October 2025

Hello, and welcome to this month's article! Are you sleeping well? Getting proper rest is vital to long-term good health. This issue explores the benefits sleep offers you—and how massage helps you rest better.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. report not getting enough rest every day and an estimated 50 to 70 million have chronic or ongoing sleep disorders. (amtamassage.org)

Studies show that massage therapy can significantly improve sleep quality by reducing anxiety and muscle tension, leading to faster sleep onset, fewer awakenings, and longer total sleep duration.

How Massage Improves Sleep

Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Massage therapy helps promote relaxation, which can alleviate the stress and anxiety that often contribute to sleep problems.

Decreases Muscle Tension: By reducing muscle tension, massage can make it easier for the body to relax and fall asleep.

Increases Sleep-Promoting Hormones: Some research suggests that massage can increase the production of serotonin and melatonin, hormones crucial for regulating the sleep-wake cycle.

See you soon for your next soothing massage!

Study: Insomnia associated with higher risk of heart disease, stroke
by John Anderer

Insomnia is an incredibly frustrating, and common, condition all over the world. An estimated 30% of the general population deals with the condition regularly, and for many people difficulty falling asleep tends to run in their family. Now, a study finds an association between genetic predisposition to insomnia and an increased risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure.

According to Dr. Susanna Larsson, the study’s lead author and a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, previous research had already established a connection between insomnia and increased risk of stroke and heart disease. However, this earlier work had failed to determine if insomnia was the cause of these heart problems, or just associated with them.

So, Larsson and her team conducted a more extensive study into the matter, utilizing data collected on 1.3 million people. ...

The results indicated that a genetic predisposition to insomnia is significantly associated with greater odds of developing coronary artery disease, heart failure, and ischemic stroke. ...

“It’s important to identify the underlying reason for insomnia and treat it,” Larsson comments in a press release. “Sleep is a behavior that can be changed by new habits and stress management." ...

The study is published in the scientific journal Circulation.

Source: studyfinds.org

Beauty sleep isn’t a myth? Neurologist explains how rest keeps skin youthful

Have you ever woken up after a night of poor sleep, glanced in the mirror and thought, “I look tired?” You’re not imagining it.

I am a neurologist who specializes in sleep medicine. And though “beauty sleep” may sound like a fairy tale, a growing body of research confirms that sleep directly shapes how our skin looks, how youthful it appears and even how attractive others perceive us to be.

What Happens During Sleep— Sleep is not just down time. Your body moves through distinct stages that serve different restorative functions. Deep, slow-wave sleep is the primary stage during which the body prioritizes tissue repair, muscle recovery and collagen production.

Growth hormone is released during this sleep stage, with most daily secretion occurring in the early part of the night. This hormone drives the body’s repair and rebuilding processes, helping to heal tissues, restore muscles and boost the production of collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm and elastic.

Slow-wave sleep also creates a unique hormonal environment that benefits the skin. Cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, falls to its lowest point during this stage. Lower cortisol protects collagen, reduces inflammation and supports the skin barrier. At the same time, higher levels of growth hormone and prolactin, a hormone that helps regulate the immune system and cell growth, enhance immune function and tissue repair, helping skin recover from daily stressors.

The Skin-Sleep Connection— The skin is your body’s largest organ, and it works hard while you sleep. Adequate sleep promotes hydration and barrier function, helping your skin maintain moisture and resist irritation. In contrast, sleep deprivation increases water loss through the skin, leaving it drier and more vulnerable to damage and visible signs of aging.

Sleep also plays a role in acne, a common skin condition that affects people of all ages. Poor sleep can raise inflammation and stress hormones such as cortisol, both of which may worsen breakouts. Consistent, restorative sleep, on the other hand, supports your skin’s ability to regulate oil production and recover from irritation.

Collagen repair and elasticity also depend heavily on adequate rest. In one study, short-term sleep restriction, defined as just three hours of sleep per night for two nights in a row, reduced skin elasticity and made wrinkles more noticeable. ...

Studies show that the hormonal disruptions that occur with sleep loss elevate cortisol and accelerate oxidative stress, an imbalance between cell-damaging molecules and the body’s defenses, while impairing the very processes that keep skin resilient. Over time, these changes accelerate biological aging and leave the body less resilient to daily stressors. ...

Source: studyfinds.org

Research led by Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

In A Nutshell

• Deep, restorative sleep fuels collagen production, lowers stress hormones, and repairs skin at night.
• Sleep loss dehydrates skin, weakens its barrier, and accelerates visible signs of aging.
• Even a few nights of poor sleep can make faces appear less attractive, less healthy, and more fatigued.
• Prioritizing consistent sleep supports youthful skin, better health, and stronger social connections.

Sleep is the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is deficient,
there is sickness and disease. And when sleep is abundant, there is vitality and health.
— Matthew Walker

The content of this article is not designed to replace professional medical advice. If you’re ill, consult a physician.
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