Massage Therapy for a Better Night's Sleep

Sometimes, a good night’s sleep seems impossible to attain. Whether it’s due to stress, hormonal changes, or chronic pain, there’s nothing quite as frustrating as watching the clock count down the hours while you lie wide awake.
Many effects of lack of sleep, such as feeling grumpy, and not working at your best are well known. But did you know that sleep deprivation could also have consequences on your mental and physical health? It can put you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Natural v unnatural remedies

Many people seek refuge in less-than-ideal treatments to help them sleep – from sleeping pills, to alcohol and cigarettes. But over-the-counter remedies aren’t always effective, and alcohol and nicotine create problems of their own.
If you’re looking for a healthy and natural way to treat your sleeping problem, a therapeutic massage can work wonders.

How can massage help?

The neurochemistry of sleep is complex. There are many aspects of the brain and its chemicals that contribute to sleep, but massage deals with one chemical in particular: serotonin.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that’s secreted in the brain by neurons. It regulates mood, hunger, sleep, and promotes a sense of well-being. The feel-good hormone is the precursor to melatonin, which is the brain’s cue to quiet down and prepare for sleep.

Massage stimulates the nervous system and boosts serotonin levels, while reducing the stress hormone cortisol, which is constantly telling the body it’s time to wake up. The more serotonin that’s released, the more quickly you’ll drift off to sleep.

What type of massage can help?

There are many different types of massage, but the main ones associated with sleep are:
Thai Oil Massage: A gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration, and tapping, to help relax and energise.

Thai Yoga Massage: A combination of acupressure and yoga-like stretching techniques, Thai yoga massage employs the use of the therapist’s fingers, thumbs, elbows, arms and feet on the body’s muscles, pressure points and energy lines, to stretch and loosen tight muscles, and release tension.

5-minute self-massage for sleep
These treatments are all fantastic options to help regulate your sleep. But we all lead busy lives – it’s not always practical to get to a spa. So here are some simple techniques you can use at home alongside your professional massages, to help you drift off to sleep:

Face: Massage in a circular motion on your forehead, temples, cheeks, and jaws (moving in an upward movement). Be sure to massage your ears, and especially your ear-lobes – home to essential marma points (where flesh, veins, arteries, tendons, bones and joints meet up).

Limbs: Use long strokes on the limbs, and circular strokes on the elbows and knees. Always massage toward the direction of your heart.

Abdomen: Massage the abdomen and chest in broad, clockwise, circular motions. On the abdomen, follow the path of the large intestine, moving up on the right side of the abdomen, then across and down the left side.

Feet: Spend a couple of minutes massaging your feet. Feet are a very important part of the body, as they contain nerve endings of essential organs, as well as vital marma points.
To discuss the ways in which massage therapy can benefit you or to book a treatment, contact us to book your massage today.