How Often Should You Use a Massage Chair?

So you’ve purchased a beautiful, luxury massage chair and positioned it where you want it in your home. And while your Furniture For Life Comfort Consultant explained everything you needed to know about it during your evaluation process, a question comes to mind: 

How often should I use a massage chair?

That’s important to know, since you want to maximize the effectiveness of your chair’s usefulness in soothing your tight, sore muscles and providing the many other benefits of at-home massages. However, you also want to avoid “overdoing it” and aren’t sure if it’s possible to use a massage chair too often.  

This information below addresses this issue and also provides information on why you need a massage chair, all that it can do for you, and what to look for in your pre-purchase research of a new massage chair.

How Often Should I Use a Massage Chair?

Each person’s need for and experience in using a massage chair is unique. Consequently, the answer to “How often should I use a massage chair?” will vary. However, there are some guidelines for finding your ideal frequency. 

When you receive your massage chair, first ensure you know how to use it properly and use it in short increments so your body can adjust to the manipulation of your muscles, mobilization of your spine, etc. If you’ve never previously owned a massage chair, you may want to start with a session of just a few minutes in length and use the chair’s gentlest settings. See how you feel during the massage and also the day or so after, and go from there. Gradually increase your session duration before bumping up the intensity. 

Even after your body gets adjusted to sessions in your massage chair, you shouldn’t use it for longer than 30 minutes to an hour at a time. In massages, as with any activity, you can have “too much of a good thing.” 

Once you have a better understanding of your preferred session length and intensity, you can experiment with frequency. Provided your massages are in reasonable time increments, it’s unlikely you could reach a theoretical point of “massage chair overuse.” Many people find that they get the most enjoyment and best results from daily massages. Some even like to start and end their days with brief morning and evening sessions.

Another factor to consider when determining your massage chair usage is your daily routine and physical activity level. For instance, if you spend long hours sitting at a desk or engaging in physically demanding tasks, you might benefit from more frequent sessions to relieve tension and maintain flexibility. On the other hand, if your lifestyle is less strenuous, a few sessions per week might suffice to keep you feeling refreshed. Tailoring your massage chair use to your specific circumstances ensures you’re getting the most out of this wellness resource without overwhelming your body. You can always check this refresher on all the massage chair benefits you could be enjoying. You don’t want to miss out on any of its advantages.

Of course, if you experience a significant change in your health or lifestyle (e.g., you suffer an injury, take on a more stressful role at work, etc.), you may want to change your massage frequency or other factors. Be sure to listen to your body. 

And, if you have or develop a medical condition that could be affected by massages, you should talk with your doctor about how, when, and how often to use your massage chair.

Why Should I Get a Massage Chair?

You might be thinking: “Why purchase a massage chair in the first place? Can’t I just go to a massage therapist?” There are many benefits to using a massage chair instead of going to a therapist, as explained below.

Massage Chair vs. Massage Therapist

Rather than having to make and attend massage therapy appointments week after week, you can use your massage chair whenever you wish—any hour, any day. No more juggling your work schedule, personal appointments, and times for quality massages. Simply get into your chair when you have a few minutes, start a program, and “enjoy the ride!” 

Depending on your massage chair model, you have control over a wide variety of options, from how long your session lasts, to what part of your body it focuses on, to whether it’s a relaxing, gentle massage, or an invigorating, deep massage. 

There’s also the financial aspect of getting regular body work from a massage therapist. Those sessions can cost $100 or more. And if you want or need several massages a month, it can become a significant drain on your finances. With a massage chair, you pay once to buy it (or finance the purchase), and then, with each session, your cost of ownership declines. Very quickly, your chair pays for itself! Plus, if you consider the cost of travel to and from a massage therapist’s office, your time, etc., a massage chair makes even more financial sense.

Beyond convenience and cost savings, a massage chair offers a level of personalization that’s hard to match with traditional therapy. Many modern models come equipped with advanced features like zero-gravity positioning, heat therapy, and customizable massage programs that target specific areas of the body. This means you can fine-tune each session to address your unique needs—whether it’s loosening up a stiff neck after a long day or promoting recovery after exercise. This adaptability makes a massage chair not just a luxury, but a practical investment in your long-term wellbeing.

And you really can’t put a price on the fact that after a session in your massage chair, you won’t need to fight traffic to get home. Instead, you simply get out of the chair and continue your day or head off for a great night’s sleep.  

Ultimately, while sessions with a massage therapist can be very beneficial, in the long run, they don’t approach the overall value of having a massage chair in your home.

Massage Chair Health Benefits

Using a massage chair isn’t simply an enjoyable “in the moment” experience. There are many proven massage chair-related health benefits that last far beyond a given session.

Reduced Pain

There are many conditions and activities that can cause muscular pain—fibromyalgia, neuropathy, injuries, and intense workouts, to name a few. Of course, simple daily activities can leave you with a sore back, tight shoulders, and other pains aching to be relieved. Sessions in a massage chair can significantly improve your quality of life by reducing back pain and other areas of soreness.

Improved Mood

Sessions in massage chairs release endorphins, which are natural feel-good chemicals produced by the body. As a result, using your massage chair can help improve your mood and enhance your overall sense of wellbeing.

Better Sleep

Soothing and relaxing sore and tight muscles can prepare your body for restful, restorative sleep. A gentle evening massage is also something to look forward to and can help you release the mental and emotional stress of the day, improving your sleep quality.

Improved Circulation

Tight muscles inhibit blood flow. Massages reduce muscle tension and help blood flow more freely, which is beneficial in general and may help reduce symptoms of medical conditions related to circulation.

Frequency of Use

With all the above in mind, let’s return to the opening question: how often should you use your massage chair? Many of our customers tell us they use their chairs every day—it has become a wonderful daily ritual for them. Others prefer a deep massage once or twice a week, with shorter, less intense sessions on other days. For serious athletes, using their massage chair as part of their recovery routine often aligns with their sports schedule. Of course, there are also people who use their massage chair only occasionally, but they find great comfort (pun intended) in knowing it’s always there, ready to soothe away pain and stress.

If you ever feel like you are overdoing it, you can reduce the frequency, intensity, or duration of your massage sessions. It may take some time to find just the right rhythm and routine. And of course, one of our Comfort Consultants can help—even after you’ve had your chair for a while. We are always here for you long after the sale.

What To Look for When Buying a Massage Chair?

There are many different types of massage chairs. It’s important to consider your wants and needs carefully and understand how various massage chair models can address them. 

You should focus your search on offerings from the industry’s most respected manufacturers. Your massage chair can play an important role in your health and wellness for many years to come, so you want to be sure it delivers on that promise.  

Based on factors like the overall massage experience, reliability, visual design, specific features, quality, cost, value, and others, we consider the top brands to be OHCO, Panasonic, Posture Positive, D. Core, KAI, KOYO, and Katana. In fact, we believe so strongly in these brands that we refer to them as The World’s Best Massage Chairs®.

Find Your Perfect Massage Chair

Now you have answers to important questions like:

• “How long should I use a massage chair?” 
• “Can I use a massage chair everyday?”
• “Can I use a massage chair too much?”

Product descriptions, photos, and feature lists are helpful, but the true measure of a massage chair’s suitability for you is how it feels. You’ve got to enjoy your time in the chair and appreciate the benefits it provides for it to be worth your investment. But when you find the chair for you, you’ll see that it quickly pays for itself. 

If you don’t already own a massage chair, the next step is to visit a Furniture For Life showroom and talk with one of our Comfort Consultants. They will take the time to understand your wants and needs, provide insights on our curated collection of The World’s Best Massage Chairs®, and guide you as you try all the models that can meet your needs. 

One other important consideration is the company behind the massage chair. Everything from financing options to after-sales service will affect your experience as a massage chair owner. When you look to Furniture For Life for assistance in understanding your options, obtaining your chair, and keeping it in good working order, you can count on being very pleased with your purchase. Because at Furniture For Life, you are a customer for life.

Get started today searching for the perfect massage chair that will become an essential part of your regular health and wellness.