One of our regular clients lives abroad and travels frequently, often staying at a hotel for weeks at a time. She originally called us after suffering a horrendous travel ordeal. Apparently, the Airbus A380s were new at the time, and she had to board and deplane FOUR of them at one airport due to technical issues with each!
To this day, she calls us just after touching down in town to make sure her favorite massage therapist is ready for her at her favorite hotel when she arrives. I spoke with her last week at length about her travels and asked if she typically gets massage therapy when she travels. She responded with, “I have to! I can’t sleep without it!”
The statement was a startling revelation for me. I knew that a majority of our clients drift off to sleep during their massage therapy sessions, but I never made the connection to the NEED for that effect with travelers. In this client’s case, the use of sleep aids wasn’t an option as they frequently leave her feeling groggy and mentally depleted the next day.
Massage therapy has a fantastic ability to bring drug-free relaxation to both body AND mind – frequently to the point that our clients drift off to sleep during or after the massage session (a very useful side effect for battling insomnia). Additionally, they very frequently tell us they have the BEST night’s sleep following the massage, and they awaken feeling energized and well rested.
With that in mind, I did some research on the web about travel insomnia and massage therapy. There is a bewildering amount of information on the causes of insomnia (endorphins, environmental factors), how to combat it when traveling (eating right, taking earplugs and a favorite pillow), and how massage therapy has an uncanny ability to address the root cause of insomnia and other sleep disorders. The unusual statement I kept seeing these articles concluded with was, “So drive on down to spa XXX to get your massage…”
While I AM a substantial proponent of the benefits of massage therapy, I am equally opposed to making people drive out and get it, ESPECIALLY if they’re insomniacs! Not only is it unsafe to drive after a massage, it is completely ineffective for an insomniac to get a massage away from the home or hotel room, only to be subjected to the stresses and adrenaline rushes associated with driving – especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area!
For insomnia and sleep disorders, massage therapy is best administered in the home or hotel room where the client is most likely to sleep. Only then can an effective massage be performed and the client left to rest without facing an unsafe drive.
So, if you’re suffering from travel insomnia or another sleep disorder and you’d like to give massage therapy a try, DON’T drive… Give us a call at 714-771-1827 and let us bring the massage to you. You really will sleep better (and knowing you’re not trying to drive after an intoxicating massage, so will we!).