Massage Therapy by Robin Castro

It is said that ‘the best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep’ which funnily enough does not come easy. People who have experienced sleeping problems know exactly how frustrating it can be to not be able to fall asleep. Moreover, the health implications of not getting enough rest are of great risk. Short temper and lack of focus are among the minor consequences, while a higher susceptibility to mental health illnesses, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

In today’s hectic and busy life, unfortunately sleeping disorders are not uncommon. In Canada,3% of men and a staggering 55% of women aged 18 to 64 reported trouble going to sleep or staying asleep “sometimes/most of the time/all of the time”[1]. Among seniors, the numbers were not much different with 40% of men and 59% of women experiencing trouble sleeping.

While awareness of the significance of getting enough rest is commonly improving, there are thousands of people unaware of the benefits massage therapy can hold. Instead of using medication such as sleeping pills, people can reap the benefits of a natural, non-invasive and risk-free therapy method. Massage therapy usually involves the use of palms and fingers to stroke, press, knead and apply pressure in order to stimulate specific points across the meridians in the body. You may feel like this has nothing to do with the fact that you cannot fall asleep, but massage techniques send signals throughout the body, stimulates mental and chemical changes. This promotes relaxation and overall well-being and balances breathing and heart rate. It can also boost serotonin levels which is a highly important factor in controlling mood, behaviour, body temperature, physical coordination and appetite.

A case of many to back up the benefits

There are many studies backing up the sleep benefits of massage therapy. One study[2] involving a patient with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder causing extreme sleepiness, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and in some cases episodes of partial or complete loss muscle control. For this 23-year-old woman from Ontario quality sleep has been far from reach. Because of the way her illness manifests itself, she found it difficult to overcome sleeping challenges and described her sleeping patterns as frustrating and difficult.

The study involved undergoing 40-minute massage sessions once a week for five weeks. The technique focused on legs, back and abdomen and required rapid and deep movements. At the end of the study, the woman reported a 123% overall positive change in both quality of sleep and everyday life.

And this is just one isolated case. There is increasing evidence of the sleep benefits of massage and numerous medical facilities now offer it as an alternative solution. Using massage is a brilliant natural remedy that facilitates and maintains optimal health levels and balances our very busy everyday lives.

[1]https://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2017009/article/54857-eng.htm
[2]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237014692_Positive_Effects_of_Massage_Therapy_on_a_Patient_with_Narcolepsy

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