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.

Insomnia is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, or MS. MS is an inflammatory disease that can become quite debilitating, including messing up sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to daytime fatigue and low energy. Many experts believe that sleep-related disorders are direct consequences of the physical and emotional burden of MS. Continue reading to find out more about about MS and its impact on sleep, and how you can overcome these sleep issues. 

Sleep is required for our health. However, some have more trouble falling asleep than others. Many have turned to melatonin as a supplement for sleep. Melatonin is the main hormone that regulates sleep in the body. When someone doesn't make enough of it, they may turn to an over-the-counter synthetic hormone for a boost.

However, there may be a new supplement on the horizon. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is a natural hormone found in the body as well that has been shown to be promising for sleep promotion. It promotes a calming effect and only affects the early stages of sleep. Studies are still early, but promising. Continue reading to learn more about GABA and if it may be a suitable alternative to melatonin for you. 

A lot of sleep content focuses on the signs of not getting enough rest, and for good reason. Sleep deprivation is common, and understanding those warning signs matters. But it is just as helpful to recognize what healthy sleep looks like, especially because those patterns often reflect habits worth maintaining.

Below, we’ll look at a few signs you may be getting enough sleep. If several of them sound familiar, your routine may be supporting your sleep in meaningful ways. If not, it may be a sign that something in your routine needs more attention.

Older adults commonly have sleep troubles, mostly due to physiological changes that can interrupt normal sleep patterns, but sometimes due to underlying disorders that can manifest as insomnia. It's important to identify these underlying disorders for accurate treatment. Sleep aids can have detrimental effects in elderly adults, so if they can be avoided through accurate diagnoses, then that will be better for their health. 

Below are some common underlying disorders that can negatively affect health. If you think one of these impacts you or a loved one, then it's important to speak with your primary care physician immediately. 

Substance abuse disorders and addiction are complicated diseases that involve the overwhelming desire or craving for drugs, alcohol, and other medications of abuse. Addiction and substance abuse disorders can cause turmoil for the individual and family and can even result in permanent debilitation and death. 

Connections between substance abuse and mental health disorders have been well established, as well as between mental health disorders and sleep disturbances. However, researchers are now starting to draw connections between sleep disturbances and substance use disorders. The causes of addiction are multifactorial and include both environmental and biochemical alterations, but sleep may play a key role in the development of addiction. Continue reading to find out more about this relationship. 

We have all had those moments where it's the night before Christmas, a birthday, a big interview, a test, etc., and it's nearly impossible to sleep. We are wired, excited, nervous, and have too much stimulation to go to sleep. 

Although we feel nervous, it's important for us to still get adequate sleep. If we have a test or interview, the last thing we want to do is look or feel tired. If it's a celebratory day, eventually the lack of sleep will catch up to you and cause an early retirement. 

There are some tips and tricks to try when you need to get good sleep even though you are nervous. 

If you struggle with insomnia, then you may have issues staying asleep throughout the night. When you are sleep deprived, you can have issues with mood regulation, focus, attention, learning, and memory. Sleep quantity is important - the number of hours you are in bed. However, sleep quality is also important - the type of sleep you are getting. 

Many individuals wake up in the middle of the night. Up to 35.5% of individuals wake up in the middle of the night at least three times per week. Wake-ups normally happen in the earlier stages of sleep, or the light stages. Stress can cause these awakenings, fluctuations in blood sugar or hormones, as well as physical discomfort. Here are 10 things you can do to reduce these nighttime awakenings.  

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an obstructive disease of the lungs. The lung tissue has been so destroyed that it's difficult for it to exchange gas, leading to decreased oxygen levels and difficulty breathing. It can be extremely difficult to breathe at night, partly due to the fact that the lungs are lying flat on the back of the chest wall, making it more difficult to breathe. This can lead to nighttime wheezing and sleep disturbances. Here are some tips for improving sleep with COPD. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by discomfort and bowel irregularity. Along with a lot of abdominal pain, IBS can also cause issues with sleep. A lack of sleep also influences the severity of IBS giving them a reciprocal relationship. Continue reading to find out how to get better sleep with IBS.