After a bath, it's time to take a deep breath and relax.

At the end of the day, do you ever touch your body and feel like, "This part is stiff today," or "My legs feel heavy somehow"?

That's when you should try self-massage.

When you hear "massage," you might imagine needing specialized knowledge or special tools, but simply gently stroking your body with your own hands can create time for body care.

The important thing is not to press hard.

It's about touching your body that day and gently caring for the areas that feel good, within a comfortable range.

This time, we will introduce the easiest points for self-massage on the whole body and basic methods.

What exactly is self-massage?

Self-massage, as the name suggests, is a massage you perform on yourself.

You place your hands on areas of concern, such as your shoulders or legs, and gently knead or stroke them.

The good thing is that it doesn't require any special preparation, so you can start whenever you feel like it.

You can do it while watching TV, or it's also recommended to do it as part of your post-bath body care routine.

If you think, "I have to do it properly every day," you won't stick with it.

First, try starting by just lightly touching the areas you're concerned about.

Start here: 8 easy-to-massage points

If you try to care for your entire body thoroughly, it can feel a bit bothersome.

So, let's start with areas that usually feel burdened or are easy to reach with your hands.

These are the 8 areas we recommend this time.

• Neck and shoulders
• Arms and hands
• Décolletage
• Abdomen
• Thighs
• Calves
• Ankles
• Soles of feet

Feel free to choose only the areas you're concerned about, depending on your mood that day.

1. Neck and shoulders

On days when you've spent a long time at the computer or looking at your smartphone, try placing your hands on your shoulders first.

That alone can be a trigger to realize, "I should take care of this area today."

Cup your shoulder with your palm and gently knead it, or gently smooth the base of your neck.

There's no need to press the neck itself hard.

In fact, it's enough to use gentle pressure, just enough to feel "good."

2. Arms and hands

Arms and hands are surprisingly easy to forget.

Using smartphones and computers, cooking, carrying luggage...

When you think about it, your hands and arms work quite a lot throughout the day.

Hold one arm with the other hand, as if cradling it, and slowly smooth it from your wrist towards your elbow.

For your palm, lightly make circular motions with your thumb.

On days when you do a lot of detailed work, it's good to incorporate these small acts of care.

3. Décolletage

The décolletage is a delicate area of skin, so strong stimulation is not necessary here either.

Use your palm to gently smooth it over your skin.

If you use body oil, it will help your hands glide better, making it easier to care for the area with your whole palm rather than just rubbing with your fingertips.

4. Abdomen

For the abdomen, place your palms and gently make circular motions.

Rather than focusing on special techniques, it will be easier to continue if you do it with a calm mind, breathing slowly.

It's also recommended to incorporate it into your post-bath body care routine.

5. Thighs

Since the thighs are a large area, using your palms rather than fingertips makes them easier to care for.

Gently smooth them while touching them as if cupping them with both hands.

If you do one leg at a time, it's surprisingly easy even while watching TV.

It's also good to decide, "Today, I'll care for my legs a little more carefully," and set aside a few minutes.

6. Calves

If you're caring for your legs at the end of the day, don't forget your calves.

Sit down, place one leg in front of you, and cup your calf with both hands.

Slowly move your hands from your ankle towards your knee.

Again, keep the pressure light.

There's no need to knead so hard that it causes pain.

7. Ankles

Ankles are easy to cup with your hands, making them a perfect place to start self-care.

Cup your ankle with both hands and gently move in circular motions.

If you do this while applying body oil after a bath, your foot care is complete.

On busy days, it's also recommended to combine tasks into one habit like this.

8. Soles of feet

Finally, the soles of your feet.

For those who spend a lot of time wearing shoes, the feet are surprisingly easy to forget when it comes to care.

Use the pad of your thumb to press the sole of your foot little by little.

Even if you feel a hard spot, there's no need to force it.

It's enough to feel "this feels a bit good."

Lightly touching each toe one by one will allow you to carefully care for your entire foot.

If you're doing your whole body, what's the best order?

If you want to try a full-body massage, it's easier to create a flow by going from the upper body to the lower body.

For example,

Neck and shoulders
↓
Arms and hands
↓
Décolletage
↓
Abdomen
↓
Thighs
↓
Calves
↓
Ankles
↓
Soles of feet

This order.

Of course, there are no absolute rules for this order.

Today, just shoulders.

Today, just legs.

It's perfectly fine to change it according to how you feel that day.

"Pressing hard" does not equal "thorough care"

The most important thing to be careful about with self-massage is the amount of pressure.

It's easy to think, "If I'm going to do it, I might as well press hard," but there's no need to apply so much stimulation that it causes pain.

Instead, you should aim to do it gently to avoid rubbing your skin too much or putting strain on your body.

The guideline is: as much as you feel comfortable.

It's easier to make massage a daily habit if it's something you naturally want to continue because it feels good, rather than something you "have to work hard at."

Use massage oil for an even more pleasant experience

When doing a self-massage, massage oil is something you should definitely try.

If you massage without anything, you might be concerned about friction between your hands and skin.

Using oil makes the skin smoother, allowing you to slowly care for your body while gliding your palms.

And another thing to enjoy is the "fragrance."

If you choose an oil with your favorite scent, the time you spend massaging itself becomes a little more special.

At the end of the day, take a bath, dry your body, and put oil in your palm.

Carefully massage your legs and arms while enjoying the scent.

Making such a time a small daily habit might be a good idea.

When choosing massage oil, focus on "ease of continuing"

When choosing a massage oil, pay attention not only to the ingredients but also to the feeling when you actually use it.

I like a smooth, light texture.

If you want to use it every day, a texture that isn't too heavy will be easy to use.

I like a rich, moisturizing feel.

In dry seasons, choosing an oil with a rich, moisturizing feel is one option.

I want to enjoy the fragrance.

Since you're going to use it, choose a scent that makes you feel good.

Because it's something you use every day, your preference for scent is surprisingly important.

I want to use it for body care too.

If it can be used not only for massage but also for body care, it will be easier to incorporate into your post-bath routine.

Since usage instructions and applicable areas differ by product, be sure to check the product labeling carefully before purchasing.

On these days, don't force a massage.

Self-massage is, after all, a part of daily body care.

If you have pain, swelling, or discomfort in your body, or if you have cuts or inflammation on your skin, do not force yourself to massage.

You should also avoid "enduring pain to continue loosening up."

If you have any concerning symptoms, do not try to resolve them with self-care alone; consult a specialist as needed.

Summary: Take time to touch your body at the end of the day.

Self-massage can be started without special tools or difficult techniques.

Neck, shoulders, arms, legs, soles of feet.

Because we use our bodies casually every day, take a little time at the end of the day to gently touch them.

Even that alone can be an opportunity to pay attention to your own body.

There's no need to perfectly care for your entire body from the start.

Today, just the shoulders.

Tomorrow, the legs.

On days when you have time, the whole body.

Try to continue it according to your mood that day.

And if you want to enjoy your massage time more, incorporating massage oil is one way to do it.

Smooth your skin while enveloped in your favorite scent, and gently care for your body.

Just a few minutes at the end of a busy day.

Why not create body care time just for yourself?