Massage and Sleep Disorders
Massage therapy is a known method to reduce stress and tension, but can it really help you sleep better? The research shows that massage therapy can help you sleep.
Posted by Sylvia Carlson | Last updated: Nov 18, 2013
How Can Massage Help Me Sleep?
If your child couldn’t sleep, what would you do? You would probably stroke his or her head or rub their back because massage is a natural and instinctive way to soothe and relax.
Massage Therapy Promotes Relaxation
All of us have an autonomic nervous system comprised of two parts: the parasympathetic and sympathetic. The parasympathetic balances the sympathetic. When you have a massage, the parasympathetic is activated and thus allows your body to relax. When you are stressed, the sympathetic is activated and you will feel the urge to fight or flight. So if stress and tension are the reasons why you are not sleeping very well, you might be relieved to know that one of the benefits of massage therapy is improved sleep patterns.Some people even fall asleep while having a professional massage.
Common Sleep Disorders
A sleep disorder can seriously affect your quality of life, whether you have sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, or the more common sleep disorder, insomnia.
Insomnia
Insomnia is very common. Statistics Canada reports that an estimated 3.3 million Canadians over the age of 15 have trouble falling or staying asleep. That’s one in every seven Canadian who has some type of sleep problem. Sometimes insomnia can be a symptom of a physical problem (i.e. asthma, arthritis, back problems, heart disease), but it can also be the result of anxiety and stress.
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