The key to a better night’s sleep, lies in your feet by Reflexologist, Rosie O'Connor

Written by Rosie O'Connor, Clinical Reflexologist and founder of Rosie Reflexology 

Reflexology is a close-touch holistic therapy with its roots in a wide number of ancient medical modalities including Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 In this practice, your entire body is mapped onto your feet (hands, face and even ears) to form reflex points for e.g. your big toes represent your head. A reflexologist – like me – will use a variety of massage techniques to work your reflexes in order to help relieve tension, soothe illness and encourage resilience.

The little-known sense organ

Touch is the first sense to develop in the womb. And when it comes to touch our feet are incredible. Hundreds of thousands of highly sensitive nerve endings reside in our feet. Each one relays information to our brains in order to keep us safe and in tip-top condition.

 It’s not surprising then, after a stressful day, the calming effect giving your feet some attention can have, hence why reflexology is often used to support people with sleep issues by calming the nervous system, promoting relaxation, improving mood and other benefits such as reducing stress and pain.

For the love of sleep

Few things can beat that feeling of slipping off swiftly into a deep sleep and waking up the next day feeling as fresh as a daisy. But in this fast-paced, bright lights world we live in, sleep is becoming more and more elusive.

It’s well documented that sleep is more than a ‘nice to have’ indulgence. Sleep is essential to our health and well-being. As 16th-century writer Thomas Dekkar once said ‘Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together – and if you’ve ever woken up feeling grumpy with a need for more shut-eye then I’m sure you’ll agree with him.

A good night's sleep is a vital time for us to rest, recover, repair and restore. During this nightly MOT, we produce antibodies and immune cells, plus restoration in our brain. Waking up feeling fresh, is great for our mood, focus and ability to stay present.

No counting sheep

If you’ve had more foggy mornings than fresh ones lately, then maybe it’s time to treat your feet before bedtime, reflexology style.

Reduce that sheep count to zero, by trying some self-touch reflexology instead. Reflexology is renowned for helping people snooze. The calming effect lowers your heart rate, slows down your breathing and brings you and your central nervous system into a ‘rest and digest' state, perfect preparation for a dreamy sleep.

The beauty of reflexology is that you can practice on yourself. Here are three  DIY ‘Treat your Feet for Sleep’ guides for you to try at home

For a full-sensory ritual, do all three steps but if you haven't got the time, skip straight to no.3! 

1. Scrub 

2. Soak

3. Soothe