Why Do I Feel Sick After a Massage?
You've just finished a massage expecting to feel relaxed and refreshed — but instead you feel a little nauseous, light-headed, tired or just not quite right.
So, is that normal?
Some people do report feeling temporarily unwell after a massage. There are several possible explanations, and despite what you may have heard, it isn't because massage is “releasing toxins” into your bloodstream.
Let's look at what may actually be happening.
What Can You Feel After a Massage?
Everyone responds differently to treatment.
Most people feel relaxed afterwards, but occasionally you may experience:
Light-headedness
Mild nausea
Fatigue or sleepiness
Headache
General tenderness
Feeling slightly “off”
Temporary dizziness when getting up
These symptoms are usually mild and short-lived, but it's worth understanding what may be contributing to them.
1. You May Have Gotten Up Too Quickly
You've been lying down for 30, 60 or even 90 minutes.
You're warm, relaxed and haven't moved much.
Then your massage finishes and you immediately stand up.
It's not unusual to feel a little light-headed when transitioning quickly from lying down to standing.
If you tend to experience this, sit on the edge of the treatment table for a moment before standing, and take your time getting changed.
Let your therapist know if you're feeling dizzy rather than trying to walk it off immediately.
2. You May Not Have Eaten Enough
Sometimes the massage isn't necessarily the main reason you're feeling unwell.
Think about what happened before your appointment.
Maybe you skipped lunch.
Maybe you've just finished work and haven't eaten since breakfast.
Maybe you've completed a long run or gym session and then gone straight to your massage.
If you haven't eaten for several hours, hunger or low energy availability may contribute to feeling shaky, weak, light-headed or nauseous.
You don't need to eat a huge meal immediately before your appointment, but arriving adequately fuelled can help, particularly if you're an active person.
3. You Could Be Dehydrated
Massage doesn't suddenly dehydrate you or create a need to “flush” anything from your body.
However, you may already be under-hydrated when you arrive.
This can be particularly relevant if you've:
Exercised beforehand
Been running in hot weather
Had a busy day and forgotten to drink
Consumed a lot of alcohol the night before
Been sweating heavily
Spent significant time outdoors in the heat
If you're already dehydrated, lying in a warm treatment room and then standing up afterwards may make you more aware of symptoms such as headache or light-headedness.
The answer isn't to force down litres of water after every massage.
Just aim to stay normally hydrated throughout the day.
4. A Very Firm Massage Can Leave You Feeling Tender
Some remedial and sports massage treatments can be quite firm.
After significant pressure or prolonged treatment to sensitive areas, you may feel temporarily sore or fatigued.
But remember:
A massage doesn't need to be extremely painful to be effective.
If you're regularly leaving your appointments feeling significantly sore, bruised or unwell, speak with your therapist.
Treatment pressure can be adjusted.
More pressure isn't automatically better treatment.
5. Relaxation Can Make You Feel Sleepy
Sometimes feeling “sick” after a massage is actually more like feeling very tired, heavy or sleepy.
You've just spent an hour lying still in a quiet environment while receiving treatment.
If you've been stressed, training heavily, sleeping poorly or working long hours, suddenly slowing down can make you realise how tired you actually are.
Feeling relaxed or sleepy afterwards isn't necessarily something that needs to be fixed.
If possible, give yourself a little time before rushing straight into your next activity.
Is It Because Massage Releases Toxins?
This is one of the biggest massage myths.
You'll sometimes hear that nausea, headaches or soreness after massage happen because “toxins have been released from your muscles and need to be flushed out with water.”
That's not a good explanation of what's happening.
Your body already has sophisticated systems for processing and removing waste products, particularly through your liver and kidneys.
You don't need to drink enormous amounts of water after a massage to flush toxins from your muscles.
Staying hydrated is healthy.
But that's very different from saying massage has filled your bloodstream with toxins that need to be removed.
What Should You Do If You Feel Sick After a Massage?
First, don't rush.
If you're dizzy or light-headed, sit down and let your therapist know.
Once you're feeling steady, some simple things may help:
Drink some water normally.
If you haven't eaten for a while, have something to eat.
Take it easy for a little while.
Avoid immediately jumping into a very demanding workout if you're already feeling unwell.
And pay attention to how your symptoms progress.
For mild symptoms, you may simply feel better after some food, fluids and time.
Should You Exercise Afterwards?
If you feel completely normal after your massage, you may be fine to continue with your planned activity.
But if you're nauseous, dizzy or unusually fatigued, that's probably not the time to head straight into a hard interval session or heavy gym workout.
Give your body some time and reassess.
For runners and athletes, it's also worth telling your therapist what training you have planned.
If you have an important long run or race the following day, treatment can potentially be adjusted so you're not receiving an unnecessarily aggressive massage immediately beforehand.
When Is Feeling Sick After a Massage Not Normal?
Mild, temporary light-headedness or tiredness can occur.
However, significant or persistent symptoms shouldn't automatically be blamed on the massage.
Seek medical attention if you're experiencing concerning symptoms such as:
Fainting
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Severe or worsening headache
Persistent vomiting
Significant weakness
Confusion
New neurological symptoms
Severe or worsening pain
Symptoms that don't settle or continue to worsen
Just because something happens after a massage doesn't necessarily mean the massage caused it.
If you're genuinely unwell, it's important to consider other possible causes rather than assuming it's simply a normal post-massage reaction.
How Can You Reduce the Chance of Feeling Unwell Next Time?
You don't need an elaborate pre-massage routine.
Keep it simple.
Try not to arrive significantly dehydrated or after going all day without eating.
If you've just completed a very demanding training session, let your therapist know.
Communicate about pressure throughout your treatment.
And when the massage finishes, take your time getting up from the table.
Most importantly, tell your therapist if you've previously felt dizzy or unwell following treatment. They can adjust the session and allow you a little more time afterwards.
The Bottom Line
Feeling slightly tired, light-headed or nauseous after a massage can happen, but there isn't one universal explanation.
It may relate to getting up quickly, not eating enough, being under-hydrated, the intensity of treatment or simply feeling very relaxed and tired afterwards.
What it isn't is evidence that your body is suddenly full of “toxins” that need to be flushed out.
For most mild symptoms, taking your time, eating and drinking normally and allowing yourself to recover may be all that's needed.
But if symptoms are significant, unusual, persistent or worsening, don't simply assume they're a normal reaction to massage — seek appropriate medical advice.