I think one of the biggest issues I see are problems with sleeping and insomnia. Day after day in my news feed on Facebook, I see people praying and wishing to find that ever elusive thing called sleep. The mind doesn’t shut down, the body is tired, but they will not fall asleep. So then the sleeping pills are reached for, and those little things have quite a bit of side effects that aren’t good at all. Melatonin stops working, larger and larger doses are required. The daily stress continues to build, with the added pressure of no sleep or compromised sleep. Alertness, productivity, and well-being are a thing of the past.
There have been moments from time to time when sleeping has been an issue for me. Stretching ( the prolonged and long held kind) before bedtime, yoga, and meditation have all been things that helped me drift off. Thankfully I never had serious insomnia. For those who persistently seek sleep, you may also want to consider massage. According to the Institute for Integrative Healthcare, Serotonin plays a large role in the bodies ability to sleep. A lack of this chemical in the body leads to an inability to sleep. Massage has been shown to increase levels of Serotonin in the body. The brain has also been shown to have the ability to convert Serotonin into Melatonin. I’m going to venture to say that this form of Melatonin would be the most natural to the body and the most easily recognized. While science may be able to duplicate the processes of the body, for the most part, those processes that are naturally derived are always much more superior.
Integrate massage as part of your weekly or monthly routine. Along with the many other benefits you will derive from it, a good nights sleep is always welcome. Start by scheduling an appointment! If frequent massage is something that helps with this, set up a package that will reduce the cost per massage to make it more affordable. I look forward to helping you along this path!
Faith Foster, CMT 757-695-8505
FaithFoster,CMT. 