What Massage Modality Is Right for Me?
March is fun for a few reasons. Exciting basketball, green beer and a confused body clock.
Wait, that’s not fun.
March is supposed to be when we shake off the winter doldrums and see the light at the end of the tunnel in the form of daffodils and light sweater-weather.
Yet, Daylight Savings Time robs us of a precious hour of rest we won’t see it again ‘til fall, and our sleep cycles get all out-of-whack.
But sleep issues aren’t just a seasonal problem. It’s estimated that more than 60 million Americans suffer from short-term (a few days or weeks) or long-term (more than a month) insomnia. Most of the time chronic insomnia is a side effect of some other problem.
We’ve all heard the standard tips about avoiding caffeine, using room-darkening shades, and going to bed at the same time every night.
Here are a few other ideas that you may not have thought about:
Nap the right way
Taking a nap during the day can be great for productivity and fabulous for health, but you’ve got to do it right. Aim to nap for 20 to 25 minutes; any longer than that and you’ll feel groggy when you wake up and you risk not being able to fall asleep when it’s bedtime. (If you really want to get good at power naps, there’s a whole kit to help you get it right.)
Be mindful of the temperature.
Take a warm (not hot) shower or bath about an hour before bedtime, and keep your room cool at night. The drop in body temperature signals your body to calm so you’ll fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
Turn off the electronics.
OK, so you’ve heard this one. But it’s the most important and the least followed piece of advice.
Get an old-fashioned alarm clock, so you don’t need to use your phone. Turn your phone, iPad, Kindle, or whatever you’ve got off, and put the devices in another room. Yes, a completely different room.
You may think a phone on silent, hanging out on your nightstand, won’t disturb your rest, but it will. Just knowing it’s there puts your body on alert. It’s far too tempting to reach over and “just check a few emails” if you do wake up in the middle of the night. Save yourself. Break this habit.
Get a massage
Yup. Massage can help with sleep issues. There have been several studies demonstrating the efficacy of massage in people with sleep problems, especially when treating secondary issues that may impair sleep, like back pain, pregnancy and migraines.
And for a little extra help getting some sleep, here are some great links:
- 10 Tips To Get Better Sleep Tonight | https://ow.ly/tcX9X
- What’s the best soundtrack for sleep? | https://ow.ly/tNX3e
- Kick your insomnia for good by creating a simple and restful night-time routine. | https://ow.ly/tcXmy
Now, go get some ZZZZ’s!
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