I get it. A massage feels like a treat, and so does a glass of wine, so why not pair them? It sounds like the perfect lazy afternoon. But these two are a little like two friends who are each wonderful on their own and just don't get along at the same party. Here's why I'd love for you to save the drink for another time, and what to reach for instead.
Let's start with water, because alcohol takes it. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol suppresses vasopressin, a hormone that tells your kidneys to hang on to fluid. The result is more trips to the bathroom and, often, mild dehydration that can show up as thirst, fatigue and a headache. A research review on hangovers adds dizziness and lightheadedness to that list of dehydration symptoms. None of that's what you want to bring to a quiet hour on the table, and it's definitely not what you want to bring home with you afterward.
Then there's the getting-up part. Alcohol widens your blood vessels right away, which Cleveland Clinic explains can temporarily lower blood pressure. Mayo Clinic lists alcohol as a risk factor for orthostatic hypotension, the drop in blood pressure that can make you dizzy or lightheaded when you stand after lying down, and it names dehydration as a common cause too. After a massage, you've been lying down for a good while, which is exactly why the American Massage Therapy Association describes therapists giving clients time to get up slowly. Add a drink or two to that moment, and you're stacking the deck toward a wobbly first step.
Here's the reason that matters most to me as your therapist, though. A good massage is a conversation, even when it's a quiet one. I'm counting on you to tell me when pressure feels great, when it's too much, or when something just doesn't feel right. The NIAAA notes that alcohol does indeed reduce pain, which sounds nice until you realize it can muffle the very signals you'd use to say "ease up a little." I'd much rather work with a body that can speak up clearly.
Your stomach gets a vote too. The NIAAA explains that alcohol irritates the stomach lining and increases acid, which can lead to nausea and stomach discomfort. Lying face-down with your face in a cradle is a pretty uncomfortable place to discover you're queasy. And if you're nursing a hangover from the night before, the NIAAA says symptoms can last 24 hours or longer, so the morning after a big night might not be the morning to book.
There's also a professional side to this, and I think it's one of the things that makes massage feel safe. The ABMP Code of Ethics asks therapists to get informed consent and to respect a client's right to change or stop a session at any time, and that only works when everyone in the room is clear-headed. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork's Standards of Practice go further and say a therapist has the right to refuse or end a session with a client who's under the influence of alcohol. An ABMP magazine ethics exercise even lists, as a skill for therapists to practice, declining a massage when a therapist suspects a client's been drinking. It isn't about judgment. It's about keeping you safe and keeping the session yours.
While we're clearing things up, let's retire an old favorite. You may have heard that massage "flushes toxins" and that you need to drink water to wash them out. A piece in AMTA's own Massage Therapy Journal says there's simply no scientific evidence for that idea, and a small 2010 study found massage actually slowed the removal of lactic acid from hardworking forearm muscles rather than speeding it up. The same AMTA article points out there's no harm in a glass of water if you're thirsty, and I agree. Water's a lovely choice after a massage, not because it's rinsing anything out, but because it's simply a better partner than a cocktail for a body that's just spent an hour relaxing.
So what's the plan? Come in rested and sober, sip some water before and after, and give yourself a slow minute when you sit up. If you've already had a drink or two on the day of your appointment, just let me know at [email protected] and we'll find another time. Just know that rescheduling because of drinking does come with a $35 cancellation fee, so it's easiest to skip the drink and keep your spot. When you're ready, you can book through MassageBook. I'm at Earthly Escapes Massage, my room inside a hair salon here in Palestine, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 AM to 6 PM. A 60-minute massage is $80 with hot stones and aromatherapy included, and your first visit is $72.
Think of it as a rain check, not a no. The wine will keep, and you'll enjoy it more on a day when it isn't competing with your massage.
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