“I have trouble falling asleep.” “My sleep feels shallow.”
Concerns like these can have a big effect on how you feel from day to day.
In fact, at La HEAD,
many guests fall asleep during their treatment,
and afterward we often hear, “I think I’ll sleep well tonight.”
This kind of change is likely more than just a feeling of relaxation;
it can be understood as a genuine response of the body.
The state of our body depends greatly on the balance between the sympathetic nervous system, which is active when we are busy,
and the parasympathetic nervous system, which works when we rest.
In daily life, a constant flow of information and ongoing tension tend to keep the sympathetic system in the lead,
so even when we try to sleep,
the body may not switch over smoothly.
Gentle stimulation of the head, face and neck
tends to support parasympathetic activity,
and some reports suggest that as heart rate and breathing settle, the body moves more easily into a state suited to falling asleep.
Approaches like this have also been shown to bring
a tendency to fall asleep more easily and to rate one’s own sleep more favorably.
Sleep isn’t something you can create through effort;
it comes naturally once your body is in the right state.
That’s why, rather than forcing your body’s tension under control,
it is important to bring in surroundings and sensations that help it release on its own.
At La HEAD, we work not only on the head but also on the neck, shoulders and arms,
guiding the whole body into a state where tension can melt away.
We also take care with light, sound and scent,
valuing time in which you can shift into rest without effort.
“I try to sleep, but I just can’t.”
It’s at times like these
that you may need to reset your overall state first.