Not able to sleep Well? Looking for some help for Insomnia?
Today I was reading an article that discussed how women often have more challenges with sleep insomnia than men. In my experience, due to hormonal fluctuations, many women that I have seen in my practice would confirm this. They feel restless and can’t stop thinking or worrying either before going to sleep or in the middle of the night. Especially around 3AM. For me, this makes perfect sense as the body system’s are fluctuating due to the menstrual cycle, perimenopause or the like, that for some women, they would not sleep as well due to hormonal falls and rises. They could probably benefit from some type of hormonal support. But the number one reason for insomnia is stress. For women in particular, my guess is that stressful thinking and emotional swings, along with hormonal shifts can make it even more difficult to get the needed rest to have a productive day. That can be tough for a woman.
Can’t sleep well?
What surprised me the most though, was that the article mentioned taking drugs as a remedy to this challenge. On second thought, I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised because as I am writing this, the Universe in its full wisdom has sent a television commercial to come on for a sleeping drug that works with neurotransmitters with a list of negative side effects being marketed to help women sleep better. This has become our social norm. At the end, the watcher is told to ask his/her physician about this drug. I am sure that there are some good benefits to some of these pharmaceuticals. Sometimes we could use an easy way to help us through the night. But is it possible that there are some more natural ways long-term modalities of self-correcting care that are just as good or even better to alleviate stress and sleep disruption? My hope would be that physicians would more often say, “here is a prescription for massage once a week for three months”. Work on getting more exercise and eating well. Why not go take a yoga class?”
I don’t know why I am still constantly baffled that medical insurance covers drugs so easily (which are quite expensive), and that when we watch TV-we are bombarded with drug ads, yet massage and bodywork are still considered more of a luxury than a therapeutic modality that can help with things like sleep, stress, and tension. It does take time to support the body to change longterm and I know that this work doesn’t remedy insomnia for all people, but I have heard lots of positive feedback indicating how much better my clients sleep with their sessions. Research has shown that massage and bodywork are key in helping many people to feel better in so many ways. In my view- one of the keys to this is that we are focusing on the human body with massage which is quite sensory and mindful. During a massage, the thinking brain can relax and feel pleasure again instead of focusing on troubles. The more we receive, the easier it is to re-educate our nervous systems to wind down when done in a professional and healthy way. The integration between the mind, body and spirit is integral to wellness.
Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Therapy and Structural Integration have especially been helpful from my view in helping people to relax and let go of stress too. By working with the fascia, which is a 3 dimensional web of connective tissues that holds the body together (including being richly innervated), and helping it to let goof tension, the whole body can relax. Have you ever come out of a good massage and everything feels and looks more positive? The reason I specialize in these modalities, is that I LOVE hearing how relaxed and good people feel afterwards. As human beings, we have the capacity to love, feel pleasure, and to be happy. But sometimes we need a little help. And I am not sure that it always has to come in the form of a pill.
I am not suggesting that medicine be replaced. And by all means, I am not a physician. But my hope is that Massage Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release bodywork and perhaps work by psychotherapists that focus on the mind-body start to become more widespread to the public as a possible alternative to taking drugs for sleep and wellbeing. My hope is that this will eventually be covered by insurance so that all of us can sleep well.
Sharon Hartnett LMT
740 966-5153