Just For The Record, I’m Not Against Alcohol….Well Not Completely!

I won’t pretend to be Mr goody two shoes and say that I’ve never enjoyed a beverage or ten in my younger adolescent days, but I do think there’s a time and place for everything.

Massage has its own time and place, and so does alcohol. As long as you don’t mix the 2, things will be just fine!

“But I can have a drink after massage, can’t I?” is what you think in that innocent little mind of yours. Sure you can! If you want to waste all the efforts of what your therapist has done for the last 90 minutes, then absolutely go nuts!

But if you care about the money you spent getting a massage, as well the time and effort someone put in to deliver that massage, then no you absolutely won’t drink after the session!

Why is it that one shouldn’t drink alcohol after a massage? I’ll touch on the details later in the post. For now, in case it isn’t obvious I want to talk about why you shouldn’t drink before a massage!

Can I Drink Before A Massage?

There’s 2 aspects as to why you shouldn’t do this. Let’s look at both!

#1 It Shows A Complete Lack Of Respect!

Coming to a massage intoxicated by alcohol is just downright disrespectful.

It’s disrespectful to the establishment, it’s disrespectful to the other clients who have to see you in such a state, and most importantly it’s disrespectful to the therapist who has the displeasure of having to massage you!

Going to an establishment drunk is a surefire way of getting yourself banned for life. Now you’re probably wondering “what’s the big deal with having a drink or two before massage, I don’t see what the fuss is!”. See it’s as simple as this:

Massage is not just about physical healing. The art of touch has been around for thousands of years, and it was always thought to be much more than physical healing. As such there was a certain respect and sanctity that was always maintained toward the process. The patient comes to the therapist because he/she is looking to heal.

Consuming alcohol goes against this notion for the simple fact that it does the opposite of heal!

#2 Alcohol Is A Diuretic!

Here’s the science behind why you shouldn’t drink before a massage. In case you didn’t know, alcohol is a diuretic.

Basically what that means is consumption of it can lead to dehydration.

Why is this a big deal? Why is dehydration an issue prior to massage? It’s as simple as this. When you’re dehydrated, your muscles are not as pliable and easy to manipulate. There’s less fluid in the system so everything is a lot more rigid.

As a result your therapist will have to work twice or thrice as hard to achieve the same results as if you had not drunk!

And even that might not be enough to make the massage effective. Long story short, alcohol before a massage greatly reduces the effectiveness!

Here’s something interesting to note: massage boosts the immune system whereas lots of alcohol consumption weakens the immune system.

In many ways you’re outdoing the positive effects of massage by drinking beforehand.

What About Drinking After Massage?

I’m one of those people who always believes in experience over science and logic.

In other words, for me to actually believe something, I must try it first!

I’ve been foolish enough to go for a couple drinks with the boys post massage. What I found was one drink felt like I’d had three or four drinks. It hit me way quicker! Not in a good way of course as the next morning I was feeling pretty horrible.

When doing some research, this actually makes perfect sense. It turns out that alcohol combined with massage is a recipe for disaster. According to integrativehealthcare.org, massage increases the effect of alcohol on the body.

As mentioned earlier, drinking alcohol post massage basically makes your massage useless. It counteracts or negates all the benefits you would have received from massage by instead making you more dehydrated and introducing toxins into the body.

Think of it like this: massage is an intense (but healthy) way of ensuring both muscles and joints are stimulated. This very act is an intense experience and as such most people take time to recover!

Now imagine you’re introducing another element to the equation. Not just any element, but one that can cause crazy bad hangovers if taken in excess. Alcohol will only slow down the recovery your body so badly needs from the intense massage, and if you thought you felt like crap after the massage, wait to see how you feel after drinking the next morning!

Trust me when I say it only gets worse!

Moral Of The Story: Don’t Mix Alcohol & Massage!

I’ll end this post the way I started it. There’s a time and place for everything. If you wish to enhance your physical health, massage is a great means to help achieve that. However, things can turn ugly when alcohol is added into the mix!

Again, nothing wrong having a night out with the boys/girls! Just do your due diligence and schedule it accordingly. This much you owe to your body!

Have you had any horror experiences with alcohol and massage? Don’t be shy to share! Leave a comment below and tell us about it. The best way for all of us to learn is by talking about things openly, and that’s why sharing experiences are so important!

Anyways, I do hope you enjoyed reading this post and got some value out of it. If so, please consider sharing on the socials!