We all know the benefits of massage when it comes to relaxation, but regular massage has many other health benefits you may not be aware of. One very important benefit is improved sleep. According to research gathered by the American Massage Therapy Association and endorsed by the National Institutes of Health, massage therapy can be a terrific solution for addressing insomnia. It makes sense as massage has been shown to reduce problems with fatigue and improve sleep quality. It can also bring relief to people with chronic health conditions or who are living with chronic pain. Those who suffer from restless legs, which may be contributing to their insomnia, can definitely benefit from massage. Best of all, massage therapy is a low-risk approach to treating insomnia disorders. It can’t hurt to give it a try.

Two things occur when you get a massage which can help with sleep: a reduction in pain and tension in the body, and a gentler, more stable journey from wakefulness to sleep. Sleep is a whole-body process that responds to changes in body chemistry. The body produces serotonin, a necessary ingredient for the production of the sleep-inducing substance, melatonin.

Research published in the International Journal of Neuroscience showed that people suffering from chronic pain enjoyed two benefits from massage: an increase in their serotonin levels as well as a decrease in long-term pain. Pain, by itself, can be a main contributor to sleep disruption, but to discover that the benefit of massage for pain management can also improve melatonin levels is even more encouraging.

It may also be possible that massage can help the brain and body to attain more deep stage 3 sleep, which would be ideal, as this is the stage of sleep architecture that allows for healing at the cellular level, as well as the release of human growth hormone (HGH), so important for overall health and well being. The American Massage Therapy Association released “Massage Therapy Can Help Improve Sleep” in 2012, sharing numerous studies which convincingly support their position statement that massage is an effective means for improving sleep.

What is massage? Generally speaking, any time you apply pressure to the body in a patterned or repetitive way, this results in a massage. Following even the most simple massage, you will notice improved circulation in the area that received the pressure.
Do you need to see a massage therapist to reap the benefits? Massage therapy can be expensive, and insurance doesn’t always cover it, not to mention the time it takes. This might keep some people from looking into massage altogether. However, do you really need to have a formal, lengthy, professional massage in order to sleep better? Prevention magazine suggests you don’t have to. They cited a small study, published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, which demonstrated that female subjects receiving a slow-stroke back massage for just 3 minutes slept at least half an hour longer than those subjects who did not receive a massage. According to the lead author of the study, associate professor Melodee Harris PhD at Carr College of Nursing, just 3 minutes is all the time the body needs to experience a sense of calmness (lower heart rate, muscle relaxation, slower respirations, decreased blood pressure, relaxed central nervous system, etc.).

At SOL SPA, the World’s First 24 Hour Day Spa, you can enjoy a 12 minute, customizable, zero gravity massage in one of our state of the art massage chairs any time, day or night. Why not try a simple nightly massage to see if you notice any changes in how quickly you fall asleep, how you feel waking up, and how well you sleep overall? Science suggests it could help, not only with sleep, but with pain management and mood improvement.

So, stop by the spa that never closes, and let us help improve your sleep!

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^Sources:

^{https://www.soundsleephealth.com/how-can-sleep-benefit-from-massage-therapy/}

^{https://www.sleepfoundation.org/}

^{https://www.prevention.com/health/g26305736/massage-therapy-benefits/}

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Written By: Paige Stuart, VP of Spa Operations