Common Reactions to Reflexology
What to Expect During and After Your Session
Reflexology might have you feeling warm and sleepy, or you may need to relieve your bladder half way into the session. Discover these responses and more.
Every body responds uniquely to a Reflexology session – some may feel tired after their session, others may feel energized. It is not uncommon to go through several stages of emotions and body sensations during a session and over the next few days.
The primary benefits of receiving a Reflexology session include relaxation and stress reduction. Other benefits include an improvement in your body’s circulation which is responsible for delivering oxygen and vital nutrients to the farthest reaches of the body.
During a session or soon after you may have the sensation of being cold; this can happen when the body lowers the core temperature as you relax – the same as when you go to bed at night. Or you may experience perspiration as your body warms up, especially following a session when you have to drive back to work or go home.
After Karen’s* second session she reported “I feel so sleepy now but I didn’t feel sleepy after my first session.” Her practitioner reassured her “Your body is appreciating the cumulative effects of the first and second session. Pay attention to your sleeping patterns over the next few days and see how you feel.” Karen continued her sessions and found her body responded subtly different after each session, “like it is working on different areas of my body each session.”
Paul* had a different experience during his session, “I felt tingling from my feet up my legs and into my thighs when the Reflexologist worked different parts of my feet.” That night he had very vivid dreams “with a lot of colors” in them. Jane* saw colors while relaxing in her session, “it was yellow and sometimes orange and at the end I saw purple.”
One of the most common physical responses after a session is an increase in eliminatory functions – increased bowel movements and more frequent urination. This can start shortly after a session; many have a strong urge to relieve their bladder towards the end of a Reflexology treatment, and can last for one to two days afterwards. Ann* has a history of constipation and “sluggish bowels” and benefits greatly from her sessions, “I can tell when I’m due for another Reflexology session when my digestion starts slowing down again. Reflexology is so much more pleasant, and gentler, than taking a laxative.”
So the next time you’re experiencing a Reflexology session see how your body responds while you’re in the recliner – do you get a sensation of floating away? Do you experience an emotional release during or after the session? How are you sleeping after a session; is your sleep deeper or lighter? All of these are signs that Reflexology is helping your body find balance and relaxation. Your practitioner can answer any questions you may have about how your body is responding so don’t hesitate to ask him/her.
*Names changed to protect privacy.
