How can massage improve our sleep?
How can massage improve our sleep?
Clients often report having a great night's sleep after receiving a massage with many finding peaceful slumber in the treatment room. Why is this and is there any evidence to support massage as an effective tool to help us sleep?
Firstly, why is sleep so important?
Sleep is vitally important and here are just a few reasons why:
It supports the growth and development of children and teens.
The heart rate and blood pressure fall in REM sleep and raise to normal levels again upon waking. Not achieving this state could lead to heart problems.
It helps regulate hormones throughout different phases of life. One such hormone helps with muscle repair and the growth hormone is released more during REM sleep.
Inadequate sleep can affect metabolism which may make it harder to lose weight and/or manage insulin levels.
Sleep activates a specific immune defence, leaving those who sleep less more susceptible to colds.
Sleep helps us process information and form memories. A lack of sleep can lead to difficulties in learning and performing tasks.
Proving our worth as massage therapists.
It is notoriously hard to provide clear scientific evidence to prove the effects we see so frequently with our clients. But there are some agreed physiological changes after massage and many studies that reveal positive results after receiving massage from its participants. With the huge variety in human beings and limitations in research we shouldn’t ignore the overwhelming positive effects felt by participants and our clients.
What can we prove?
Scientific studies have measured the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and found a triggering of neurochemical reactions following a massage. (1) The participants reported improvements in:
Feelings of relaxation
Improved sleep
Tranquility
Wellbeing
Decreased heart rate and breathing
Peristalsis
Dysmenorrhea reduction (menstrual pain)
It is believed that the massage techniques of touch, pressure, heat, vibration and pain, all contribute to these effects by interacting with the muscle-cutaneous receptors.(1)
Sleep & Insomnia in the elderly
There have been some studies investigating sleep and insomnia and the effects of massage yielding very promising results. An improvement in insomnia was observed following an anti-stress massage, especially on the elderly. (2, 3).
This is a wonderful finding as the older population are more susceptible to insomnia generally due to stressful life events or medical conditions that may disrupt sleep.
Other people with an increased risk of insomnia are those with respiratory symptoms, physical disability, and fair to poor perceived health. A massage could be truly effective and a change to medication of which may already be in abundance.
Menopause and postmenopausal
A hot topic at the moment, excuse the pun, and better late than never considering one referenced study dates back to 2002! (By no means the oldest in existence either.) But at least we are in a great position to apply the findings.
Sleep disturbance and insomnia are symptoms experienced by many women pre, during and post menopause, with many looking at all avenues of treatment including holistic and alternative therapies. Massage in particular has been found to be the most popular first choice therapy (4).
A 2011 study investigating the benefits of massage in postmenopausal women with insomnia found a significant improvement in sleep patterns by using polysomnography. They recorded a decrease in REM latency, the measure of time it takes to reach REM sleep, an important phase of sleep as outlined above. In addition to an increase in sleep stages 3 and 4, followed by an improvement in anxiety and depression (5).
In addition to quantitative data results they also used a sleep diary to measure subjective qualitative information. With this data they found that all participants fell asleep faster, experienced improved sleep quality and felt better upon waking (5).
A follow up to this study the following year also found a significant decrease in depression, insomnia, and increased quality of life and concluded massage’s effectiveness treating perimenopausal symptoms (6). Later confirmed by further research in 2014 on insomnia in postmenopausal women (7).
In conclusion, for anyone struggling with consistent sleep disturbance or insomnia, why not try a professional massage. The positive effects on pain, stress and relaxation with no negative side effects seems a no brainer to me. This is a small step to take for huge benefits to longevity, wellness, family life, happiness and more!
Contact us to discuss how we can help you.
info@pwroom.co.uk or whatsapp 07474 9555 44
References
1. Chang H.H., Aubry J. Pergaminho; Lisboa: 1999. O fantástico Mundo Do Do-In Chinês.
2. Schiff A. Literature review of back massage and similar techniques to promote sleep in elderly people. Pflege. 2006;19:163–173.
3. Zhou Y.F., Wei Y.L., Zhang P.L., Gao S., Ning G.L., Zhang Z.Q. Multi-central controlled study on three-part massage therapy for treatment of insomnia of deficiency of both the heart and spleen. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2006;26:385–388.
4. Newton K.M., Buist D.S.M., Keenan N.L., Anderson L.A., LaCroix A.Z. Use of alternative therapies for menopause symptoms: results of a population-based survey. Obstet Gynecol. 2002;100:18–25.
5. Oliveira D.S., Hachul H., Tufik S., Bittencourt L. Effect of massage in postmenopausal women with insomnia – pilot study. Clinics. 2011;66(2):343–346.
6. Oliveira D.S., Hachul H., Goto V., Tufik S., Bittencourt L.R. Effect of therapeutic massage on insomnia and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Climacteric. 2012 Feb;15(1):21–29.
7. Hachul H, Oliveira DS, Bittencourt LRA, Andersen ML, Tufik S. The beneficial effects of massage therapy for insomnia in postmenopausal women. Sleep Sci. 2014;7(2):114–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.slsci.2014.09.005.
