Does Massage Therapy Help Sleep?

Sound sleep is vital for you to be at your absolute best at work the next day. It helps you be more active, energetic, and productive. Your body repairs and heals itself every time you get a nice, sound sleep. 

What happens to your body when you don’t get good sleep?

If you are one of the unfortunate ones to experience chronic sleep deprivation, you will notice that you may not be able to function with full focus, your cognitive abilities decrease, your mental stability is impaired, and your risk of any accidents occurring in your place of work increases. 

If you are constantly faced with sleep deprivation, it could lead to a host of other health issues like obesity, diabetes, and even cardiovascular diseases. Lack of sleep translates to increased cortisol levels (stress hormones) which in turn is connected to increased hunger and fatigue levels, depression, issues with blood sugar, and increased levels of belly fat.

Did you know that millions of Americans are troubled by sleeplessness? Yes, more than a third of the people experience bouts of Insomnia at some point, and around 10 percent of people are plagued with chronic insomnia. 

There is a lot of research, clinical trials and proof to show that massage therapy can help improve the duration and quality of your sleep. Massages are great for holistic well-being. You will feel relaxed and experience a boost in your mood after a good massage. Consequently, you will get a good night’s sleep too.

How massage therapy helps with sleep

Massage therapy is when the soft tissues of your body are manipulated to promote healing and wellness. 

Keeps cortisol levels in check

Regular massages help to regulate your hormones. This leads to a 30 percent decrease in the stress hormone called cortisol. Decreased cortisol means you experience lesser levels of stress which can make sleep that much easier. 

There is evidence to show that massage therapy reduces stress hormone exposure. So, less stress will interfere with your sleep enabling you to enjoy much better sleep.

[LEARN MORE]: Massage and mental health: How can one help the other?

Serotonin production

Massages influence the secretion of serotonin and in turn, melatonin which is nothing but a sleep-inducing substance. The former is a neurotransmitter that helps to stabilize the mood and induces a feeling of calmness and tranquillity. 

Melatonin helps you get a better shut-eye by asking the brain to take it slow! The circadian rhythms are reset, and regular sleep follows.

Restless Leg Syndrome

For people with restless legs, massage therapy can definitely help. Restless legs are one of the contributing factors to insomnia. 

To relax the muscles that cause Restless Leg Syndrome, a massage can help alleviate discomfort. When you don’t feel those unpleasant sensations and are less anxious, sound sleep is guaranteed!

Alleviates pain

Stress and anxiety prevent you from getting sound sleep. There is another thing that may rob you from getting sound sleep; it is pain. 

The muscles of the neck and back are particularly prone to tension and stress. This can cause difficulty sleeping because our bodies tend to feel stiff and rigid. Can you imagine falling asleep if you have aches and pains everywhere? Stiff joints, swollen or inflamed muscles, sore back, pulsating neck pain, or sore back can all keep you up at night.

A good massage in these places can relax those muscles. Massages are a great option to help with even chronic pain. 

Remember pain and sleep make one another worse. If you are suffering from pain, it will disrupt your sleep. You would be tossing and turning to find a comfortable position in which to sleep. Lack of sleep will only exacerbate the pain. 

Whether it’s pain after an injury or surgery, too much work, headache, neck, shoulder and back pain, or arthritis, massage therapy can help tremendously. 

What type of massage helps with sleep issues?

There are several massages available. You need to discuss with your massage therapist to identify which one will be suitable for you. Some of the popular ones include Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Hot Stones Massage, and Trigger Point Therapy, to name a few.

Swedish Massage: Your massage therapist will perform various actions like kneading, rubbing, tapping, vibrating, etc., along with long gentle strokes to help the body relax and invigorate.

Deep Tissue Massage: Deep Tissue massage is ideal for relaxing the tension within the deep layers of the muscles and connective tissue. So, the strokes will be deeper and more forceful. 

Hot Stones Massage: In this method, heated stones, ideally made of Basalt, are placed on parts of the body like the back, stomach, hands and feet to loosen tight muscles, promote relaxation, and get relief from pain. 

Trigger Point Massage: There may be certain tight spots within the muscles. These tense spots are called trigger points. Trigger point massage targets the tight parts, so they are released.

Final Wrap

With just a few minutes of massage, you will experience a sense of calmness and relaxation. This, in turn, leads to lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, relaxed central nervous system and more healing benefits.

Massages are not just for pampering. There are so many physical benefits you can enjoy, including improved sleep. If you include regular massage therapy in your schedule, you will be rewarded with relief from pain, a break from the cycles of stress, and enjoy restful nights. 

With massage therapy you can sleep soundly, your pains and aches can be alleviated, your anxiety levels will be low, your mood will improve, your stress hormones will be under control, and you will be much more alert, focused and energetic to take on the day! Massages help people having sleep issues like insomnia, RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), sleep apnea, and narcolepsy. 

If you suffer from sleep issues, book a massage therapy session with a reputed spa and enjoy some much needed restful sleep!