Poor Sleep Quality May Lead to Muscle Aches

Poor Sleep Quality May Lead to Muscle Aches

By Larisa Goldin, MBA, LMP 

Among factors that impact overall health, sleep is right at the top.  While it is important that you are proactive in your health during the day with nutrition, fitness and healing your body through methods like massage and acupuncture, it is equally important that you are receiving quality sleep.  Long-term sleep deprivation is a tremendous stressor to our bodies that weakens the immune system, opening the door to both physiological and neurological disorders.

A mattress that is too firm does not offer enough support for your body’s natural curves.  One that is too soft exaggerates the curves of your spine as parts of your body sink in to the mattress.  In either case, your muscles, whose job it is to maintain healthy posture and protect the spine, are working hard throughout the night instead of resting.  This is why you wake up sore.

Not only does a bad mattress cause muscle soreness but it also hurts the quality of your sleep.  Instead of sleeping soundly through a 5 to 7 hour stretch, you tend to wake up frequently to change sleeping positions since you are not comfortable.

When you go shopping for your new mattress, don’t worry about the fancy brand names and all the industry jargon about coils and pillow tops.  No matter how fancy or expensive a mattress is, if it is too firm or too soft for you, you don’t want it.  Get on the mattresses and try them out for yourself.  Most experts recommend you lie on a mattress for a few minutes so your body can adjust to it before you decide how the mattress really feels.  One way you can test if you need something softer is if you can slide your hand easily under the small of your back when you lay supine. Ideally the mattress should come to meet your body.  On the other hand, if you are heavy-set and experience chronic lower back pain, then you will probably want a firmer mattress.

 

What Dreamclinic Clients Love About Vibroacoustics

For some people, de-stressing is as simple as going on a jog or watching their favorite show after a long day. But for most of us, it can be much more difficult to get rid of all the stress we carry on a daily basis. Even if we do find something that calms us down, it can be a whole other struggle to find the time to actually do it. The good news is that we know how fast-paced life can be, and that’s why we’re proud to offer vibroacoustic therapy. It may sound like a mouthful, but this revolutionary technique is incredibly simple and effective, and takes no more than an hour. 

So, what is it exactly? Plain and simply, vibroacoustics is the process of passing soothing sound vibrations through your body. These vibrations are picked up by all of our organs, harmonizing our cells and bringing our body back into sync. Because of its unique combination of sound and vibration, vibroacoustics provides a relaxing experience completely different than any other stress therapy. 

Our satisfied customers have described it as “Relaxing, reflective, and an interesting way to access binaural sound for healing.” 

Vibroacoustics provides the relief that many people simply can’t otherwise get in their busy lives. One woman commented, “As a person who has a lot of trouble sleeping, one Tranquility Session has been extremely effective in rejuvenating me to feel more rested and energetic for the rest of my day.” This is one of the best parts about vibroacoustics — because it targets your body with sound and vibration, it penetrates deep into your muscles, tissues, and bones, rejuvenating you to your core. 

It seems pretty obvious, but stress therapies shouldn’t stress you out. Even still, some techniques involve long, arduous processes and cost large amounts of money. Luckily, vibroacoustics doesn’t involve any of those things. 

People love it because it is simple and scientifically sound. Gretchen, a cellist and Dreamclinic client, said, “I was really impressed and moved by the use of sound. To sit in that specially designed chair, with the surrounding speakers, feeling the music, and hearing about the science and research behind that healing, was an amazing experience.” 

Now it’s your turn. Experience firsthand how vibroacoustics can reduce stress, improve sleep, and re-energize you, in as little as 20 minutes. 

Book a tranquility session. 

Now 50% off when you schedule in combination with massage or acupuncture.

 

New Sound Therapy Technology Helps You Unplug and Relax

sound therapy seattle

We’ve gotten to the point where people are Instagramming pictures of their meals before touching their food and live-tweeting about their activities without actually experiencing them. It goes without saying, but we are living in an era of constant connectivity.

As a result, it’s gotten harder and harder to unplug and enjoy complete relaxation. We can’t deal with daily stress or anxiety in the proper fashion if we’re responding to texts or emails every five minutes.

With all the distractions we face with technology, the most successful ways to relax and de-stress have to be easy and effective. If we can’t put down our phone for two hours, how are we going to commit to a completely new habit or routine if it’s not super easy?

That’s why vibroacoustics is perfect for unplugging and de-stressing in our 24/7 internet world. Recently researched in colleges across the country, it is a type of non-invasive, non-chemical stress therapy that offers serious benefits in as little as 20 minutes.

So how does it work?

The sound therapy reduces stress, anxiety, and nerves by running soothing, low level sound waves through your body. Because sound is vibration, it affects all parts of your body, not just your ears. In fact, each one of your organs, bones, and cells has its own specific resonance frequency, which means that your body is quietly humming its own tunes throughout the day. When we are stressed, these frequencies can be disrupted, which can in turn affect our entire health. With vibroacoustics, low-grade vibrations are delivered throughout your body by a special chair that has built-in speakers. It’s not just a sound — it’s an actual pulsating sensation.

What are the benefits?

There are no adverse effects of vibrational therapy. Quite the opposite –vibroacoustics has been proven to significantly improve your health and mindfulness by:

  • Helping you catch those zzzs. Vibroacoustics stimulates melatonin, a natural hormone in your body that increases and deepens sleep.
  • Mending physical aches and pains. When you’re stressed, your immune system can overwork itself and become run down, making you susceptible to injury and illness. Vibroacoustic therapy gives your immune system a chance to reboot and repair injuries like muscle strains and pulls, post-surgery pains, menstrual cramps, and tightness in joints.
  • De-activating stress hormones. Stress can result in fatigue, depression, anxiety attacks, panic, and high blood pressure. Vibroacoustic sessions tone down these hormones so that you can finally relax and unwind.
  • Energizing and balancing you. You may think that “relaxed” and “energized” are opposites, but when your body is at ease, you will find that you have more energy to do the things you love. Vibroacoustics increases endorphins, which improves your mood and energy levels. In addition, the therapy moderates serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can cause unwanted emotional spikes.

Studies at the National Institute of Health have shown vibroacoustic sessions to be extremely safe and effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and fatigue. And, you can reap these benefits in just 20 minutes. Everyone, no matter how much you tweet or post on Facebook, has 20 minutes in their day to relax with this new technique.

The Long-Term Health Benefits of Meditation

The Long-Term Health Benefits of Meditation, original blog by Dreamclinic Massage and Acupuncture Seattle, Redmond, BellevueThere are some weeks when we barely have time to go to the grocery store, let alone relax and enjoy ourselves. With our hectic lives, it seems like those nagging thoughts of to-do lists, and responsibilities creep in even during the calmest times.

So, why are we letting these pesky thoughts ruin the time we do have for relaxation? They’re our thoughts, in our brains, and we should be able to control them. As nice as that sounds, sometimes we need help calming our brain.

Meditation is a powerful first step in reducing stress and finding the peaceful space between our thoughts. Humans have been using this natural practice for more than 3,500 years, and it is a simple, effective way to improve concentration, decrease anxiety, and improve your mood, all by learning how to be an observer of our thoughts first and then learning how to let them go.

Not only does meditation prevent stress in and out of the meditative state, it also has some important long-term health benefits:

Brain changes in attention, memory, learning, and perception. A study done on Buddhist monks showed that these effects last for many years after habitual meditation. These monks also had more brain activity in areas responsible for positive emotions like happiness and relaxation.

A stronger immune system. Studies have shown that those who meditate will produce more antibodies at a faster rate than those who do not meditate. A healthy, peaceful mind reflects on the body.

Milder symptoms of PMS and lower infertility rates. Meditation has been known to help women alleviate uncomfortable symptoms of PMS, hot flashes, and breast-feeding. In addition, after a ten-week meditation program, women struggling with infertility problems exhibited lower anxiety and fatigue than they did before the program, and within the next six months, 34% of those women became pregnant.

Better sleep. Good sleep is essential for peace of mind, and sleep deprivation often goes hand in hand with anxiety and depression. In a study done by the American Journal of Medicine, 100% of the insomnia patients reported that their sleep had improved after practicing meditation. Of those patients, 91% completely eliminated or significantly reduced their use of sleeping pills after the meditation course.

Improved alertness at the office. By eliminating anxious thoughts, meditation enhances other positive aspects of the brain like creativity, intelligence development, and relationship skills. All of these qualities are helpful for the workplace, and can help enhance your best qualities.

If you want to improve your quality of life today, and for the next five to ten years, there is no simpler solution than meditation. Even meditating five minutes every day will reduce stress and improve long-term cognitive function. And, a week when you don’t have time to go to the grocery store won’t seem so bad after all.

 

Picture: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143130094383542209/

Improve Sleep with Acupuncture

by Diana Khoury

Up to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders every year.1 Sleep problems range from mild to chronic and include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and other, less common conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds us that “sufficient sleep is not a luxury—it is a necessity—and should be thought of as a vital sign of good health.”2

Causes
Changes in American society over the last several decades have contributed to an increase in sleep irregularities. Leading factors include higher stress levels than in past generations, busy 24/7 lifestyles, obesity, and overstimulation from increased access to TV, Internet, and personal electronics. As a society we are getting less and poorer quality sleep than ever before.

man-sleeping_hr“Sleep is something your body needs to recharge your batteries, and it affects nearly every aspect of your life,” says Marci Cleary, spokeswoman for the National Sleep Foundation. “It’s food for the brain.”3Since sleep is such an important indi- cator of overall health, it’s no wonder that deprivation negatively impacts the body and one’s quality of life.

Effects

Sleep loss has many negative effects, including low energy level and decreased ability to focus. Doctors say lack of sleep erodes memory and concentration, disturbs neurological function, inhibits tissue and muscle restoration and slackens reflexes.

According to the CDC, “Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression—which threaten our nation’s health. Notably, insufficient sleep is associated with the onset of these diseases and also poses important implications for their management and outcome.”2

Treatment


In response to the steep increase in sleep disorders, the number of accredited sleep clinics in the U.S. has more than tripled since 1995. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies have targeted sleeplessness as an attractive growth market for the coming years. Sleep clinics may be able to provide relief, but each visit to an accredited clinic can cost thousands of dollars. Drugs may address the symptoms of common sleep issues, but they can be addictive, have side effects, and do not address the root cause of the problem.

Acupuncture, as an alternative treatment for sleep problems, has been shown to outperform western medication due to its lack of side effects. In 2009, a clinical review of 46 research studies on the effects of acupuncture on insomnia concluded that acupuncture improves sleep duration and quality.4 One controlled study of anxiety sufferers and their sleep patterns demonstrated that acupuncture physiologically increased melatonin production, enabling participants to fall asleep faster and wake less during the night. Participants also reported reduced anxiety levels due to increased relaxation.5

In a study conducted in Brazil with sleep apnea patients, acupuncture measurably strengthened and reduced inflammation in the tongue muscle, decreasing incidences of the tongue falling back during sleep, blocking the airway.6 As a result, participants’ apnea symptoms were reduced and overall sleep quality improved.

To address sleep disorders appropriately, a qualified acupuncturist will first conduct a thorough intake and evaluation of your symptoms. This will allow the practitioner to create a targeted acupuncture treatment plan for maximum results: better sleep, improved health, and increased quality of life.

This is an original article from Dreamclinic, Inc. Dreamclinic is a Health and Wellness company committed to sharing information about commonly experienced health conditions and how they may be impacted through the use of bodywork and other natural approaches. Dreamclinic offers massage, acupuncture, and Reiki sessions at its Greenlake and Queen Anne clinics, as well as onsite massage at workplaces around Puget Sound. Contact us to learn more about how Dreamclinic can help you, your family or your workplace experience greater health.

References:
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/
2. http://www.cdc.gov/sleep/
3. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2002925590_sleepless12e.html  
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156618/
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14990755
6. http://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/treatment-options/acupuncture.html

Image: www.centerforspinaldisorders.com

Other Resources:

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2002911242_sleep05.html

PTSD Symptom Relief

by Diana Khoury

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is currently on the PTSDrise in the United States. PTSD is a mental health condition that originates from a traumatic event such as a war, natural disaster, terrorist attack, abuse, violence, or assault. Symptoms of PTSD may last for years after the actual event occurred, and can interfere with a person’s relationships and daily functioning.

When a traumatic event occurs, the body moves into fight or flight mode, triggering the stress response. If this stressful state remains for an extended period of time, the initial trauma becomes ‘stored’ in the body and is unable to let go.

PTSD’s effects are experienced on physiological, physical and emotional levels of the body. PTSD symptoms include: flashbacks, nightmares, trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, detachment, difficulty with memory and concentration, fatigue and chronic pain. A PTSD sufferer may struggle with fear and hypersensitivity on a daily basis, reacting uncontrollably to seemingly benign triggers. They no longer feel safe or in control of their environment, their body or themselves.

A holistic approach to treating PTSD has been implemented at the Fort Bliss Restoration and Resilience Center in Texas. Army war veterans who wish to return to combat must commit to an intense daily regimen of physical exercise, individual and group therapy, and holistic therapies such as yoga, massage, Reiki, acupuncture, t’ai chi, qigong, biofeedback and meditation.

John Fortunato, the clinical psychologist who spearheaded the program, states, “Many PTSD-afflicted soldiers experience ‘hyper-arousal,’  which the center staff treats with techniques like medical massage and ‘Reiki’… Acupuncture has proven to be ‘extremely effective’ in treating the anxiety, panic, and tension-induced physical pain many [veterans] experience.”1

“Soldiers who have been victims of PTSD after violent wars are being treated with acupuncture [with] successful results. Recently, the Pentagon has been investigating the beneficial effects of acupuncture for PTSD on soldiers affected with this condition. As per findings from recent trials, it has been found that combat veterans were relieved of their symptoms and experienced reduced depression, as well as pain. The improvements due to acupuncture were also found to be very rapid and significant.”2

In addition to this empirical evidence, numerous scientific studies have confirmed the healing benefits of touch. For PTSD sufferers, therapeutic massage offers the benefits of caring touch with clear and safe boundaries. “Massage therapy can help bring clients back into themselves by increasing their ability to feel safety and mastery in the world, to be freely curious without fear, to feel comfortable with their body, and to experience boundaried intimacy with another human being.”3

This is an original article from Dreamclinic, Inc. Dreamclinic is a Health and Wellness company committed to sharing information about commonly experienced health conditions and how thy may be impacted through the use of bodywork and other natural approaches. Dreamclinic offers massage, acupuncture, and Reiki sessions at its Greenlake and Queen Anne clinics, as well as onsite massage at workplaces around Puget Sound. Contact us to learn more about how Dreamclinic can help you, your family or workplace experience greater health.

References
1. http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49835
2. http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/961-acupuncture-for-ptsd.html#sthash.noDy8QN7.dpuf
3. http://www.amtamassage.org/articles/3/MTJ/detail/1817

Other Resources
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246
http://www.touchpoint.dk/touchpoint/uk/UK_artikler_stress.htm
http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/759-massage-for-treatment-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.html#sthash.F1BIMrxI.dpuf