Sleep Massage
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Sleep Massage
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May 23, 2014 | Prevailing Attitudes | 0 |
By Kray Kibler, CFO, Massage Warehouse
Adequate sleep is necessary for healthy functioning, and quality sleep is vital to health and wellness. But an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans experience sleep issues that affect their health, 1 often leading to low work performance, slowed reaction time, obesity, higher risk of long-term disease, and substance abuse. 2
Chronic insomnia causes extreme fatigue and problems with concentration, and can adversely affect a person’s mood and well-being. For healthcare professionals, helping patients overcome insomnia is critical for fostering overall health and wellness. 3 According to Ralph Pascualy, MD, medical director of the Swedish Sleep Medicine Institute (SSMI) in Seattle, both the quantity and quality of an individual’s sleep directly affect their health. 4
Nutrition and exercise are often recommended as the foundation of good health, but research shows that quality sleep should also be part of any holistic treatment. Those who sleep less than 8 hours per night are experiencing “sleep debt,” which cannot be reversed by sleeping more on the weekend. 4
According to the Mayo Clinic, studies have found massage to be beneficial for insomnia-related stress, as well as 2 :
The National Institutes of Health has advised that massage therapy can reduce fatigue and improve sleep 5 and, based on research gathered by the American Massage Therapy Association, massage has been shown to improve sleep in infants, children, adults, and the elderly alike, as well as individuals with psychiatric disorders, fibromyalgia, cancer, heart disease, lower back pain, cerebral palsy, and breast disease. 1
Anne Williams, director of education, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, and author of Spa Bodywork and Teaching Massage , says, “Massage helps people spend more time in deep sleep, the restorative stage in which the body barely moves, which reduces the neurotransmitter associated with pain.”
There are many different types of massage, including these common types 2 :
The chemistry of sleep is relevant in relation to massage because it directly influences the body’s production of serotonin, which is essential for the production of melatonin. A study on back pain, published in the International Journal of Neuroscience , demonstrated that in addition to a decrease in long-term pain, subjects receiving massage experienced improved sleep and an increase in serotonin levels. 3 Results were based on twice-weekly, 30-minute massages for 5 weeks, using these techniques:
In the supine position, participants received:
In addition to other assessments, a sleep scale to measure quality of sleep and urine samples to measure levels of serotonin were used in the study.
Massage is a smart, healthy, and drug-free option that has helped many people overcome insomnia. Because melatonin influences the sleep stage of an individual’s circadian rhythm, a natural way of boosting serotonin is a positive sleep-inducing option. This connection calls for further research showing the direct effects massage therapy has on serotonin and sleep. In the meantime, the existing evidence is enough to recommend regular massages for sleepless patients. 3
A growing number of healthcare professionals recognize the benefits of taking a multidisciplinary approach to patients in order to better identify the source of illness 4 —rather than simply treating the symptoms. At the same time, sleeping pills and pain killers should take a back seat to complementary and alternative forms of medicine, including massage therapy, for treating the whole person and improving outcomes.
Kray Kibler, chief financial officer, Massage Warehouse ( www.MassageWarehouse.com ), a member of the Scrip Companies ( www.ScripCompanies.com ) family, first joined Scrip in May 2006, gaining broad and deep experience throughout the business with responsibility for oversight of the company’s financial, IT, human resource, customer service, distribution operations, and field/corporate sales.
3. Cutler N; Insomnia, Serotonin and Massage; Institute for Integrative Healthcare; August 19, 2005; www.integrativehealthcare.org/mt/archives/2005/08/insomnia_seroto.html
5. Nerbass FB, et al; Effects of massage therapy on sleep quality after coronary artery bypass graft surgery; National Institutes of Health; 2010; www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21243280
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Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I take my sleep very seriously. I am also the Arianna Huffington of my colleagues. Well, not in the 'founded multiple multi-million dollar companies' sense, just in a 'won't shut up about the importance of sleep' way. My Instagram bio includes the words: "staunch nap-time advocate".
Suffice to say, getting some shut-eye is one of my favourite things to both do and talk about. Hence, after a few sleepless nights spurred on by stress, I was very intrigued when the opportunity to try a 'touchless sleep massage' presented itself through work (it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it).
So, in the name of science (and getting some much-needed sleep), I put my body on the line and decided to try it out for myself. Read on for the entire journey.
I'll be honest, I had no idea what a 'touchless' sleep massage involved before I went in for my treatment, which was called 'Spa Wave-Touchless Therapy' and took place at the Crown Spa Sydney , the only spa in the city offering this particularly unique massage.
Once I arrived, a lovely spa therapist filled me in on what to expect. Far from a traditional massage, I was told it was an oil-free, therapist-free treatment that fused the power of a state-of-the-art massage bed that produced high frequency vibrations matched to the body's chakra energy alongside binaural sound therapy. The combination of the two is said to reduce stress, improve concentration, balance mood and encourage sweet, sweet slumber.
After I was briefed on what to expect from the massage, I was given the option of enjoying the spa's Aqua Retreat, which is complimentary for guests booked in for treatments of one hour or longer, or can be accessed by purchasing a pass. A serene space offering views of the Harbour as you relax and indulge, the Aqua Retreat boasts a spa, steam room, sauna and Swiss shower. While I didn't partake that day (unfortunately, I forgot my swimwear), it's definitely worth unwinding there if you have the time pre- or post-treatment.
The female Aqua Retreat at the Crown Spa Sydney
That said, I did still have some time to kill before my massage, so the same spa therapist led me to the lounge, also located within the Aqua Retreat area. Although I was slightly miffed at myself for forgetting my swimmers and being unable to enjoy the Vitality Spa, the feeling quickly dissipated once I reclined on one of lounge's plush chaises, all of which are curtained off for privacy. The lighting was soft and dim, providing relief for my tired, computer-strained eyes, and one of the attendants brought me a cup of herbal tea while I rested. Heaven.
One cup of tea later, I was led into my treatment room to have my Spa Wave Touchless Therapy massage. The room, like the Aqua Retreat and lounge, was very relaxing and quiet, and in the centre, featured a contoured bed with what looked like light sensors, like in the picture below (note: this photo is not of the treatment room at the Crown Spa Sydney, just of the type of bed technology used in my treatment).
After I lay down, the lovely therapist helped ensure I was comfortable by adjusting the position of the bed, offering me an eye mask and setting me up with a pair of top notch headphones before leaving the room. Before starting the treatment, I removed my glasses and watch, to feel more unencumbered. The bed itself created the vibrations — which, without getting too 'lab coat', are set at a frequency that's been shown to alter your brainwaves to induce a state of relaxation —while the headphones delivered binaural sounds.
What the Spa Wave massage bed looks like (note: this is not a photo of the treatment room from the Crown Spa Sydney)
For the uninitiated, binaural sounds are a psychoacoustic phenomena that is perceived when two sounds with slightly different frequencies are applied separately via the left and right ear. This causes the brain to automatically generate a third frequency, resulting from the difference between the original two, which influences different frequency ranges in the brain to slow down mental activity and create a sense of calm (more on the science behind it, here ).
Once I lay down and the vibrations and soothing music and nature sounds started their magic, I very quickly felt transported from all the realities of my daily life. I also noticed that the pulsations changed over the course of my thirty minute treatment, but throughout it, I felt my usually racing mind slow down—no small feat considering the stress I'd been feeling at the time and right up until the massage.
When the time was up, the attendant returned and gently let me know the treatment was over, and said I could take as much time as I needed to get up.
I wasn't sure if I was meant to fall asleep during the process (I did not), but I definitely felt calmer after I got up from the bed, and as though I was physically 'lighter', somehow. The feeling continued through to bedtime, and incidentally, I finally managed to get a restful night after days of tossing and turning.
While I can't be certain that the massage alone induced my night of rest (there are far too many variables to consider!), I'd absolutely have to give it credit for calming my mind during what was a very stressful period for me, which I believe played a significant role in helping me unwind and actually sleep that night. I'd even go so far as to say that relaxing in the dimmed lounge area with a tea, and the entire environment of the spa from the moment I walked in, also had a part in bringing me into a less anxious, more blissful head space.
My takeaway? The massage is absolutely worth a shot. While I didn't, I suspect many would fall asleep during the treatment itself, and even if your sleep doesn't change (or you don't even suffer from bad sleep), it's a very unique, soothing experience that's sure to inject some much-needed calm into your very busy day.
This writer was a guest of the Crown Spa Sydney, however the views and opinions presented are entirely her own.
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I promise it's not as weird as it sounds!
- by
Sukriti Wahi
15 Apr
2021
Sukriti Wahi
Sukriti Wahi is a journalist, copywriter and brand strategist. She was previously the Digital Lifestyle Editor across both ELLE and marie claire Australia.
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