18/10/2025
Matthews reply to this great email from Kareleen
"Good morning Matt,
Thank you for your email.
Very interesting topics.
In your mail, you asked for ideas or requests.
What do you suggest for sleeping problems?
Is it something that you could treat with your therapies?
Looking forward to hearing from you."
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Aloha Kareleen,
Thank you for your message. I really appreciate it — and for asking such an important question. There are many people who struggle with sleep these days, and it’s often not for lack of trying, so I’m glad you brought it up. You actually reminded me of a client who had asked about it this week!
There are quite a few natural ways to support better sleep, and most of them have to do with how we live in relation to light, movement, food, and stress.
Light and the body’s sleep rhythm
Just behind your eyes is a small gland called the pineal gland — it helps control the release of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to rest. Artificial light, especially the kind we get from phones, TVs, and bright overhead lighting in the evenings, can confuse that signal and keep the brain too alert.
On the other hand, getting real sunlight on your eyes and skin in the morning or early afternoon “resets” your body clock, helping melatonin rise naturally later in the day.
Food, water, and timing
Eating late at night or drinking too much water close to bedtime can also make it harder to fall into deep sleep — the body stays busy digesting or waking you up to visit the bathroom. Ideally, your last meal should be a light one, a few hours before bed.
Movement and breathing
When we don’t move enough, tension builds up in the muscles and nervous system. Add shallow breathing (something many people do without realising it), and the body stays in a “fight or flight” mode instead of “rest and digest.” A few minutes of slow, diaphragmatic breathing in the evening can make a surprising difference.
Massage and healthy sleep
This is where massage fits beautifully. Massage helps lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and encourages the release of serotonin and dopamine — both play a role in how well we sleep.
A good time for a massage, especially if you struggle to wind down at night, is late afternoon or early evening. That way, your nervous system can shift into calm long before bedtime. Over time, regular massage helps retrain your body to settle more easily into its natural rhythm.
Clinical studies (for example, Field, International Journal of Neuroscience, 2005) have shown measurable improvements in sleep quality and hormone balance following massage — though, as with most natural methods, consistency matters more than any one session.
You have asked such a great question that I am going to write an article with a few self-care tips and suggest specific types of massage that support relaxation and better sleep patterns. Can I email you the link when I have finished it?
Warm regards,
Matthew
Kahe Hands Wellness Studio
Kahe Hands Wellness Studio offers wellness treatments in Centurion, Pretoria which is the perfect blend of pressure, knowledge and care. We also perform Holistic, Sports, Swedish, Thai and Deep Tissue massage for couples and parties up to 4 individuals.
