“Ever Left a Massage Thinking, ‘That Was Too Short’?” Here’s Why…
Why “60 Minutes” Should Actually Mean 60 Minutes
If you’ve ever booked a “60-minute massage” but noticed your therapist ended the session after 50 minutes, you’re not alone.
This practice is extremely common in the massage industry — and while it’s rarely meant to be dishonest, it does affect the quality, effectiveness, and integrity of your care.
Here’s why it matters.
Your body doesn’t run on a clock — it runs on a nervous system
When your massage begins, your body is still in stress mode.
Your muscles are guarded.
Your breathing is shallow.
Your nervous system is watching for danger.
It takes 15–25 minutes for your body to transition into the state where real healing can happen — a parasympathetic, relaxed, receptive mode.
If your hands-on time is only 50 minutes, nearly half of that time is spent just getting you ready to receive the work.
That means:
Less time for deeper tissue to soften
Less time for tension patterns to release
Less lasting benefit when you leave
Your body simply hasn’t finished yet.
Massage works in layers — and layers take time
Muscle tension is not a single knot that can be “rubbed out.”
It’s a layered pattern created by posture, stress, and the nervous system.
A skilled therapist must:
Warm the tissue
Increase circulation
Slowly sink into deeper layers
Allow the brain to feel safe enough to release
That process cannot be rushed.
When sessions are shortened to 50 minutes, therapists are forced to either:
Work too fast (which makes the body resist), or
Work too shallow (which gives short-term relief but no real change)
A full 60 minutes allows the body to melt instead of fight.
Real results require full-body patterns, not isolated areas
Pain and tension are rarely local.
Neck pain is connected to shoulders, upper back, jaw, and posture.
Low-back pain is tied to hips, legs, and nervous system tone.
In a 50-minute session, therapists must choose:
“Do I treat the symptom… or the cause?”
With 60 minutes, we can do both.
That extra 10 minutes is often the difference between:
Rubbing where it hurts
andCorrecting what created the pain
Honest time builds trust
When a business advertises 60 minutes, clients reasonably expect 60 minutes of hands-on care.
Ending at 50:
Reduces therapeutic effectiveness
Breaks client trust
Creates confusion about what was paid for
Clear, honest timing respects both the client and the work being done.
In the end, this is about outcomes
Massage is not just a luxury — it is a therapeutic service designed to:
Reduce pain
Improve mobility
Calm the nervous system
Restore function
Those outcomes depend on time.
When you receive a true 60-minute massage, you are not just getting 10 more minutes of touch — you are giving your body enough space to actually change.
And that’s where real healing happens.
Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines
The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.
Make a list
Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.
Check the list regularly
Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.
Reward yourself
When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.
Think positively
Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.