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While New York City is the 'city that never sleeps,' Earth seems to be the 'planet that never stops.' Modern life has made us busier than ever, and it has had a significant effect on our lifestyle, including our sleeping patterns. Between the errands and the yard work and bookkeeping for our home, it seems that we barely have enough time to relax, let alone sleep. In addition, a hectic lifestyle could also result in more anxiety, which can keep us awake when the sandman should be paying us a visit.

Sleeping 'enough'

How much sleep is enough? Many of us have the notion that we always need eight hours of sleep. But is that accurate? It is, and it is not. Healthy adults require about 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. However, just as every person has a unique set of DNA and fingerprints, every person has unique sleeping needs. As a general rule, if you wake up in the morning without the aid of an alarm clock, a nudge, or a bucket of cold water, then you have slept enough.

Sleeping well and long

Also, you should consider that the quality of the sleep, and not just the quantity. In fact, your brain needs to experience five complete sleep phases, and it needs to stay in each phase for a particular amount of time. When those stages are disrupted, then you feel less rested. And not getting enough sleep can have more consequences than just feeling drowsy. Sleep depravation can cause you to function less effectively during the day, and is a significant cause of accidents involving automobiles. Besides the time factor, other causes of poor sleep patterns include:

' Biorhythm changes (light-dark cycles)
' Caffeine in beverages and drinks (caffeine has a half-life of 7.5 hours)
' Cigarettes, which include stimulants
' Hot flashes
' Limb movement disorder
' Medications
' Pain and disease

When parasympathetic sympathizes

Fortunately, hot stone massages can help. Therapy via massage can reduce the stress and tension in one's body. But that is not all! Massage therapy can also improve the quantity and quality of your sleep. How does it accomplish that? First, keep in mind that the two parts of our automatic nervous system are the parasympathetic and sympathetic portions.

When you get a massage with hot stones, the parasympathetic portion of your nervous system is switched on. This allows your body to relax. However, when you feel like pulling your hair out, the sympathetic part of your automatic nervous system is switched on. This causes your body to choose one of two options: 'fight' or 'flight.' In other words, your body will either try to deal with problematic situations, or avoid them. So the parasympathetic can actually balance out the sympathetic. And when that happens, falling asleep becomes a piece of cake.

The magic stone

As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. Various scientific studies have proven that therapeutic massages, such as those with hot stones, improve how much sleep we get and how good it is. Other benefits of hot stone massages include:

' Anxiety reduction
' Back pain reduction
' Circulation improvement
' Depression reduction
' Endorphins (think natural painkillers) release
' Immunity boost
' Joint flexibility increase
' Medication dependence reduction
' Migraine relief
' Muscle improvement
' Range of motion improvement

For many of us, getting four hours of sleep seems like a major accomplishment. However, a lack of sleep not only affects our body, but also how well we can function throughout the day. Fortunately, hot stone massages can allow our bodies and minds to relax, increasing our ability to get enough quality sleep each night. It will put your stress and anxiety to rest.