Everything you need to know about lymphatic drainage + my at-home ritual
Of all the wellness trends out there, lymphatic drainage is one that I think will stand the test of time. In case you haven’t heard of Lymphatic Drainage, this therapeutic massage helps your lymph system remove waste and toxins that may have become stuck or stagnant. Benefits of this amazing practice include reduced bloating and puffiness, glowy skin, tension release, and immune health. Let’s explore all the ways lymphatic drainage can up-level your health & wellness routine. At the end, I’ll share my top favorite way to give myself a lymphatic drainage massage at home.
Understanding the Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is essentially your body’s waste drain: it’s a network of vessels that run parallel to your blood vessels. These vessels help to remove wastes, toxins, and excess fluids from your organs and tissues. This complex system plays a huge role in immune health, both by transporting white blood cells (your body’s immune fighters) to their destination and getting rid of unwanted waste. Unlike the blood vessels though, the lymphatic system does not have a “pump” like the heart to move things around. Instead, lymphatic fluid is moved through the body by muscle contractions and manual manipulation, which is why lymphatic drainage techniques are so effective.
Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage
1. Boosts Immunity: The most direct benefit of lymphatic drainage is by far immune health. By boosting the flow of lymphatic fluid that contains wastes and toxins, lymphatic drainage helps remove toxins from the body much more efficiently.
2. Improves Skin Health: Regular lymphatic drainage can help you achieve glowy skin by boosting blood circulation. More blood flow = more skin glow. Plus, lymphatic drainage helps to remove toxins, which are the root cause behind a lot of common skin conditions like acne and rosacea. By removing these toxins more effectively, you will likely start to see clearer, more vibrant skin. I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Gua Sha, a popular wellness trend that comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine, and this technique is essentially a lymphatic drainage massage designed for your face.
3. Helps with bloating: We’ve all experienced bloat at one point or another (some of us more regularly than others). If you’re somebody who tends to bloat easily, it might be worth looking into lymphatic drainage a bit more seriously, since regular lymphatic drainage helps to remove fluid build-up from the body and ease an uncomfortable stomach.
4. Reduces puffiness: Similarly, if you tend to get inflammation in your face, legs, or other areas, lymphatic drainage can help ease some of that built up inflammation and remove whatever is causing it in the first place.
5. Relieves Stress and Tension: Lymphatic drainage is known to open up tense areas in your body, particularly around the neck and shoulders. Not to mention the gentle, rhythmic movements have a super calming effect on the nervous system. Basically, you can meditate while you give yourself a lymphatic drainage massage, so it’s two self care practices for the price of one.
How to Perform a Lymphatic Drainage Ritual at Home
And now for the fun part - how to create your own lymphatic drainage ritual right in the comfort of your home. Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that a professional lymphatic drainage therapy can be incredibly beneficial if you have the means to do it. But I think we can all agree, it’s probably not something most of us are going to do every day. Luckily, you can also perform a simplified version of lymphatic drainage all by yourself for very little effort and cost. So with that, here is a step-by-step guide to performing an at-home lymphatic drainage ritual.
Preparing for your lymphatic drainage massage
This part isn’t always necessary, but I find doing a little bit of preparation for my lymphatic drainage massage really enhances the overall result. If you’re short on time, you can skip this part… but if you have the time, I highly recommend making a night of it and having yourself a little self care night.
1. Set up your space. Create a quiet, clean space where you won’t be disturbed and play some relaxing, meditative music. I like to put some lavender essential oils in my diffuser, light a candle, dim the lights, but you do whatever helps you feel relaxed and at ease.
2. Hydrate: Drink lots of water leading up to the massage so you begin to help your body flush out toxins more effectively.
3. Warm Up: Take a warm shower or bath with epsom salts to help you relax and prepare your muscles for the massage.
Steps for Lymphatic Drainage
1. Begin with Deep Breathing. Deep breathing helps stimulate the vagus nerve and puts your body in a state of rest & digest. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand fully. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this for 3-5 minutes to start your lymphatic drainage ritual.
2. Apply a bit of skin-friendly oil or lotion to your hands to reduce friction and prevent irritation.
3. Neck Drainage: Place your fingers just above your collarbones and gently stretch the skin in a downward “J” motion towards your collarbone, from the outer part of your neck to the center. Repeat this 10-15 times.
4. Stimulate the Armpits: This area contains many lymph nodes that help drain fluid from the arms and upper chest. Rest your arm on a table, slightly elevated. Place your fingers in your armpit and gently massage in a circular motion. Pause for a moment and then start again. Repeat 10 – 15 times on each side.
5. Chest to Armpits: Place your fingers on your collarbone and gently stretch down and towards your armpit. Repeat 10-15 times each side.
4. Arm Massage: Raise your arm and use the opposite hand to gently stroke from your wrist towards your armpit. Use light pressure and long, sweeping motions. Repeat this 10-15 times on each arm.
5. Abdominal Massage: Place your hands on your abdomen and use gentle, circular motions to massage your belly in a clockwise direction. This helps stimulate the lymph nodes in the abdomen and promotes the movement of lymph fluid. Do this for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Leg Massage: Starting at your ankles, use gentle, upward strokes to massage towards your knees, and then from your knees to your groin. Use light pressure and repeat this 10-15 times on each leg.
7. Back Massage: This one is hard to do by yourself, but if you have a partner, have them gently massage from the base of your spine upwards towards your shoulders using sweeping motions. You can also use a massage tool like this one to reach your upper back.
8. Finish with Deep Breathing: End your ritual with another session of deep breathing to further stimulate the lymphatic system and promote relaxation.
Post-Massage Tips:
Hydrate: Drink another glass of water to help your body flush out the toxins released during the massage.
Rest: Allow your body to rest and absorb the benefits of the massage. Avoid strenuous activities immediately after.
Fuel: Eat lots of gut healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support your lymphatic health.
Other tips to Support Lymphatic Drainage
1. Regular Exercise: Physical activity helps stimulate lymphatic flow. Find movement you enjoy so that you can stick with it. Activities like walking, jogging, yoga, or swimming are all great options for lymphatic health.
2. Dry Brushing: If you want to combine your lymphatic massage with a deep, full body exfoliation, opt for a dry brush to both remove dead skin cells and stimulate your lymphatic system all in one go. Using a dry brush with natural bristles is best.
3. Gua Sha: As mentioned above, Gua Sha is basically a lymphatic drainage massage for your face. It’s important to make sure you work with facial skin much more gently than the rest of your body since the skin here is very fragile.
2. Stay Hydrated: Hydration is essential for maintaining lymphatic health, so aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces every day.
4. Gut Health: Consume a diet rich in antioxidants, fiber, lean protein and healthy fats to support lymphatic function. Practice moderation and mindfulness when it comes to processed foods, sugar, and salt.
6. Legs up the wall: Lie on your back with your glutes and legs pressed against the wall. Relax here for 15-20 minutes to encourage lymphatic drainage and improve circulation.
As you can hopefully see, incorporating lymphatic drainage into your wellness routine can have so many amazing benefits: immune health, glowy skin, and improved digestion to name a few. By aiding detoxification and supporting your body’s waste removal system, lymphatic drainage can be a powerful tool that anyone can do right at home. Performing a lymphatic drainage ritual at home is one of my favorite ways to practice self care. Remember to listen to your body, stay hydrated, and enjoy the calming benefits of this gentle yet powerful practice.
If you need help reaching your health and wellness goals, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
