Category: Massage

Massage is a set of techniques applied in a professional manner whose aim is to holistically treat mind and body.

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Good sleep habits: 5 important factors for a longer life

Good sleep habits have been shown to increase life expectancy by up to five years. A study that will be presented next month has thrown up some startling new data. Over 172,000 adults of an average age of 50 years were tracked for five years. Their sleep habits were recorded and correlated with death rates and causes of death.

“Participants were followed for a median of 4.3 years during which time 8,681 individuals died. Of these deaths, 2,610 deaths (30%) were from cardiovascular disease, 2,052 (24%) were from cancer, and 4,019 (46%) were due to other causes.“

The 5 good sleep habits

Good sleep habits can increase life expectancy by 2-5 years. Rose Tint Your Life logo with a half moon and two zz's representing sleep.

The five factors of good quality sleep are:

  1. ideal sleep duration of seven to eight hours a night
  2. difficulty falling asleep no more than two times a week
  3. trouble staying asleep no more than two times a week
  4. not using any sleep medication
  5. feeling well-rested after waking up at least five days a week.

Those study participants who reported that they slept 7-8 hours per night, had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep less than twice per week, used no sleep medication, and awoke feeling rested most days lived, on average 2-5 years longer than the study participants who did not fulfill all these criteria.

Bear in mind, these good sleep habits are self-reported. So, they are subjective.

What happens when we sleep

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, but science, as yet, is not fully able to explain the whys and wherefores of sleep. Still, we know that there are certain good sleep habits that we must get right, most of the time.

What we do know is that humans seem to need about 7-8 hours of sleep, in nighttime hours, preferably at the same time, every night.

Deep breathing

When we think of someone sleeping, we usually imagine a person lying down and breathing deeply. In fact, for a breathwork instructor like me, sleeping breath is endlessly fascinating. Countless people are assailed by snoring and sleep apnea at night, But, the healthy sleeping breath is slow, deep and rhythmic, with a sound not unlike that of waves upon a seashore. Good sleep habits, for me, include breathing through the nose and not snoring.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CFS)

This slow, deep rhythmic breath seems to help “wash” the brain by stimulating the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, or CFS. (There is even one study that confirms that yogic breathing techniques also stimulate CFS flow in the brain).

Lymph

Deep breathing also stimulates lymphatic flow. This is due to the pumping of the diaphragm and the resulting push-pull in the ventral (abdominal) space. Lymphatic flow is vital for immunity, so it stands to reason that the deep breathing of good sleep helps immunity. Also, just lying down takes the pressure off our lovely lymphatic system. What more reason do you need??

How to sleep better at night naturally

Habits for better sleep include keeping regular hours, not eating heavy meals late at night, using alcohol moderately, and practicing yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Yoga has been shown to help people sleep better. Massage also promotes better sleep quality. It would almost seem that my whole professional offer is about better sleep! Well, not quite. But, I am a former insomniac and I can tell you that I now sleep better and longer than ever before.

Good sleep habits for insomnia include not lying in bed for too long if you do awaken at night, not drinking too much water before bed, taking Magnesium and/or GABA (not if you’re on anti-depressants), and making sure that your bed linen is not too heavy or too light. If you are prone to waking with racing thoughts, keep a book and a pen next to your bed so that you can jot down whatever it is that you’re thinking and, hopefully, get back to sleep.

Your sleep hygiene checklist

If you need a little help to get some rest, do try to limit screen time before bed, avoid energetic exercise, avoid spicy food and caffeine after midday, practice deep breathing and conscious relaxation, take time to hug and caress your loved ones, and spend some time looking at the moon, the stars, or even a pretty plant. In short, tune into yourself and tune the world out!

Conclusion

Rose Tint Your Life is a conceptual project on how to make life a little more fun, just by tweaking normal everyday habits. I hope to offer insight into research and theory on longevity and anti-aging. I always work from the basis of Spirituality with my feet on the ground.

Sleep is cheap, natural, and normal. We all do it, but some people truly struggle to sleep well and enough. If you are interested in using natural methods like yoga, breathing, and massage to help you to sleep better, get in touch with me via my Whatsapp button or my contact form.

If your head is what is spinning, meditation and mindfulness might help, too. I teach both in private and online sessions. I think you’re worth investing in. Do you?

Good sleep habits, if not learned in childhood, can be developed in adulthood. Learning good sleep habits is fundamental for good health and for longevity. Not only does sleep allow the body to rest and the spirit to dream, but it also lets the CFS and the lymph flow. So what are you waiting for? Get to bed!

Sending good vibes from here,

Rachel

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Trust me! I promise you this: 7 solid assurances

Rose Tint Your Life social media banner for blog post "7 solid assurances"

Trust is the pillar of the therapeutic relationship. Trust is implicit and part of our code of ethics. After a treatment, I always thank people for “trusting my hands”. The body is what holds it all together – the font of sensorial information, the reservoir of emotion, and the source of much of our sense of personal identity. Here are seven solid assurances that I give you, should you decide to book with me.

I won’t hurt you:

It still surprises me how many people think that massage needs to be painful to be effective. Let me promise you this: my massage is deep but never painful. The art of massage is finding the right degree of pressure for a given area, then working just at the edge between pleasure and pain.

Good pain vs bad pain

Trust me! I promise you this: 7 solid assurances

Different people describe pain differently, depending on language and culture. But, there exists a common feeling that crosses boundaries: there is a kind of pain that feels good. Like pressing a bruise, there is a kind of pressure that eases the ache. Scientists call this the “pain-gate theory“. There is a point at which the Central Nervous System ceases to send/receive more nervous impulses. At this point, there is a dulling of the sensation. A good massage therapist knows this and works with the pain-gate theory to get just the right pressure to be healing without being overwhelming.

I will take the time to interview you and understand your history.

The therapeutic relationship is extremely important. The body is the temple of the spirit/soul (or whatever name you wish to give it). Putting yourself in the hands of an unknown therapist is an act of trust. So, I promise that I will always take the time to ask about injuries, pathologies, recent surgeries, past experiences with bodywork, what kind of sport or activity you do, what fragrances you like and dislike, and anything else that may come up. This is the time that I invest in you, I don’t charge extra for the first session. All of my patients know that I am generous in my booking times, and a good listener.

I won’t chat all the way through the massage.

Again, it seems strange to have to say it, but believe me, there are a lot of therapists who will chat right the way through the massage. Of course, in the context of a healing space, you may want to chat. We can even have a coaching session if you need some help to make a decision or choose a path. In this case, the conversation is centered on you and forms part of the therapy.

At the same time, maybe you simply need a quiet and private space to air your thoughts. The massage room offers this, too. But, I promised you that what I won’t do is fill your hour with chit-chat about my life, what I did at the weekend, my DIY projects, or my car insurance renewal. This list is only partly ironic – I have been talked to about all these sorts of things, and more, when receiving massages. So, promise number 3 – peace and quiet if that’s what you need.

The space is serene and there are few outside noises. Unlike in a busy polyclinic or therapy center, there are no loud voices in the hallway, ringing phones, or strident doorbells.

If appropriate, I will recommend some simple movements to help reduce your pain and help you move more freely.

I am a qualified yoga teacher with a long professional history. The objective of physical therapy must always be rehabilitation and freedom. If you arrive with pain or a compensation-type limitation of range of motion, and I have a safe, therapeutic exercise for you to do at home, I will recommend them.

I won’t rush.

Massage usually last about an hour. It takes at least that long to treat the whole body. When I was training, learning to fit a good treatment into 60 minutes was nearly the greatest challenge!

As an independent therapist, I carefully schedule my bookings so that I don’t have too many back-to-back treatments. This means that I can work peacefully and that you don’t feel hurried after the treatment. This sense of ease helps the mind-body to truly relax and improves the outcome of the treatment.

You will be adequately covered and warm.

Being warm and comfortable during massage is hugely important. The first time I received a massage in Spain, I was very surprised to be left uncovered. In the UK, where I trained, “towelology” or draping was one of the most important aspects. Not only for modesty but also for comfort. I also use an electric blanket during the winter months. I promise you that you won’t be cold or exposed!

I won’t body shame or judge you.

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. My space is a safe place and LGBTQI-friendly.

book now

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Massage oil, 100% pure organic coconut.

Pure coconut oil for massage

Check out my YouTube video about the organic massage oil I use in my treatments, then read on ↓. I will explain a little about massage oil in general, then get into some basic organic chemistry so that you can understand what fatty acids are and how they influence the quality of massage oil.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

  1. Coconut Carrier Oil
  2. Fatty Acids
  3. Saturated Fats
  4. How to book

Hey guys, Rachel here again, from Rose Tint Your Life. I’m on a roll because I am just loving😍 the new blind behind me. I finally have a backdrop for my videos! So, I thought I would talk to you today about my carrier oil.

Coconut Massage oil

This might seem really boring at first, but natural massage oil actually, makes all the difference in holistic and healing massage. Just behind me, in the video, you can see my little tea light warmer with the ceramic jar on top. I warm the oil because I use pure coconut massage oil 🥥 as my carrier oil. Now, pure coconut oil is only the fat fraction, so that means that it doesn’t have the proteins and it doesn’t smell like coconut.

As coconut massage oil is solid at room temperature, I keep it on a tealight warmer. Heated massage oil is an extra special treat, especially in winter!

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids

Coconut oil for massage is far and away the best choice. Why? Because it has medium-chain fatty acids. Those are 8, 10-carbon fatty acids. These fats are lubricating but they are not greasy. It is absorbed into the skin and it is really, really nourishing. Coconut oil also contains good amounts of Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol, for the chemistry nerds out there). Vitamin E is the main anti-oxidant for anything fatty. You know that Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant, right? Well Vitamin C protects in a watery medium…Vitamin E protects in a fatty medium.

What are fatty acids?

Fatty acids are the name that chemists give to the long chains of carbon and hydrogen that make up fats. Mostly, fats are found as “triglycerides“. This means that three (tri) fatty acid chains are attached to a backbone of glycerine, which is also a carbon molecule. In fact, it’s pretty much all Carbon! We are talking about some very simple organic chemistry, which is the chemistry of carbon or the chemistry of life!

coconut massage oil contains medium-chain fatty acids of 8-10 carbons. This makes it highly nourishing and lubricating.

Medium-chain fatty acids

When I say that coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids, I am saying that you are going to find chains of carbon that contain 8-10 or even 12 carbon atoms attached to that glycerine backbone.

These medium-chain fatty acids are saturated and stable. Stable in chemical terms means that they are not likely to react to things like heat or oxygen. They are chemically inert. Something unstable would be gasoline, which is also a carbon chain, but is liquid at room temperature, has a strong smell (so it is evaporating spontaneously), and is highly combustible, which is why you don’t smoke at the gas station!

Saturated fats

Generalizing wildly, animal fats are often saturated and vegetable fats are more often unsaturated. Meat and eggs contain cholesterol, a saturated fat. Because saturated fats are more solid and inert, they are often involved in nasty things like arterio-sclerosis and fatty liver. Hence the recommendation to eat more vegetable-based fats and reduce animal-based foods. But coconut is different. It has saturated fats of vegetable origin.

These, then, are vegetable fats that are similar to animal fats. They are more like the fats that our own skin produced to protect and lubricate itself. Coconut oil really is a wonderful massage oil!

How to Book

Do you like what you have read today? Come on, check it out, come to have a massage and Rose Tint Your Life! My massage studio is open Tuesday-Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. I only work by appointment, so if you’re interested in bodywork, please do get in touch via my contact page. 📍If you want a home visit, this can also be arranged in the Marina Baixa area (basically Benidorm to Altea la Vella).