Do you have difficulty with sleep? Is it hard to unwind? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back to sleep? Does your mind take you places no mind should go, especially in the middle of the night?

Try this simple series of self-massage to shift your mood from frustrated to relaxed.

Begin by noticing your breath, take a slow, soothing breath in filling your lungs comfortably, and exhale out sending that soothing feeling throughout your body. Just breath! So easy, yet we forget that this simple act will always bring us back to the present moment, not the moments before or after.

Sleepy Time Self-Massage

Stimulating specific acupuncture points relieves tension and helps release melatonin, your body’s natural sleep hormone.

Begin by massaging the crown of your head with fingertips, in a circular motion for approximately 30 seconds. Don’t watch the clock! Massage long enough to feel the soothing affect.

Next, with fingertips, make small circular movements at the outer ends of your eyebrows for 30 seconds.

Then, with the pads of your thumbs, swipe the upper, then lower edges of your eye sockets, from the inner to the outer corners. This feels really good.

Finish by rubbing your palms together until they feel warm, and then place them over your eyes for 45 seconds. Gently rest the heels of your hands over your closed eyelids for another 30 seconds.

And remember, having regular massage therapy helps balance your over all sense of well-being, benefiting every part of your day, waking or sleeping.

As your massage therapist I will suggest things you can do between appointments to assist in your well-being. Here are some favorites I like to share with my folks.

One I like to suggest to folks who are feeling achy, have tight or sore muscles, or are avid athletes is to take Epsom Salt baths. Take a couple of handfuls of salt and put it in a very warm bath. Sit and relax until the bath cools down. I do this often because it draws out any tension or stress in my muscles. Grandma was right about Epsom Salt baths!

I like to tell my folks this little trick using tennis balls to help work out chronic knots or areas of discomfort. You can make a handy little massage tool with two tennis balls and a knee high sock. Simply place one ball in the toe of the sock and knot then add the second ball and knot. Lean up against the wall or lie on the floor and place the balls over any tight or uncomfortable areas and work them out. The beauty of this is that you control the pressure and the placement of the balls. Remember; never roll directly over your spine!

Another favorite is to remind folks that our breath will always bring us back to the present. It’s something that is always with us. When you feel stressed or tense pay attention to your breath. Are you breathing fast and shallow? Stop and mindfully bring your breath all the way down to your belly, even stick out your belly as you fill it with healing “air” energy. Then slowly exhale, from the bottom of the belly to the top of you lungs and let go of anything that is not serving you in this moment. Do this a few times and you’ll soon notice you are feeling more focused and calm. The oxygen you are sending to your muscles is helping them relax and let go too!

Stay tuned for more suggestions and remember to breath, breath, breath!