How you and your partner can ease aches and pains, boost your mood... and even improve your relationship

WHAT if I told you there was a scientifically proven treatment that can help ease joint and back pain, improve posture, alleviate stress and anxiety, improve your skin, reduce bloating and even strengthen your relationship – and that it costs next to nothing?

Would you be surprised to learn that this treatment is massage?

Far from being a pampering treat, decades of medical research has shown that massage has a raft of benefits, from easing pain, improving circulation and preventing injury to improving mood and general wellbeing.

And the best part, as I’ll show you in this step-by-step guide, is that you can get that feelgood factor in the comfort of your own home. Learn a few simple techniques with a partner and start taking it in turns to give and receive mood-boosting, stressbusting, health-promoting massages.

There’s no need to spend a fortune on fancy equipment. Just follow this beginner’s guide, adapted from my book The Illustrated Book Of Massage And Aromatherapy, written with the help of worldrenowned experts in all forms of the therapy. Over the following pages, I’ll give you all the practical advice and inspiration you need to get going.

You’ll also find tips from Dr Mark Moss, of Northumbria University in northeast England, who has been researching the benefits of massage by teaching simple techniques to couples.

He says: ‘Not only did we find improvements in their energy, positivity of mood and mental clarity, together with a decline in stress and irritability but it didn’t matter whether you were giving or receiving the massage, the benefits were the same.’ This, he adds, is the crucial difference between enjoying a massage at home with a loved one, and a massage given at a spa to a fee-paying customer.

He explains: ‘The person giving the treatment experiences a boost to their own self-esteem because, by learning and applying massage skills, they are providing happiness and good sensations to this person that they love. They feel better in themselves, and closer to their partner.’ So

get ready to learn the basics and make massage, with all of its benefits, a regular part of your life.

GETTING STARTED

THIS guide is broken down into easy-to-follow sections, each detailing the basic strokes you’ll need and techniques for head and neck, back, foot and leg massages. There’s also a simple routine you can perform on yourself if you can’t sleep.

Getting started is easy. Spend a little time familiarising yourself with some of the strokes, then decide on the best room in your house for the massage.

It should ideally be warm, inviting and quiet. The right music can help to create a calming atmosphere – the Pure Massage Playlist on Spotify (spotify.com) is a great place to look. Here are a few more basics: If you’re giving the massage, wear loose, comfortable clothing.

For a head massage, you’ll need a chair, preferably without arms, for the person being treated to sit in.

If you’re giving a body massage, a firm mattress is usually most suitable for the person to lie on. It’s best if your subject is undressed. Use clean towels to cover them, protecting their modesty and preventing loss of body heat once oil has been applied. Move the towels as necessary while applying strokes, leaving uncovered only the area you are working on.

If your partner is lying facedown, a pillow under the front of the chest may be needed to support the shoulders.

For a foot treatment, the person you’re massaging will need a comfortable armchair with their legs supported on a small table or stool. The floor can be hard on your knees, so have some cushions to hand.

Where possible, use soft lighting. A couple of lamps should give enough light or you could try a few flickering candles.

Once the room is ready, prepare yourself.

Wash your hands and check nails are well trimmed. Relax and warm your hands so they’re supple and soft.

And then, begin…