Relaxing massage

A relaxing massage is designed to calm your nervous system, typically with gentle pressure and slow motions across the whole body. By encouraging the mind to slow down first, a relaxing massage can also help to ease muscular tension.

That’s up to you. If you’d like your Urban therapist to perform a head massage as part of your treatment, let them know just before they’re about to start and they’ll work it in.

Massages help with stress relief largely because of the way human touch activates your relaxation response. Studies show that touch activates the vagus nerve, lowering brain activity in regions associated with danger and stress.

A massage works the same way to switch off the stress response. Sweeping, slow massage strokes invite the body to deeply relax. Combine your massage with deep breathing, a playlist of your choice and scented candles to enhance the effect.

No, it's not recommended. Try our specialist pregnancy massage instead, suitable from your second trimester.

To keep you and your therapist safe, it’s important to hold off on getting a massage if you’re unwell with a fever or flu-like symptoms, or if you have a contagious skin disease. Therapists have the right to cancel your treatment if they think it will harm you or them in any way.

If you have a health condition and you’re not sure about booking a massage, consult your GP for advice beforehand.