Regular massages are good for not only the body, but the mind and soul, too. All of us need moments where we take a load off and look after ourselves, but often, we're so busy that we don't even realize how long it has been since we last had a time out.

One thing that puts many people off getting regular massages is the cost, but it doesn't have to be expensive. You don't even need to leave your house if you don't want to. 



At-home massage

Whether you're getting or giving a massage, at home, or the spa, you need to make sure the room is sufficiently quiet and appropriately lit. Turn off all your gadgets, put on some soothing music, and grab your favorite essential oil for that authentic Viga at home massage experience. You may think you don't need it, but trust us, massage oil is vital. It reduces friction from the hands against the skin and makes the massage smoother. It moisturizes, too!

Popular essential oils include lavender and chamomile, or you can use medicinal oils such as tea tree or eucalyptus. Just make sure to rub the oil between your hands before you start to warm it up.

There are many areas of the body where consistent stress results in pain, soreness, and stiffness in the muscles. Here are a few at-home techniques for the most common ones - the head and back.

Massaging the head is really straightforward. Simple circular motion can make a massive difference. This traditional technique hails from India. Place your hands on each side of the head, and move your hands over your scalp as you would if you were washing the hair. You can finish off by rubbing smaller, gentler circles using just your fingertips.

At-home back massages take a little more work, but can be incredibly rewarding for both the masseuse and the person receiving the massage. To get started, make sure the person is lying comfortably, face down, on a surface that safely supports their body weight. Have them turn their head to one side so they can breathe. They can turn to the other side halfway through if they want to. 

Start the massage with long strokes of even pressure to warm up the back muscles. This will help prevent discomfort or pain as you begin kneading and applying more pressure, as the muscles you're working on will be more pliable. Move around the back, making sure to dig down into the muscle. There's no benefit to simply rubbing oil into the skin. 

Once you're done with the upper back and shoulders, you can move on to the lower back. This is where the knuckles come into play. Roll them up and down on either side of the spine, keeping your hand in a loose fist. Just be careful not to rub the spine itself, as this can be painful and uncomfortable. 

If you want to destress with a massage but don’t want to splurge on one at a spa, try giving yourself one. Using massage balls for deep tissue massage will help your muscles relax after a long, tiring day. 

Massage balls are perfect for targeting specific parts of the body that are tense and need relief. These handy things are especially helpful in increasing a range of movement while also eliminating pain in target areas. As a result, your body enjoys an increased blood flow and you can feel relaxed.  

Here are a couple tips to use your massage ball:

• Hold a spiky massage ball on a tender point on the neck while you lay on your back. While feeling the ball on your back, take deep breaths. Move the ball down the upper back on sore points. You can stretch your muscles by turning your neck to different directions. 
• Roll the massage ball under your foot depending on where you can feel tension. It can be along the outer, middle, or inner edge of your foot. Do this while you’re standing. If you feel too much pressure, you can lessen the intensity by doing this while you’re seated. 

The aim of a massage ball is to relieve and relax tired muscles, so using it shouldn’t bring too much pain. You should also relax into the ball and roll for about a couple of minutes until you can feel a release. 

Learn these few simple tricks, and just ten minutes can make a huge difference to you, your partner, a friend, or a roommate. It will benefit you, too!