacrosse balls (like these) and a wall or floor. Place the ball between you and the wall/floor and apply pressure by leaning into the wall. I was shocked at how deep of a massage this provided and for only about $5, it can’t be beat! With a little patience, you can get a great deep-tissue massage this way. This video shows how:
If you’re feeling really fancy, they even now make special “trigger point massage balls” that are essentially the same thing. You can also use a tennis ball, baseball, or even golf ball (these provide really deep trigger point due to the small size).
TIP: I also keep a lacrosse ball in my car and use between my back and the seat on long drives to avoid muscle tension.
2. Acupressure Massage Cane
My mom first discovered this, and I’ll admit that I joked her about having “a cane” until I tried it myself. This inexpensive s-shaped cane provides an amazing trigger point massage. It allows you to reach areas of your back you normally can’t reach on your own.
I keep this by my couch so when we are watching a movie I can use it for back massage. I’m still amazed at how this thing is able to reach the tightest spots on my back and provide direct pressure.
3. Massage Pillow
One of my favorite Christmas gifts of all time: a shiatsu massage pillow. I had my doubts about this thing, but now I use it at least a couple of times a week. Of all of these at-home options, this one feels closest to a real massage, in my opinion.
This Shiatsu Pillow has infrared heat to help relax and loosen muscles and 4 rotating nodes that can move either direction. This thing was an absolute life saver when I was pregnant and up many nights with prodromal labor!
It is also half the price of one massage in most places! Several friends have come over and tried this pillow and ordered one from Amazon on their phone before even leaving my house. It is that good!
4. Rumble Roller or Foam Roller
A Rumble Roller is another great choice for at-home deep tissue work. The Rumble Roller is essentially a basic foam roller with spikes on it so it can reach deeper muscles.
These are more work than a massage pillow but can be super-effective if you are willing to use it regularly. If you’re feeling creative, you can always make your own for about $10!
A very similar option is the MOBO system that helps to release tight or sore areas that you want to work on at home. There are multiple ways to use it and is easy to pack and travel with. Use code wellnessmama10 for 10% off!
5. At-Home Massage Course
If you have a willing partner, the best option for a true massage is to take an at-home couples massage class together. This one is my favorite because it is a romantic but PG-rated massage course that teaches couples how to give great massages. We really enjoyed this series and I’d definitely recommend it!
6. Bonus: High Quality Massage Tools
Another option for getting a quality massage without an appointment is a handheld massager. My chiropractor one almost every time I go in to get adjusted, and it’s amazing!
It’s called the MyoBuddy and it is an electronic percussive massager that mimics the effects of a deep tissue massage for muscles and fascia. It also only costs as much as a couple good deep tissue massages and you can use it every day.
While it’s a bit more expensive than the other options listed above, if you use it instead of going for a regular massage you’ll save several hundred dollars in the first year alone!
What do you think? Noticed any benefits from massage therapy? Tried any of these?
A massage is a great way to fall into a sound slumber. Research shows that a massage can help with sleep insufficiency and insomnia, leaving you better able to sleep soundly. Massages use techniques that promote relaxation, wellness, and calmness to aid in better sleep.
TIM TAM – is premium high end massage tool to for serious athletes. Google it!
I have spent literally THOUSANDS of DOLLARS on massage therapy for the past 3 years. I have had chronic pain for that long, constant chronic pain. It all started with my chiropractor whom I had gone to in the past but not for 5 years. When he came to adjust my neck, he had to take me through a “series of stretches”. I let him do this to me each time I went because he had to. After 9 adjustments over a two month period, I had developed excruciating pain above my one ear, neck and middle of my back and also the trigeminal nerve on the side of my head and face. I didn’t know what in the world why, or how this was happening. So I hopped from chiropractor to chiropractor, then from massage therapist to another massage therapist. It has been a complete utter nightmare that has shattered my life. I am a po folk on top of everything, but I have excellent credit. **Just a word of Caution** about massage therapists and chiropractors. I am not knocking them, but they can do some damage, IF you’ve already been injured. One massage therapist did help me and actually healed my neck muscle that was torn, but I lost her, after I had invested so much into it. And yes, those balls are too hard–you can end up with more damage especially if you have degenerative spine.
Wonderful! I’d really love to learn more abut abdominal massage. I tried searching your site, so I don’t think you have anything on it? But I’d love to read some more about it if you’re looking for a new topic!
I tried the Rumble Roller at a friend’s house when he told me that using it every day means he has no back pain. I tried it and my back and hip pain disappeared, as well as straightening out what I thought was a permanently bent knee that I’d had for 10 years from arthritis associated with Lyme. Now I roll religiously twice a day, and it’s a blessing.
Thanks for talking about how massage therapy which can help improving sleep. I’ve been having sleepless and migraine. I do massage therapy at outside place and at home that can help me get a relaxing sleep and relieve from migraine. It’s said that foot is the center of health so I find some massagers at home.
I love the BuffEnuff power massager, a cordless percussive massage device with a flat oscillating surface for increased pain relief, therapy and muscle recovery. I use it daily for back pain, trigger point therapy, and to ease tension headaches.
Thanks for talking about how massage therapy can help improve sleep because of its effect on delta waves which is connected to deep sleep. I’ve been having sleepless nights recently because of personal issues, and I think that massage therapy can help me get a relaxing sleep. I’ll look for a good massage place after work to ease stress. Thanks for the advice!
Hi Katie. I wear panty hose and heels a lot. Sometimes I keep tennis balls at work to roll under my feet. Put a ball in each toe of clean wrecked panty hose. Hold the panty part so you can yank them back when they roll away. Doing the same at home when rolling the ball under your back, legs, etc, might help those with limited mobility to place and retrieve the ball. You won’t create a fall risk by having a loose ball rolling around. And at work, nobody’s going to steal a ball from inside panty hose!.
Don’t forget your trampoline work helps move the lymph around much like a massage and in my mind could totally fall in this category!