How Massage Therapy Can Help You Get a Better Sleep

Do you have a hard time sleeping? Are you frustrated while lying in bed and yet you couldn’t sleep? You’ve tried some routines before going to bed yet you are still awake in the middle of the night. And the next day you feel tired and somewhat cranky. You feel that your energy was drained. You might be looking for some ways on how you can have a better sleep. Massage may be a better option for you.

In this post let’s discover how massage therapy can help you have a better sleep. But, first, let’s uncover the effects of lack of sleep.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Body

When you feel that you are having trouble in terms of sleeping, you are not alone. A recent report shows that about 30% of Canadians are having sleep disorder issues. Additionally, having insomnia is prevalent in women than men.

Having not enough quality of sleep can greatly affect the body and can have an impact on one’s health. Here are the top health issues you may encounter due to lack of sleep:

• Affecting your brain leading to memory issues.

Lack of sleep affects the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This is the one responsible for reasoning and dealing with emotion. When your brain is deprived of sleep,  it can affect both your short and long-term memory. Therefore, making your forgetful.

• Having issues with thinking and creativity skills.

As sleep deprivation affects your brain, you will have a hard time concentrating which will greatly affect your creativity and thinking skills.

• Altering your mood.

Sleep and mood are closely connected. As you can observe, lack of sleep causes irritability or becoming moody and stress. In the long run, having chronic insomnia can lead to anxiety and disorder.

• Weaken your Immune system.

Having prolonged sleep deprivation can weaken your immunity to viruses which makes you easily catch some colds or flu or other viral infections. You are more likely to get sick when you are having trouble with your sleeping patterns.

• Higher risk of getting serious health conditions.

With a lack of sleep, you can have higher chances of getting serious health such as heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes. and stroke. A lack of sleep can increase blood pressure and having a higher level of chemicals which is linked to inflammation leading to an increased risk of heart diseases. Also, sleep deprivation can make you at risk of having diabetes since it affects the release of insulin which is vital in lowering blood sugar. You are also at risk of having Type 2 dIabetes when having a sleep disorder.

• Gain some weight. 

The chemical that signals to the brain that you are already full is having some off-balance. As a result, you’ll tend to eat more and in the end, you’ll end up gaining some weight. This is why having a good sleep is important if you are planning to lose weight.

• Risk of having accidents.

Lack of sleep is a big safety hazard. It can lead to car accidents and other job-related accidents. Drowsiness can greatly affect how you perform on the day and may lead you to encounter some accidents or injuries. Also, sleep deprivation can affect your coordination and balance which makes you prone to falling or getting some physical accidents.

• Kills your sex-drive.

Sleep deprivation may have a lower libido. In men, having a lack of sleep can lead to lower testosterone levels. With a lack of sleep, both men and women can end up having less interest in sex.

• Affects your judgment skills.

As mentioned earlier, having poor sleep can affect the brain.  It can affect your sense of judgment since you have trouble in assessing a situation accurately and be able to act on them wisely.

Poor or lack of sleep has a detrimental effect on the body in the long run. It affects the overall of the individual – affecting you mentally, physically, and emotionally. To reverse the effect of lack of sleep on the body, you need to have a better good night’s sleep.

At this point, let’s discover how massage therapy works to adhere to your sleep problems.

The Science on How Massage Therapy Helps You Have Good Sleep

If you are looking for ways on how to get a good night’s sleep, massage therapy can be an option.  Massage therapy has positive effects on the body.

Increase in dopamine and serotonin.

In a study, it showed that there are positive changes noted in biochemistry after the massage therapy. A decreasing level of cortisol and an increasing level of dopamine and serotonin was observed. These are the hormones that are responsible for your sleeping and wake cycles.

Serotonin is the key hormone that helps in stabilizing your mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. It affects the whole body. A key factor in the communication process of brain cells and other cells in the nervous system. It does not only help in sleeping but also with eating and digestion. Serotonin can also help in controlling anxiety, reducing depression, healing wounds, and maintaining bone health.

Having a normal level of serotonin can make you feel much happier and more focused. On the other hand, having a lower level of serotonin can be linked to anxiety and insomnia.

Dopamine is another type of neurotransmitter. As the body produces it, dopamine act as the messenger of the nervous system connecting. This is why dopamine is referred to as a ‘chemical messenger’ It plays a big role in how we think and plan. Also, it can help in getting a person more focused.

Dopamine can affect various parts of the body its major function including learning, motivation, heart rate, blood vessel function, lactation, kidney function, mood, attention, and sleep.

As we featured before there are a lot of benefits of massage therapy in the body.

Increasing Endorphins

Another positive hormone, that increasing following a massage are endorphins. It helps in relieving pain and stress in the body. It can trigger a positive feeling same as serotonin and dopamine. Having these three ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter helps in relaxation. With an increase in relaxation, it can help in reducing the feeling of anxiety and decreasing the level of stress.

Lesser Sleep Disturbance

A study showed that in 30-minute massage sessions twice per week within 5 weeks, those experiencing lower back pain have been able to experience less pain, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. This effect happens since massage therapy can help in getting deep and restorative stages of sleep.

Looking for a Registered Massage Therapist in Coquitlam?

You might be finding some ways on how you can improve your sleep. After all, everyone deserves a good sleep. Getting enough sleep can help the body for physical, emotional, and mental improvement. If you are looking for registered massage therapy in Coquitlam, you can count on us.

You may also book online here.