If you have ever gotten a professional massage, you may have found yourself drifting in and out of sleep. When you come out of that dark room, you may have even felt in a haze. You can experiencing this same effect while getting your shoulders or feet rubbed before bed. Why is that? Many people find that being massaged makes them feel sleepy.

Part of this is due to the fact that your muscles are rubbed into a more relaxed stated. When muscles are tense, it makes it hard for you to be as relaxed as is required when you go to sleep. The other reason for this is because you are often in a dark, quiet room with your eyes closed. Your brain gets a chance to relax as you enter this spa-like era.

Continue reading to learn why massages have this effect, and how it can help with different sleep disorders.

How massages relax the body?

Humans respond very well to touch. Gentle pressure can release hormones like oxytocin from the brain. This is the natural "bonding hormone" that is common in labor and breastfeeding. That hormone is also released during sexual intercourse, hugging, and even interpersonal interactions. Therapeutic massage can release this hormone, as well as serotonin and dopamine. All of these are "feel good" hormones, which can significantly help relax one when trying to go to sleep.

Massage can also have positive effects on the nervous system. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, or "rest and digest". This is the opposite of the "fight or flight" stress response that we may experience throughout a stressful day. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for making us relaxed enough to go to sleep.

One study showed that massage could even help patients with cancer sleep better. Those that received back massages had decreased cortisol, the stress hormone, and improved anxiety levels. They also had the physical effects of stabilized blood pressure and heart rate. This allowed for a better quality of sleep which was not present before when they experienced frequent nighttime awakenings.   

Massage is a natural stress reducer at night 

Massage is able to distract you from all the things of your day that may otherwise prevent you from getting a good night sleep. Rumination is one of the leading causes of insomnia. Therefore, being able to focus on the relief that a massage is providing may be just enough to improve one's sleep.

Also, when you're getting a massage, whether it be at a massage place or your own home, the rooms are dark and quiet. These are two of the three requirements for the optimal sleep environment. This type of environment is required to reduce the stimulation of your brain that prevents you from getting a good night's sleep. 

Massage is an external form of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). PMR is a relaxation exercise that requires you to systematically tense and release each of the muscle groups in your body. However, this can take quite a bit of mental focus. Massage accomplishes the same thing, but someone else does it so you are able to relax in a very passive manner.   

The use of massage for sleep disorders 

Millions of Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia is the most common one and can affect 25% of Americans. Having no sleep at night can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness which makes it nearly impossible to function at anything more than baseline. 

Massage is a great tool for managing some of these sleep disorders. It is effective in insomnia, helping individuals fall asleep and transition into deeper phases of sleep. One study found that in postmenopausal woman, who experience high levels of insomnia, massage reduced insomnia symptoms and led to a better overall life quality. 

Not only are massages effective for insomnia, but also for other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. More research needs to be done, but it is promising for improving the psychological effects of a sleep disorder and improving sleep quality. 

If you are having trouble sleeping and would like to talk with a sleep health expert, please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test. Our sleep physicians can work with you to identify the cause of your sleep disturbances, and what you can do to improve your ability to sleep. 

https://www.sleep.com/sleep-health/does-massage-make-you-sleepy