When I was a little girl, Mom would always come to our beds and give my little brother and me a goodnight kiss. Sometimes, when we were nervous, sad or anxious, she would sit on the edge of the bed to rub our backs… till we fell asleep like little angles…
Well, honesty requires me to tell you that sometimes things were not so peaceful. My brother and I would time how long Mom was in each room. And if it turned out that one of us had been massaged for a few minutes longer than the other, the little angels changed into jealous devils 😉
Anyway, if you have small children, I recommend a relaxing back rub for your toddlers before sleeping time.
But also for adults, this can be a blissfully relaxing end to a stressful day.
Tip for today
Rub your partner’s (or children’s) back with slow strokes for total relaxation. Just like that, a sweet little treat.
My apologies to all those who are alone in bed…it is rather difficult to rub your own back….
Women who received a slow stroke back massage for just three minutes logged 36 more minutes of sleep time than people who didn’t get massaged, according to a small new study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing.
Why can three minutes matter so much? Some research suggests it’s the amount of time our body needs before it can start producing feelings of calm, says lead study author Melodee Harris, PhD, an associate professor at Carr College of Nursing at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.
Lay in bed on your side or stomach. Have your partner use his fingertips to make slow, circular movements starting at the base of your spine and working up to the base of your neck. Repeat for a few minutes—that is, if you haven’t already drifted off to dreamland before then.
https://www.prevention.com/health/a20435748/3-minute-massage-shown-to-lengthen-sleep/