Unexpected effects after 10 minutes of foot massage before going to bed

Massaging your feet before going to bed every day can reduce stress, headaches, improve circulation and help your body stay healthy and flexible.

Doctor Le Thien Kim Huu, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, said that the right foot works quite a lot all day long but is often not given proper attention by people.

Dr. Huu recommends that everyone should make a habit of massaging their feet for at least 10 minutes before going to bed. This small method can bring great health benefits, helping the body to be healthy, flexible and reduce stress very effectively.

Improve blood circulation

A sedentary lifestyle leads to reduced blood circulation. Regular foot massage helps increase blood circulation to parts far from the heart such as the legs and arms, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and reducing the risk of varicose veins in the legs.

Regularly massaging your feet with coconut oil and warm water before going to bed helps relax the nerves, reducing restless legs and restlessness at night.

Improve blood pressure

People with high blood pressure should spend 10 minutes a day massaging their feet before going to bed. Relaxing the whole body helps reduce anxiety and regulate blood pressure levels.

Reduce lactic acid in the body

The phenomenon of soreness during exercise is actually due to lactic acid accumulating in the muscles. When exercising too hard, such as sprinting, lactic acid will be produced.

Normally, the body's tissues eliminate this acid immediately, but when moving continuously during work and exercise, lactic acid is produced too quickly, at which point the tissues cannot eliminate it in time, causing pain and fatigue. To get rid of this obsession, you should massage your feet for at least 20 minutes every night to improve muscle tissue and reduce muscle tension when moving a lot.

Full body pain relief

Foot massage can relieve joint pain, she said. Focus on the points on the heels and soles of the feet for better results.

Cure headache

Just massage your feet for 15 minutes a day and you will feel the headaches and migraines disappear. This method helps soothe the nerves in the brain, relaxes the muscles, and reduces pain very effectively.

Reduce swelling in pregnant women

The haunting thing for pregnant women in the last 3 months of pregnancy is the phenomenon of water retention and edema in the feet. Performing regular foot massage every day helps promote the accumulated fluid in the feet to return to the kidneys and be excreted through the excretory system.

Simple foot massage techniques

- Massage the soles of the feet

Sitting position, left foot placed on right knee, left hand holding foot, right hand pressed against sole of foot, rubbing and rubbing along foot 20 times, from light to strong, from slow to fast. Feet are good when gradually warmed up.

Then use your thumb and index finger to gently squeeze the toes, gradually squeezing down to the heel for about 5 minutes. Use your index finger to press on the Yongquan point (middle of the sole of the foot).

Next, place the tip of your thumb perpendicular to the sole of your foot, press until you feel a sensation, then gently massage the point clockwise. This point has the effect of lowering blood pressure, strengthening the kidneys, and treating back pain and knee pain.

Change feet, do the same sequence as above.

Massage the soles of your feet. Photo: Medic — Massage the soles of the feet. Photo: *Freepik*

- Massage the instep of the foot

Sitting position, bend left leg, bend knee, foot flat on chair. Use right palm to press on instep, left hand rub along ankle joint 20-30 times.

Then use your thumb and index finger (both hands) to gently squeeze the fingers between the toes for 5 minutes, press along the top of the foot with each toe, then gently pat the top of the foot.

Next, use your thumb to press on the Jie Xi point (between the ankle crease), the Tai Chong point (between the 1st and 2nd toes, moved up two knuckles), and the Zu Lin Qi point (between the 4th and 5th toes, moved up two knuckles). Each time, press for about one minute on each point.

Alternate legs, massage for about 20 minutes each time during the day. Do this twice a day. Also combine walking. You should go barefoot and step on small pebbles, which has the effect of pressing on the acupuncture points on the soles of the feet.