Top 10 Natural Ways To Cure Your Bedtime Blues

La belle au bois dormant. In French, this means the beauty asleep in the woods. I would love to feel like that. Wouldn’t you? I have vivid childhood memories of Sleeping Beauty in a peaceful sleep on a beautifully adorned bed awaiting a kiss from the daring and young Prince Philip. Could this really be a curse? Hardly.

60 million Americans suffer from sleep-related disorders each year and would love a night of rest! 18 million prescriptions are written each year for sleeping medications. By taking sleeping pills for your sleep disorder you can experience drug dependence, drug tolerance, drowsiness throughout the day, or you may be masking the underlying problem keeping you from sleep. Seasons has compiled a list of the top 10 natural ways to cure your bedtime blues.

1.Valerian. The use of Valerian dates back to second century A.D.! Scientists believe Valerian increases the amount of GABA in the brain. GABA regulates nerve cells and has a calming effect on anxiety. Although it may take a few weeks for it to be effective, Valerian can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve the quality of sleep itself. Valerian can be bought in capsule form at drugstores or online.

2.Lavender Oil and Body Lotion. Research shows that simply inhaling the soothing scent creates calming and sedative effects. I would suggest putting lavender body lotion all over your body before bedtime or rubbing one to two drops of Lavender in essential oil form over your pillow. Young Living’s Lavender Essential Oil is available at Seasons.

3.SleepEase. SleepEase by Sprayology contains herbs such as Valerian and Chamomile for a restful nights sleep. It treats symptoms of wakefulness, restlessness, emotional stress, anxiety, and caffeine sensitivity. SleepEase does not leave you with the groggy feeling of prescription sleep aids. To use: Spray 2 times under the tongue before bedtime and if sleep is interrupted. At a lower dosage, SleepEase is great for children!

4.SnoreSoother. At one time or another we have all fallen prey to an infamous snorer. Whether it be your husband, wife, child, or perhaps your own noisy habit keeping you from sleep, snoring can ruin a perfectly good nights rest. SnoreSoother by Sprayology consists of ingredients that reach the root of the problem. It has lung extract for bronchial congestion and the promotion of healthy lung tissue, as well as, white aspidosperma bark which eases difficult breathing and asthma symptoms. For best results spray twice under the tongue 3 times per day and if sleep is interrupted.

5.Facial Reflexology. If sleep is a problem for you, it is most likely caused by something else. Using special techniques, reflexology works on the root of your problem by finding the biggest deposit under your skin. After a series of treatments clients begin to notice a difference. As your body begins to heal in the area of the deposit you will find that sleeping becomes easier as well. You can schedule a Facial Reflexology appointment at Seasons. We recommend a series of 8 – 10 for best results.

6.Massage Therapy. This is a relaxing option to improve your sleep patterns. Massages decrease stress hormones, relieve chronic pain and balance your nervous system allowing you to sleep better, especially if your insomnia is stress induced. Seasons offers several massages. We recommend a Hot Stone or Swedish Relaxation massage for consistent sleep habits.

7.Yoga. Yoga gives your body and mind time to meditate. In addition, deep breathing and stretching are important aspects of yoga. Studies show that daily yoga for eight weeks improves total sleep time and the time it takes to fall asleep. Seasons offers yoga classes to those of all levels of experience.

8.Avoid Sweets and Caffeine. Your diet is an important part of your sleep regimen. Sugar could be one of the culprits keeping you from sleep, causing you to wake up during the night as your blood sugar levels fall. Cutting or significantly decreasing your sugar intake is important if you have trouble sleeping. If you frequently drink caffeine in the late afternoon or in the evening you may want to try eliminating caffeine from your diet as well. Not only does caffeine increase difficulty in falling asleep, it also reduces the amount of deep sleep you get.

9.Magnesium and Calcium. These sleep aids are most effective when taken together. A Magnesium deficiency can make you feel nervous and keep you from sleeping while a Calcium deficiency causes you to feel restless. You should take 500 mg of Calcium and 250 mg of Magnesium 45 minutes prior to bedtime. Be sure to choose a pharmaceutical grade supplement for best results.

10.Bed-time Routine. Remember when you were young and 7:30 bedtime was strictly enforced even if it was still light outside? Maybe it’s time to get back into that routine. No, you don’t have to go to sleep at 7:30. But it is important to get a full eight hours of sleep every night. A routine works best when fighting insomnia. Make sure that you are going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.

These natural remedies will have you snoozing in no time. Having trouble finding a product? Call Seasons at (318)255-1155. Don’t miss out on another night of beauty sleep!

Massage On The Rocks

With so many wonderful massage choices available, you may find your self stressing about how to de-stress. The Hot Stone Massage, a new massage technique using heated stones, has many benefits that might just be right for you.

Therapeutic Benefits of Hot Stone Massage
In a hot stone massage, stones are heated and places on specific areas of the body relax the tissues and muscles. The stones’ heat makes the muscles pliable and prepares them for deep manipulation by the therapist. Muscular relaxation helps the therapists release deep-seated muscular tension and reduce stress levels.

Relaxation and stress reduction. Hot stone massage promotes overall relaxation and reduces stress levels. High stress levels can cause headaches, depression, muscular pain, overeating, digestive problems and sleeping problems. Our therapists use the stones to apply Swedish massage strokes, which consist of gentle, long and circular strokes that promote relaxation and re-energize the person receiving the massage.

Revitalize and relax muscles and muscle tissue. If you are recovering from an injury, a massage can speed recovery and improve muscles weakened due to inactivity. In addition to reinvigorating muscles, massage can provide relief to “trigger points” in the muscle. By relaxing tense muscles in one part of the body, other regions of the body will benefit as well.

Improve circulation. Hot stone massage improves circulation. The circulatory system is responsible for carrying freshly oxygenated blood from the heart and lungs to the rest of the body. Poor circulation contributes to peripheral vascular disease, which occurs when arteries are not able to send sufficient amounts of blood and oxygen to organs, arms and legs. Although hot stone massage does not reverse artery damage, it does contribute to improvements in circulation and aids the body in delivering oxygen and blood to surrounding tissues and muscles. While massage, in general, can improve circulation, hot stone massage is fantastic at achieving this goal due to the use of heat therapy. Therapists warm the stones to a perfect temperature, which allows them to inflate tiny blood vessels in your body and quicken circulation.

Toxin release. Perspiration serves not only as the body’s air-conditioner, but also aids in the release of toxins. By using heat therapy, such as hot stone massage, the increase of the body’s temperature causes perspiration to push toxins out of the skin’s pores. This can have a tremendously helpful effect on your overall health.

Hot Stone Massage available in 60 or 90 minute sessions. Hot Stones can also be added onto any Therapeutic or Swedish massage. For more information or to schedule your Hot Stone Massage, call Seasons – The Spa at 318.255.1155.

It’s Me, Bethany!

College, for most people, is a time to really figure out what career path to choose. It’s a time to branch out, experience new avenues, and make life-long friends. For me, only part was true. I came to college knowing exactly what career path I wanted to take, which, ironically, did not require a bit of college in the first place. I wanted to be a massage therapist.

Choosing my major was not too difficult. A degree in health and exercise science was going to give me the anatomy/kinesiology background I would need to get a jump-start on the massage classes I would need to take in the future. Graduation came and went, and I was headed to Nashville to fulfill my career dream.

Massage therapy school at Natural Health Institute was one of the best years of my life! I really believe I learned more about myself in that one year than I did all through those four years of college. I began studying for my board exam in March, but experienced that typical “crunch time” those few days before the test in the beginning of May.

Nashville experienced quite a devastating flood during that same time (May 2010). That whole weekend I was stuck inside studying as the torrential rains came down. As horrible as that time was for Country Music City, I did get some good quality studying in. The end result: PASSED!

Being back in my hometown and working at Seasons – The Spa has been nothing short of a blessing! I’m happy to be back, and excited about this career. Here at Seasons, we like to think “outside the box” when it comes to healing and all-around well-being.

Massage therapy is a great way to help circulate healthy oxygen to muscles, increase flexibility, and send natural nutrients to all parts of the body. It also de-stresses the body. With our crazy schedules and hectic lives, we all need some time to just relax. My favorite part of this job is when my clients leave with a smile. You deserve a break! Call in or drop by to schedule your massage today!

Seasons Offers Massage Therapy

That’s right. We do massage therapy for relaxation and internal healing. It’s one of the many ways we seek to help our patients’ through total wellness.

So how does massage therapy contribute to internal healing and total wellness?

It relieves stress. And stress kills, you know?

But more than that, we believe there’s healing in touch. That’s a lot of why massage therapy is so powerful. I believe human touch helps to heal us.

That’s why Seasons offers different types of massages. Traditional Swedish massages for relaxation. Hot stone massages. Essential oil massages. Athletic or deep tissue massages to help repair damaged tissues and muscles from athletic injuries and other kinds of injuries.

We cover the gamut—from helping people who come to us with strained muscles to relaxing people who are just stressed out and need a relaxing Swedish massage.