How often should you get a massage? Real protocols instead of vague answers
A single massage helps you unwind, and regular visits make that looseness last longer. How much is “regular”? It depends on your goal — here are four real protocols our guests actually use.
The easiest answer to “how often should I come in?” is a vague “it depends.” We prefer specifics. The schedules below come from our therapists' practice and from how tense muscles actually behave physiologically.
Protocol 1: chronic tension and pain
A neck “made of concrete,” shoulders up by your ears, a lower back that reminds you it's there every morning — if the tension has been building for months, one session won't fix it for good.
- Intensive phase: every 2 weeks for 6–8 weeks. Each session works on progressively more relaxed tissue — the effects build on each other.
- Maintenance phase: once a month. Enough to keep the tension from returning to square one.
You'll find this protocol in our guides on neck pain, lower back pain and office work.
Protocol 2: stress and mental hygiene
If massage is your tool for calming down, a rhythm of every 2–4 weeks works well — often enough that deep relaxation feels familiar, and rare enough that each session stays an event. During intense periods (a project, exams, moving house), you can drop to a two-week rhythm for a few weeks — more in our guide to massage for stress.
Protocol 3: sport and recovery
With regular training, massage works best in the 24–48 hour window after a hard effort, when your muscles hit peak DOMS. The rhythm depends on your training volume: with 3–4 sessions a week, massage every 1–2 weeks works well; with recreational activity, once a month is enough. Details in our guides on massage after the gym and muscle recovery.
Protocol 4: occasional relaxation
Not everyone needs a schedule. A massage once a quarter, before an important event, or simply whenever you feel the need also makes sense — the feeling of relaxation usually lasts from a few days to over a week. After a longer break, start with a 90-minute session: your therapist will have time to work through the whole body, not just “put out the fire.”
60, 90 or 120 minutes?
- 60 minutes — one area (e.g. back, neck, shoulders) or a quick full-body reset.
- 90 minutes — the most popular middle ground: the whole body at an unhurried pace plus extra time where it's needed.
- 120 minutes — full rituals (e.g. hot stones, herbal stamps) and sessions after a longer break.
Healthy tissue doesn't need a daily massage — after deep work, muscles want 1–2 days of quiet. If you feel you “have to” come in more than once a week because the pain keeps coming back fast, that's a signal to look into the cause with a doctor or physiotherapist, not just mask the symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
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The feeling of relaxation usually lasts from a few days to over a week — depending on your tension level, stress and lifestyle. With regular sessions every 2–4 weeks, each effect builds on the last and lasts progressively longer.
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Day to day — there's no need, and after deep work muscles need 1–2 days to recover. The exception is short, light relaxation treatments. If pain returns within days despite frequent massages, it's worth looking into the cause with a doctor or physiotherapist.
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If it's your first massage or you want to work on one area — 60 minutes is enough. With tension in several places and a wish to relax the whole body, 90 minutes is the better choice — it's the most popular option among our guests.