In the quest for more conservative, safe and effective ways to treat insomnia, health professionals also consider other relaxation techniques to cure the disease.
Aside from the passive and movement based relaxation techniques, those who are having difficulty to get quality sleep can benefit from body works.
Bodyworks include techniques that include procedures that is usually performed by a therapist to enhance relaxation.
Most people , especially those who love to go to spas, cannot deny that different types of massage and reflexology can be very relaxing.
Some people may even find themselves falling asleep shortly after the massage has started.
Technically, massage is the manipulation of the soft tissues by means of pressure, tension, motion or vibration that is done manually using different body parts (hands, fingers, elbow, and feet) or with the use of a mechanical aid.
Studies have shown that it has a wide variety of benefits such as pain relief, reduced anxiety and depression- allof which are associated with insomnia.
Along with these benefits, it is also proven to decrease blood pressure and heart rate.
These benefits are supported by the gate control theory which in which the nerves which transmit pain impulses are blocked.
Substances such as endorphins, a natural pain and stress fighter, and serotonin, also a natural pain fighter and a sleep promoter, are secreted.
It increases the flow of lymph in the body and is known to improve sleep.
Reflexology, also known as zone therapy is somehow similar to massaging as it also a practice of massaging, squeezing, or pushing on parts of the hand or feet.
Sometimes it may also include the ears.
The main difference is that in reflexology, areas or points on the hand or feet corresponds to a specific body organ or system that has to be manipulated to produce a beneficial effect.
While some experts say that reflexology alone cannot cure insomnia, it can just help prepare the mind for sleep and it can work well with other sleep aids, there are also studies (Kunz, 2005) which showed an "overall reduction of 25% of the symptoms of insomnia and a reduction of 18% for associated symptoms of insomnia (i.
e lack of concentration, anxiety, stress, forgetfulness, indecision, lack of placidness, low energy levels.
)" Acupuncture is another type of body work which makes use of filiform needles that is inserted on different points of the body which corresponds to a certain organ that is diseased or is causing pain or discomfort.
One of the conditions that it can treat is insomnia, as well as the underlying factors associated with it (stress and anxiety.
) It is said in a study made by Dr.
Lin in 1995 that "acupuncture is simple and useful treatment for insomnia, with a success rate of around 90%.
" Accordingly, there are evidences to prove that it can increase melatonin secretion and cause improvement as far as the sleep latency, sleep efficiently and total sleep time is concerned.
It also brought about significant reduction in anxiety scores is concerned.
In fact, WHO and the National Institutes for Health even studied and supported its efficacy in curing various conditions.
Although the mechanisms of action remain to be unclear, it is hypothesized that it can possibly affect the neuronal integration and transmission.
Finally, one can also try self regulation therapy (SRT.
) The effectiveness of SRT is founded on the mechanisms of neuroscience.
Dr.
Lyne Zetti defines this as, "a non-cathartic mind/body approach aimed at diminishing excess activation in the nervous system.
"The mechanism involving the neural pathway is apparently complicated but it was said that after the sessions, there would be an increased sense of control and general sense of well being.