We all have our own unique patterns, habits and problems when it comes to sleep. Some of us don’t get enough, whilst others say they sleep too much and some struggle more with the quality of their sleep.
Adequate sleep is necessary for healthy functioning, and quality sleep is vital to health and wellness.
Recent research found that:
• 36% of UK adults struggle to get to sleep at least on a weekly basis
• Nearly half of the UK have trouble falling asleep at least once a month
SO. How can massage help your sleep?
1. Research shows the chemistry of sleep is relevant to massage therapy as it can DIRECTLY influence the body's production of serotonin boosting it by 28% as well as the creation of melatonin which play a vital role in our sleep patterns.
2️. Massage helps to balance the hormonal system and can reduce cortisol levels by an average of 30%.
3️. Melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, can be triggered by the pressure applied during a massage.
Benefits of Massage Therapy in Sleep
Massage helps people spend more time in deep sleep, the restorative stage, which reduces the neurotransmitter associated with pain.
- We particularly recommend a Swedish Massage for helping sleep as it is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements and tapping to help relax and energise.
- Sports Massage, similar to the Swedish but is geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries is another option.
- Deep Tissue Massage uses slower, more-forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.
- Trigger Point Massage can improve the quality of sleep as it focuses on releasing areas of tight muscle fibres that can form in muscles after injuries or overuse.
