Most of us can't leave our minds at the door when we come for a massage. Traffic, meetings, to-do lists… The first ten minutes are often spent just "slowing down". Yet the breath is the fastest and easiest way to shift the body into a calm mode. In this article we share breathing exercises for before and after a massage.
Why Is the Breath So Powerful?
Breathing is one of the rare bodily functions that runs on its own but can also be guided consciously. Under stress, breathing speeds up and moves into the chest; in calm moments it slows and drops into the belly. We can use this relationship in reverse: when we slow and deepen the breath, the body is invited to calm down. An exhale longer than the inhale particularly supports a feeling of relaxation.
1. Belly Breathing (Before the Session, 3 Minutes)
- Sit or lie comfortably; place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
- As you breathe in through your nose, let the hand on your belly rise; the hand on your chest should barely move.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose.
- Repeat 10–15 times.
Ideal in the waiting area or during your first minutes on the massage table.
2. 4-6 Breathing (Anywhere)
- Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Breathe out slowly for 6 seconds.
- Continue for 2–5 minutes.
A simple method you can use in traffic, before a meeting or in the car on your way to a massage.
3. Box Breathing (When Your Mind Is Scattered)
- Breathe in for 4 seconds.
- Hold for 4 seconds.
- Breathe out for 4 seconds.
- Pause for 4 seconds.
If your thoughts won't settle, counting gives the mind a "task" and reduces the scatter. If holding your breath is uncomfortable, shorten or skip the holds.
4. The Long Exhale (After the Session, 2 Minutes)
- After your massage, sitting on the table or in the Relax Lounge, take a normal breath in through your nose.
- Purse your lips slightly and breathe out long and slow, as if making a candle flicker without blowing it out.
- Repeat 8–10 times.
This exercise helps you notice and extend the relaxation the massage leaves behind.
Breathing During the Massage
When the therapist works on a tense area, we tend to hold our breath. When you notice this, breathe out slowly, imagining you're "sending" the breath to that area. This simple awareness can help the muscles soften rather than resist the pressure. If the pressure is too much, tell your therapist rather than holding your breath.
Caution
If you feel dizzy, tingly or uncomfortable during a breathing exercise, stop and return to normal breathing. If you have a respiratory or heart condition, consult your doctor.
Together With Massage
The sessions where breathing deepens most easily are usually slow and rhythmic ones: Aromatherapy Massage, Swedish Massage and Indian Head Massage among them. For more on how stress shows up in the body, see this article.
