Does music make a massage better?

Music, like massage, is a healing art. However, experts say that the wrong music can ruin an otherwise good massage experience. This article (originally published in Massage Bodywork magazine) explains how music can linger in the subconscious mind for days or weeks following a massage, and the importance of knowing your massage therapist’s level of expertise with relation to both music and massage.

“Music is to massage what aroma is to a bakery: It may not be the primary draw, but it certainly does add to the enjoyment of the experience. And it can stay around in the subconscious for days or weeks afterward. However, the wrong choice of music can ruin an otherwise good massage experience, experts say.

"If I were a therapist, I'd never use music on a client until I've listened to it from end to end, sat in a chair with my eyes closed, and meditated with it, so I'd really have a feel for what my client will experience," suggests Jim Moeller, owner and founder of Serenity, a company in Maria Stein, Ohio, that specializes in music for the healing arts.

The genre known as ambient music has mushroomed in recent years, and massage therapists have hundreds of new titles to choose from.”

Ambient music works to calm your mind, body, and spirit - reminding you to inhale slowly and telling your muscles to relax, without using words. If you’ve never meditated or even just relaxed for a few minutes listening to ambient music, I highly recommend it. Once you have felt the physical and mental benefits of the music alone, you’ll want to add on the healing touch of massage to bring you back to center, in a way only massage can.