the sweetness of sleep

A 60 minute massage has nearly the same affect on the body as 8 hours of sleep!

The National Sleep Foundation says that there is no "magic number" of hours for optimal sleep benefits, and different people need different amounts of sleep.

It is recommended that adults get 7-8 hours per night while children get 10-11 hours per night (but this is an average - some adults do better with more rest, some with less).  Getting too little sleep has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.

When we experience stress, our bodies flood with cortisol, a hormone thats effects I will discuss in greater detail in my next blog post.  When we don't get adequate sleep, the cortisol levels in our blood stay elevated, meaning we are flooded with cortisol day AND night, which is bad news!

Here are a few things that you can do to set yourself up for sleep success:

IMPROVE YOUR CIRCADIAN RYTHYM

• Begin your day with a breathwork and meditation.  Stepping in to your day with a clear mind will give you the sustained energy you'll need to move through the day mindfully.
• Get enough sunlight and exercise during the day.  Vitamin D is the hormone that is produced when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun.  Besides contributing to bone strength, vitamin D has been shown to regulate our rhythm.
• Establish a bedtime and stick with it!
• Go to sleep in a cool, dark room with NO SCREENS or distractions - the blue light from devices disrupts our body's melatonin production.  Melatonin is the hormone that is produced by the brain in response to darkness, and which helps with the timing of our rhythms and our sleep.
• Wake at the same time every morning, work day or play day.

TWEAK YOUR DIET​

• Experiment with and eliminate foods that are not conducive to rest such as caffeine (even one cup in the morning can affect sleep at night!) spicy food, late night junk foods, or sweets.  ​
• Close your eating window at 7pm.  Use the resting time for regeneration, not digestion.

GET A MASSAGE!
You probably saw that coming, right?

Studies show that regular massage helps to alleviate anxiety and depression, both of which contribute to disrupted sleep patterns.

Massage also helps those in pain by minimizing sleep disturbances, improving the quality of overnight rest and allowing them spend more time in deep sleep.

book appointment now