3 Ways to Soothe Muscles

1. Stretch after a warm bath

Stretching is key to helping reduce DOMS after exercise, but it’s often undervalued and not given the attention it deserves. Warming up the muscles is essential before stretching in order to help prevent injury and soreness. And what better way than from a warm, relaxing bath? Soaking in a warm bath increases circulation, softens the connective tissue and improves flexibility which means that your muscles are in perfect shape for stretching. The buoyancy from the water means that your muscles are more supported, so a bath itself is also a great place to do some gentle stretching or self-massage.

For an added boost, add Epsom Salts or Magnesium Flakes to your bath. The magnesium helps relax your muscles even further, and assist in injury prevention.

2. Use an acupressure mat

Acupressure mats are a great solution to help relax your muscles if you aren’t able to go for regular massage or acupressure sessions.

Acupressure is the application of pressure to trigger points within muscles and soft tissues to simulate pain relief and muscle relaxation.

Acupressure mats contain hundreds of tiny pressure needles (totally non painful and made of plastic) so you can lie down and relax while they do their work on your body. Recommendations are that a 10-20 minute session each day is all you need to help feel invigorated and keep your muscles feeling healthy and soothed.

Our favourite is the ‘Bed of Nails’

3. Rest, Rest, Rest

DOMS are thought to be a result of micro-tears in your muscles from intense exercise. While these are thought to be part of the process in strengthening and improving muscle condition, they also can take around 2 days to repair. Resting and recuperating after intense exercise allow the fibres to repair and heal naturally, with less risk of injury.

So don’t feel guilty about resting. Instead, make sure you take regular rest days and use the opportunity to take time for some self-care and extra sleep, knowing your body is doing what it needs to strengthen and recover.