SLEEP:
Overlooked & Under-emphasized
quality of sleep and pain/function, it seems to me that many massage therapists do not emphasize this much with their clients or patients. Sleep is one of the primary factors—among many—that affects how our nervous, immune, and endocrine systems function, which could make us more or less sensitized to pain. Lack of sleep can make us more irritable and more error-prone when dealing with daily stress: at work, with family, in public.
This issue explores some of the mechanisms of our biological clock—the circadian rhythm—and how environmental and physiological factors can influence our perception of pain. We also explore how exercise could affect sleep quality and performance, improving massage education curriculum in the U.S., and how to protect yourself from plagiarism and copyright infringement.
The topic of sleep is so broad that it would take at least 20 stories to cover the BASICS. If you have any specific topics on sleep in relation to pain, cognition, and exercise, please let us know. We would be happy to consider your suggestions. You can reach me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Nick Ng, BA, CMT
Founder of Massage & Fitness Magazine
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How often do your clients fall asleep while receiving a massage? Do they tend to sleep better for several nights after seeing you? If not, what other factors could be affecting their sleep quality?
While sleep research since the 1930s have found a strong association between the quality of sleep and pai