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Could Massage Be Your Cure for Sleep Problems?
Not allowing enough time for a good night’s rest is a terribly unhealthy habit. However, there may be times you simply can’t fall asleep regardless of how physically and mentally exhausted you feel. Perhaps you lie awake with a million thoughts running through your mind, or maybe stinging muscle tension in your shoulders and neck or gnawing back pain won’t allow you to relax. Your body is desperately craving sleep, but it just doesn’t happen. In the morning, you’ll feel sore, listless, groggy and miserable, and you won’t be able to concentrate during the day.
Sleep: It Affects Your Health More than You Think
The amount of sleep needed for optimal health varies based on age and other factors, but one thing is certain, if you don’t get enough sleep, it can have devastating medical consequences over time. It’s during sleep that your body heals itself. Inadequate sleep is associated with many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and even obesity. For people who already have chronic health conditions, a lack of sleep can make them difficult to manage or cause them to progress faster.
Massage Is a Proven Therapy for Sleep Disturbances
Massage improves your sleep quality in several ways. The most obvious one is the deep sense of relaxation and calm it produces. Insomnia has been linked with a lack of the neurochemical serotonin. Massage increases serotonin levels in the bloodstream, so it actually helps your brain regulate sleep patterns. If you have chronic pain or muscle tightness, massage directly relieves the nagging problem that keeps you awake.
A recent study demonstrated that massage can improve sleep disturbances associated with lower back pain. Participants receiving massage therapy reported less pain, anxiety and problems sleeping, and their range of motion and flexibility improved. A 2010 study evaluated the effects of massage on sleep quality in patients who recently had heart surgery and found similarly encouraging results.
Home Massage Sends You to Dreamland
Having a massage during the day and driving home afterwards is certainly beneficial, but imagine how much more effective massage can be when you don’t have to go anywhere after the session is over. When you can relax quietly at home after your massage, you’re less likely to regain alertness or muscle tension before bedtime. After your treatment, you can play soft music, read a book and relax in the comfort of familiar surroundings until it’s time to sleep. Call your massage therapist today, and make home massage an important element in your sleep hygiene program.