Monday, February 25, 2013

Lullaby, and good night...

I have never fallen asleep during a massage. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I may deeply drift and have my head in the clouds with inner visions and voices fluttering about, but I'm talking about a full-on sleep where dreams occur and snoring might sound. Of course, it's all about the type of massage given: myofascial release (which can be relaxing, depending on your personality and tolerance level) versus trigger point therapy, or Rolfing versus sports massage, you get the picture. Even with traditional Swedish massage, no lullaby and good night for me.

However, when I'm not on the table but rather the one implementing the massage, that's another story. I have a select few men and women that float far off to their neverland during their massage, and their snores and startles and shudders from dreams awaken them, only to realize where they are, what they're doing, and that they can (and do)... go back to sleep.

Sleep is a fundamental human need. It's a time for our bodies and minds to restore, repair, and recharge. Benefits of a good, sound sleep range from increased energy and alertness to feeling happier and better able to function throughout the day. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults should get between seven to nine hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep every night.

So when I have clients that fall asleep on my table, I wonder if they've had a long enough and proper sleep the night before, or whether their sleep patterns on a regular basis might be compromised. I don't ask them, because usually they don't realize they've fallen asleep. Besides, if they fall asleep their muscles are fabulously nice and relaxed (and I can really dig in to those knots and taut bands of tissue)!

It is so important in our daily lives to be mindful of what we eat and how much we exercise, to be conscious of our posture, as well as how we treat others and handle situations. Being mindful of these things helps to have proper, quality rest, which plays a role in our physical and mental health. As individuals, friends, co-workers, and members of our communities, our behavior not only reflects on ourselves, but those around us, and doing our best to maintain a strong and satisfying sleep schedule benefits everyone.

This year during March 5 - 11,
recognize and share with your family and friends