What to expect at your first massage

For a first massage, book 60 minutes of Swedish massage. You will complete a health form, undress in private to your comfort level, and lie under a towel while the therapist works through your back, legs, arms, neck and shoulders. Only the area being treated is uncovered at any point. Say if it is your first time, because it changes how the therapist runs the session.

What to book

Book a 60 minute Swedish massage. It is the standard first choice for good reason: moderate pressure, whole-body coverage, nothing unexpected, and no after-effects.

Avoid booking deep tissue for a first appointment. It is a therapeutic treatment involving genuine discomfort, and it is much easier to judge whether you want that once you know what a normal massage feels like.

If undressing is the barrier, book a fully clothed treatment instead: reflexology, where only shoes and socks come off, or Indian head massage, which is seated and clothed and costs £30 to £55. Both are excellent introductions.

The full range is compared in 18 types of massage explained.

Before you go

• Say it is your first massage when booking. The single most useful thing you can do.
• Mention anything relevant. Injuries, medication, pregnancy, skin conditions, areas you would rather were left alone.
• Eat something light an hour or two beforehand. Not a large meal.
• Skip the alcohol. Most therapists will decline to treat someone who has been drinking.
• Shower if convenient, but skip body lotion. Lotion, oil and fake tan all interfere with the massage medium.
• Leave jewellery at home. It all has to come off anyway.
• Do not plan anything demanding afterwards. Many people feel drowsy.

The appointment, step by step

1. Arrive ten minutes early. There is a health questionnaire covering medical history, medication, injuries and pregnancy. Answer it honestly; it determines what the therapist can safely do and nothing on it will surprise them.
2. Consultation. Five minutes discussing what you want, pressure preference, and any areas to avoid. This is where you say it is your first time.
3. The therapist leaves the room. They explain how to get onto the table, usually face down under the towel, and then leave. They knock before coming back in.
4. Back and shoulders. Most sessions start here and spend the largest share of time on it.
5. Backs of the legs. Worked one at a time, with everything else covered.
6. Turning over. The therapist holds the towel up like a screen so you can turn underneath it.
7. Front of legs, arms, neck and shoulders. Often finishing with the scalp and face.
8. The end. The therapist tells you the session is finished, leaves the room, and you dress in your own time. Usually there is water or tea and a few minutes to come round.

What you wear

You undress to your comfort level, which for most people in the UK means keeping underwear on. No qualified therapist will ask you to remove it, and keeping it on does not compromise the treatment.

You are covered by a towel or sheet from the moment you get on the table. Only the area being worked on is uncovered, then re-covered before the therapist moves on. This is called draping and it is a professional requirement rather than a courtesy.

Wear loose clothing to leave in, since there will be some oil residue on your skin. Full detail is in what to wear to a massage.

What people worry about

Therapists treat hundreds of people a year. All of the following are completely unremarkable:

• Falling asleep or snoring. Extremely common, and generally taken as a compliment.
• Your stomach rumbling. A sign your digestion is being stimulated. Normal.
• Unshaved legs or body hair. Nobody notices and nobody cares.
• Your body shape or weight. Therapists work with all bodies and think nothing of it.
• Being ticklish. Say so and they will use firmer pressure, which solves it.
• Needing the loo. Just ask; it is not a problem.
• Feeling emotional. Common, and therapists are used to it.
• Not knowing whether to talk. Entirely your choice, and silence is normal.
• Your feet. Genuinely fine.

The one thing that does matter is speaking up about pressure. Therapists cannot feel what you feel, and enduring an hour you are not enjoying serves nobody. Saying that something is too firm is completely routine and not remotely awkward.

Afterwards

Get up slowly, since standing quickly after lying warm and relaxed can leave you light-headed. Drink normally, take the rest of the day gently if you can, and avoid a heavy training session.

You may feel drowsy for a few hours, which is normal and generally pleasant. Most people sleep well that night. After a Swedish massage you should not be sore the next day; if you are, the pressure was firmer than it needed to be.

There is no need to drink large quantities of water. The idea that massage releases toxins requiring flushing is not accurate, as explained in what happens to your body during a massage.

Deciding what to book next

Frequency guidance is in how often should you get a massage and pricing in how much a massage costs in the UK.

Every therapist listed on Massages Bristol is checked for relevant qualifications and public liability insurance before publication^[1], and you book direct with no commission. Browse the full directory, or start in your area such as Clifton, Bishopston or the city centre.

Frequently asked questions

This article is researched by the Massages Bristol editorial team using NHS guidance, professional body standards and published research, and is checked against the practice of the qualified therapists listed in our Bristol directory. It is reviewed and updated when guidance or standard practice changes. It is general information, not medical advice: speak to your GP if you have a health condition that may affect treatment.