Directions for Hand Massage

Each Finger

Begin to massage between the long finger bones of the hand, starting at the base of the hand and massaging up between each finger. Use the level of pressure that feels right to you. If you find areas that feel sore or tender, massage them a little more to encourage those areas to release.

Off the Fingertip

Massage each finger from the base right off the fingertip. Continue to massage each individual finger right off of the fingertip. This is a great activity to do while putting on hand lotion, too, if you want to integrate it easily into your day!

Breathe Slowly

Breathe slowly throughout this activity. By adding slow breaths to this activity, we can be fully present and feel even more grounded and connected. Try adding Hand Tracing breathing before or after hand massage and find follow along breathing routines in our Free Resources.

Why should you add hand massage to your daily stress-management/self-care routine?

1. It increases oxytocin. Oxytocin is a "feel good" hormone that gets released by self-soothing activities including massage.

2. You access acupoints. By massaging the hands, we access "acupoints" or acupressure points on the body. By pressing on these points, we can help release muscle tension and promote healing by increasing circulation to these areas.

3. You'll build a stronger mind-body connection. Taking time to slow down and massage our hands is an expression of kindness toward our body. Self-compassion creates a more positive connection with our body while increasing awareness of where we experience stress. The stronger our mind-body connection, the easier it is to notice when we are getting stressed and take care of ourselves throughout the day!