Health and wellness is vitally dependent on getting adequate sleep. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans experience sleep issues that affect their health.1 The lack of sleep is often leads 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
What is Massage?
Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure.
How Massage helps with relaxation
The National Institutes of Health has advised that massage therapy can reduce fatigue and improve sleep5 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
A 60-minute massage has similar benefits to the body as about 3 hours of restorative rest.
Types of Massage
There are many different types of massage that are geared toward delivering various types of benefits. Your needs may necessitate a specific type of massage be performed. Here are some of the more common types of massages offered here at Onyeka Tefari.
- Swedish Massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping. It helps you feel relaxed and energized.
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage. This is a form of soft-tissue mobilization dramatically enhances lymph formation and promotes drainage within the superficial and deep systems of the lymph vascular network.
- Prenatal massage. Prenatal Massage is a healthy way to reduce stress and promote overall wellness. Massage relieves many of the normal discomforts experienced during pregnancy, such as backaches, stiff neck, leg cramps, headaches and edema (or swelling).
- Cupping Massage. This is a powerful form of bodywork that combines acupressure, massage, and cupping. Using cups to help—rather than hinder—the flow of energy, this treatment loosens tight muscles and allows for deeper muscle manipulation.
- Synergistic Massage. Integrates both Eastern & Western healing methods to restore the harmonious flow of life within. It combines the nurturing Western oil massage with the therapeutic benefits of Asian bodywork methods.
- Elevated (Herbal) Massage. This is the gold standard of deep relaxation, deep muscle and fascia release, injury treatment, pain relief, skin hydration, and more. By combining nature's remedy with skilled massage techniques, Elevated (Herbal) massage is a holistic way to heal and treat your body and mind.
Additional Benefits of Massage
There are so many benefits to receiving massages regularly. Some of these benefits include:
- Reducing stress and increasing relaxation
- Reducing pain and muscle soreness and tension
- Improving circulation, energy and alertness
- Lowering heart rate and blood pressure
- Improving immune function
While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage may also be helpful for:
- Anxiety
- Digestive disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Insomnia related to stress
- Low back pain
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Nerve pain
- Soft tissue strains or injuries
- Sports injuries
- Temporomandibular joint pain
- Upper back and neck pain
You are encouraged to schedule your next massage with us!
References
1. AMTA; Massage Therapy Can Help Improve Sleep; October 2012; www.amtamassage.org/approved_position_statements/Massage-Therapy-Can-Help-Improve-Sleep.html
2. Mayo Clinic Staff; Insomnia; Mayo Clinic; www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/basics/complications/con-20024293
3. Cutler N; Insomnia, Serotonin and Massage; Institute for Integrative Healthcare; August 19, 2005; www.integrativehealthcare.org/mt/archives/2005/08/insomnia_seroto.html
4. Vanderbilt S; Sound Sleep; MassageTherapy.com; 2005; www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/838/Sound-Sleep
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
