Smooth, flowing bodywork for stress relief and deep relaxation. The most-requested first session for new clients.
Swedish massage is the most widely-practiced massage style in the United States, and for good reason — it's gentle, deeply relaxing, and almost universally well-tolerated. The technique combines long flowing strokes (called effleurage), kneading (petrissage), rhythmic tapping (tapotement), and friction along muscle fibers, all performed with smooth massage oil to glide across the skin.
At Redwood Health Center, our Swedish massage in Redwood City is the session we most often recommend for first-time clients. Why? Because it does two things at once: it physically releases the surface tension your body has been holding all week, and it dials down the nervous system enough that your mind actually slows down too. After 60 minutes, most clients describe a feeling of being "unwound" — both physically and mentally.
If you've never had a professional therapeutic massage before, Swedish is the ideal entry point. The pressure is moderate. The pace is calming. There's no aggressive deep work that takes getting used to. You leave with that quiet, settled feeling that comes from real bodywork — not the rushed, surface-only kind.
Same low rate as every other modality on our menu.
| Duration | Now | Was | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 min | $39 | $44 | $5 |
| 60 min | $59 | $89 | $30 |
| 90 min | Call for Price · 650-868-5088 | ||
| 120 min | Call for Price · 650-868-5088 | ||
Couples sessions: per person, same rate as single service.
FREE 15-min Hot Stone treatment included with any service.
Our clients book this session for a wide range of body issues. The most common reasons:
The kind that builds up after sitting at a desk, driving in traffic, or carrying a long week. Swedish work releases the surface layers efficiently.
Long flowing strokes calm the parasympathetic nervous system. Many clients report sleeping better the night after a Swedish session.
The directional strokes encourage blood flow and lymphatic movement, supporting general recovery and energy.
The technique is gentle enough that you can fall asleep mid-session — and many do.
Swedish is a popular choice for active people on non-training days, offering massage for athletic recovery without aggressive deep tissue work.
Massage for anxiety often starts here — the slow rhythm helps the body and mind switch off together.
Skilled swedish massage combines several specific techniques. Here's what your therapist will be doing during your session:
When you arrive, your therapist will spend 3-5 minutes asking what you'd like out of the session — pure relaxation, surface tension release, or a mix. They'll also ask about any areas to avoid or focus on.
You'll undress to your level of comfort in a private room. Most clients undress fully and rely on the sheet (which always covers the areas not being worked on). Some clients prefer to keep underwear on. Either is completely fine.
The session itself runs the full booked time on the table. Your therapist begins with the back (where most tension lives), then moves through the shoulders, neck, arms, legs, and feet. If you've requested face and scalp work, that comes near the end. Pressure can be adjusted at any point — just speak up.
Afterward, your therapist will leave the room. Take your time getting up. Drink water. Most clients describe a quiet, slightly slow feeling for the first 20-30 minutes after a Swedish session. That's the parasympathetic nervous system doing its job. It usually shifts into improved sleep and clearer thinking the following day.
All eight of our licensed therapists are trained across the full menu. The therapists below have particular depth of experience with swedish massage and are most-requested for this service:
Not sure who to book? Tell us where you're holding tension and we'll match you. Find your match by condition →
| Aspect | This Service | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Relaxation, stress relief, recovery | Pain release, chronic muscle tension |
| Pressure | Light to moderate, smooth and rhythmic | Firm to deep, sustained on specific areas |
| Pace | Calming, fluid | Slower, more focused |
| Best for | First-time clients, stressed, low pain | Chronic neck/back pain, sciatica, deep tension |
| Soreness after | Rare | Occasional next-day soreness, like a workout |
Verdict: If your goal is to switch off and let your body recover from a stressful week, Swedish massage is the right choice. If you have specific chronic pain — especially in the lower back, neck, or shoulders — Deep Tissue is usually a better fit. Many clients book Swedish for relaxation visits and Deep Tissue when something is acting up.
It depends on what brings you in. Here are the most common rhythms our clients keep:
Not sure what rhythm makes sense for your situation? Chat with us on the bottom right — we'll talk through it.
The questions our clients ask most often about this service.
It depends on the type of back pain. For general muscle tension and stiffness from sitting or stress, yes — Swedish is excellent. For chronic, deep-set lower back pain or sciatica, our Deep Tissue Massage is usually a better choice. We can help you decide when you call.
Both are relaxation-focused. Swedish uses skilled hands and oil; Hot Stone adds the deep penetrating warmth of heated stones along the spine and shoulders. Hot Stone goes a layer deeper without changing the relaxing pace. Many clients alternate the two.
We recommend consulting with your physician first. We have a clear protocol for pregnancy modifications, but every situation is different. Please call us at 650-868-5088 before booking and we'll guide you through it.
Swedish massage is the most widely-recommended technique for stress relief — the slow flowing rhythm activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers heart rate and quiets the mind. For deeper anxiety relief, our therapists can blend in light acupressure on the upper back and scalp.
Yes. 90-minute and 120-minute sessions are available — please call 650-868-5088 for current pricing and to schedule. Longer sessions allow more time for the full body, including face and scalp work.
All eight of our licensed therapists are trained in Swedish massage. For pure relaxation and the smoothest oil work, Anna and CiCi are widely requested. Leo is excellent for clients who want Swedish blended with a bit of pain-relief work. Chloe's calm, quiet style is ideal for deeper relaxation.
Swedish massage remains one of the most-requested first sessions for new clients at our spa. Its gentle, well-tolerated nature makes it the natural starting point — and it gives you a baseline for understanding what your body responds to before exploring more specific therapeutic modalities.
60-min sessions from $59 (regularly $89). All sessions by appointment. Eight licensed therapists. Open daily 9am–10pm.
Call: 650-868-5088 Or chat with us on the bottom right →
