12 Lazy Girl Hacks for Improving Lymphatic Drainage Flow

Lymphatic Drainage for the Busy (or Lazy) Woman

By Jenny Smith Mattfeldt | Published October 6, 2025

Your lymphatic system can be pictured the same way you think about your cardiovascular system. In the same way your veins spread throughout your body carrying blood, your lymphatic system is woven throughout, moving lymphatic fluid. The main difference is that your cardio system has a pump — your heart — and your lymphatic system does not.

Lymphatic fluid moves thanks to muscle contractions, movement, and gravity in a one-way system headed back toward the heart. Because there’s no pump to depend on, sometimes our lymph system needs a little extra help. Obesity, lack of movement, smoking, autoimmune disorders, infections, and more can slow things down. Luckily, there are some very low-effort ways to support your lymph system daily — the lazy wellness girl special.

Movement Based Methods

01 Legs Up the Wall

Gravity is your best friend and your worst enemy when it comes to lymphatic fluid. Ever gotten to the end of a long day on your feet and noticed pressure in your legs or a little swelling around your ankles? That’s gravity pulling fluid downward all day.

The absolute easiest hack: at the end of the day, lie down and put your legs up on the wall for 10 minutes. You can spare 10 minutes, and it’ll help all that stagnant fluid move back toward the drains.

02 Rebounding

Every movement-based method is meant to combat stagnancy. When lymph stops moving, it stops doing its job. If you’ve seen people bouncing on mini trampolines all over your For You Page lately, the reason behind it is to help the body pump lymph fluid more efficiently. Even just 2-5 minutes of bouncing can stimulate lymph movement and wake up your whole system.

Obviously, you don’t need a trampoline but it does make it more fun. You can get the same effect just by bouncing around.

03 Shake it Out

Another wellness trend that’s really popped off lately is the vibration plate. It’s essentially the same idea as rebounding, except you just get to stand there while the plate does the work (remember lazy girl habits). You might notice your legs getting a little itchy or tingly afterward that’s just the increased blood flow doing its thing.

04 Walking

Because your lymph system is a one-way street, it’s filled with little “gates” that only allow fluid to move in one direction. That’s why during a lymphatic massage, you’ll often feel that squeezing or pulsing sensation, it’s helping push the fluid through those gates.

During a normal day, your muscles act like a pump for your lymph. Low-intensity, consistent movement is actually better than high-intensity workouts for this purpose. Every time your muscles contract, they gently squeeze lymph fluid along its path.

05 Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing

In the same way your muscle contractions push lymph fluid, deep diaphragmatic breathing does the same thing. Your diaphragm actually acts like a lymph pump. Try breathing slowly and deeply into your belly, contracting your rib cage inward and drawing your belly toward your spine. Those internal pressure changes help move lymph upward toward your chest.

Lifestyle Support: The Foundation

06 Hydration

Lymph is 90% water so when you’re dehydrated it becomes more sluggish, making it harder for your body to clear out waste, bacteria, and infection. Staying hydrated helps lymph fluid flow freely and keeps your system running smoothly.

07 Clothing Choices

This next one’s a bit of a mixed bag. What you wear daily can help — or hurt — your lymph flow. Tight clothes and underwire bras can compress lymph nodes, especially around the underarms and groin. But on the flip side, if you’re on your feet all day, compression socks are a win. They help prevent lymph from pooling in your legs, reduce varicose vein risk, and keep circulation strong.

08 Contrast Showers

If your body feels like it needs a reset (and an instant energy boost), try a contrast shower. While you’re in the shower, stand under hot water for two minutes, then switch to cold for one minute and repeat three or four times, ending on cold. The temperature changes cause your vessels to expand and contract, naturally encouraging fluid movement.

09 Foam Rolling & Stretching

A simple habit with big benefits: foam rolling or gentle stretching. It opens up fascia and creates space for better circulation of both blood and lymph.

10 Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most underrated supplements for women. Not only does it support healthy hormone regulation and better sleep, it also helps with muscle function, relaxation, and lymph-friendly movement patterns.

Manual Techniques: You Could Do it Laying Down

11 Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is another easy win. Use a soft-bristled brush to lightly stroke your skin toward the heart (feet to groin, arms to armpits). Do it before showering for the best results. Bonus: it doubles as a gentle exfoliation for glowing skin.

12 Self Lymphatic Massage

Gentle, rhythmic strokes work best. Start by “clearing” the areas near your collarbones, diaphragm, and groin first, then work from your limbs inward toward the center.

13 Facial Gua Sha

Sculpts your face, depuffs, and just makes you look glowier and more awake — win, win, win. You can use a gua sha or facial roller to help stimulate lymph flow in the face and neck. Always drain downward toward the neck and collarbones. And yes, I know a great tutorial you can check out (wink, wink).