Source: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/8541847.pdf
"The present study showed that therapeutic massage decreased the severity of subjective sleep disturbance related to menopause. First, there was a decrease in insomnia and anxiety-depressive symptoms; the treatment also suppressed other menopausal symptoms. Second, PSG findings revealed a decrease in REM latency and increased stages three and four."..."Therapeutic massage reduced stress in various clinical situations such as that of depression, pain syndromes and auto-immune diseases.20
These parameters were assayed with the measurement of substances like cortisol, serotonin and dopamine.
In a study with elderly subjects, it was observed that foot massage (reflexotherapy) improved quality of sleep, reduced depression and increased the level of serotonin.
With the same technique, a significant difference was also observed in climacteric symp-toms, in fatigue, in total cholesterol and in the level of cortisol.22
In a multi-centric controlled study, massage was done to treat insomnia and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Sleepless Anxiety Scale Sleepless Depression Scale were used to evaluate patient symptoms. They concluded that there was a significant improvement in 96% of the cases,similar to the trend observed in this study."
Study by: Denise Oliveira, Helena Hachul, Sergio Tufik, Lia Bittencourt, Universidade Federal de Sa ̃o Paulo, Depto de Psicobiologia, Sa ̃o Paulo, SP, Brazil, Universidade Federal de Sa ̃o Paulo, Depto de Ginecologia, Sa ̃o Paulo,SP, Brazil
For a link to the complete article follow this link: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/8541847.pdf