The Three Keys to a Good Massage: Light, Atmosphere, and Temperature

If you plan to give a massage to someone, it is important for it to be a relaxing experience. While getting a massage is a pleasant and de-stressing experience, it also can have medical benefits. Massage improves your muscles and circulation, as well as helping you to feel less stress on your muscles and less stiffness in your joints.

Because massage has rejuvenating and relaxing benefits, it is vital that you create the right space for the massage. The best space for a massage has three key elements: light, atmosphere, and temperature. Toy with these elements to find the best fit for you and the one you are massaging.

First, let's look at light. Most people disdain bright, fluorescent lights, such as the ones in department store dressing rooms. Instead, people calm down with less light. Although you will want to have enough light to be comfortable, most people would prefer darkness for their massage experience. You can brighten up the room a bit with the soft glow of a candle if you don't have a way to turn down the lights.

Element number two of a good massage area is the atmosphere. Different people need different soothing sounds and textures to create the right atmosphere, but there are some standards you can try. First, most people will like to hear gentle, serene sounds, such as birds singing, a mountain stream flowing, or ocean waves rolling. Playing a CD of these types of sound will help the person getting the massage to relax if he or she can focus on the rhythmic sounds.

You also may want to provide some soothing scents, such as lavender, or beads. Also, keep the noise to a minimum. If you are offering massage as part of a larger business or as a sole business venture, put the massaging in a room that can be cordoned off. If you are doing massage in your home, turn off the phone ringer and email notifications or any other distractions. Shut the door or put up a partition if possible. You want the room to be a quiet as possible for maximum effect.

The third key to a good massage is making sure that you have the right temperature settings. This piece of advice applies not only to the room but to your hands. No one wants to get a massage from someone with freezing hands or who drops lotion straight from the bottle onto the hands. Instead, warm up your hands by rubbing them together, and lather any oils or lotions in your hands first. The room's temperature should be warm as well. It shouldn't be so warm that it causes drowsiness, but it should feel very temperate and comfy. Think tropical island as opposed to igloo.

These suggestions aren't absolute, and they may take some adjustment. While one person may love the smell of juniper candle, another may be allergic. Play around and offer variety, but keep these points in mind.