A professional massage might seem like a waste of money -- until you've had one. Frugal fans know a good massage can provide more health benefits than a visit to the doctor, and often for less cash. As an added bonus, a massage can provide a spiritual lift. But how do you get the most out of a massage when you're lying there worrying about spending all that money? Taking off your clothes and slipping under the sheets is the easy part. Here are guidelines from a professional therapist:

1 Drink water before and after. Most therapists will remind you to flush toxins after a massage, but it's equally important to hydrate before climbing on the table. That's because the pressure from your masseuse's hands pushes lactic acid out of your muscle tissue and into your bloodstream, where it circulates throughout your body. Without water, your blood flow is sluggish and stagnated and might not process these toxins as readily as hydrated, less viscous fluids.

2 Talk to your massage therapist. Tell of your concerns, needs and expectations before you start. Note problem areas, such as a bad back, trick knee or the knotted shoulders caused by computer work. Express your environmental preferences, too, including music and room temperature. You don't want the ambience jarring you out of your cozy zone. If you're an aromatherapy fan and have a specific preference, bring a sample with you.

3 Don't be bashful. In general, the less you wear, the fewer obstacles to a good massage. Your certified massage therapist is trained in sheet-draping techniques that will ensure your modesty is protected at all times. So remove everything, slide under those silky sheets, and don't waste energy worrying about what the therapist will think of your body.

4 Stop thinking. This might be the hardest part of relaxing into a massage. I find yogic rhythmic breathing prepares my body and brain. While the therapist is getting set up, I perform deep breathing exercises, inhaling from the stomach, upward through the chest cavity and mentally swirling the breath through my brain. On the inhale, I gather all my thoughts, tensions and negativity into a gray smoke and expel it out of my body. Then I reverse the process, filling my body with pure air. Five cycles usually do it.

5 Relax your body. Don't engage your muscles to help the therapist maneuver a part of your body. This doesn't really help because it just tenses your muscles and makes the therapist's work harder.

6 Breathe through the pain. Don't hold your breath when the therapist begins working on a muscular knot, or the muscle will continue to hold its tension. Instead, start narrowing your focus to a deep, rhythmic breathing pattern. Try to visualize tension leaving your body on the exhale and allow your body to relax a little more with each breath.

7 Talk less -- listen to your body more. Sometimes a verbal release is just as therapeutic as a muscle relax, but if you're chattering away during a massage you're not really concentrating on your body. Animated conversation makes your body tense up, so save the chitchat for lunch dates. But do talk to give the masseuse instructions -- when the pressure is too soft or hard; if you're feeling chilly; or if you'd like work on a specific area.

8 Recover slowly. Don't just jump off the table after the therapist has left the room. Take a minute to glory in your newly relaxed body. Roll slowly onto your dominant side, push gently up to a seated position with one arm, and sit on the edge of the table for a few moments. The therapist should have left a glass of water; slowly sip the entire glass before donning your clothes and gliding back into the real world.

9 Drink more water. Flush those nasty toxins out of your system with plenty of water. Otherwise, you could end up with sore muscles and nausea -- making the massage a complete waste of time and money. While there's no magic number of ounces you should drink, the more water you consume the better you'll feel.

10 Take it easy. Help your body and mind hold on to the benefits of the massage as long as possible. Return to the breathing exercises when you begin tensing up. At the end of the day, treat yourself to a relaxing evening. Eat a light dinner. Soak in a warm bath with scented salts or aromatherapy oils, then curl up in bed for a deep, restorative sleep.