I Tried Using a Theragun for Sleep: Here’s What Happened

As somebody with each PTSD and a number of musculoskeletal ache, I am up loads at night time. I at all times wake a number of instances, and I wrestle to fall again asleep. So I’m usually recreation to attempt any hack that may assist.

Once I heard that massage guns can probably enhance the standard of your sleep, I made a decision to attempt a “one-week massage gun for sleep problem.” I’ve had success utilizing a therapeutic massage gun after train to cut back muscle soreness and enhance my vary of movement, so I figured it didn’t sound loopy that it may also assist me sleep higher.

The analysis behind utilizing a therapeutic massage gun for sleep

Therabody performed a study that requested 73 wholesome members (ages 18 to 40) to comply with the Theragun Restoration and Sleep protocols whereas sporting a Biostrap wrist sensor to trace their high quality and amount of sleep and restoration.

The topics have been adopted for 5 weeks. Throughout the first two, baseline knowledge was collected with out utilizing any type of therapeutic massage gun. Then, topics carried out the Theragun Restoration and Sleep protocols with the Theragun Elite half-hour earlier than mattress in addition to restoration therapeutic massage gun protocols instantly after train for 2 weeks. Throughout the ultimate week, they returned to their regular sleep routines with out the therapeutic massage gun.

Outcomes confirmed that 87 p.c of the research members fell asleep extra shortly utilizing the Theragun—4 minutes and 15 seconds quicker, on common. Moreover, 70 p.c of the members had fewer wakings in the course of the night time.

Associated Tales

Possibly most notably, after utilizing the Theragun Elite instantly after train and half-hour earlier than mattress following the Therabody app‘s sleep routine, one hundred pc of the themes reported enhancements of their general high quality of life. Who doesn’t need that?

How I used my Theragun for sleep

In fact, I’m a case research of 1, and this wasn’t some type of well-controlled scientific research with captured sleep monitoring knowledge. However I made a decision to see how this technique might work for me, utilizing my Theragun Pro.

Simply as I used to be about to embark by myself check, Therabody introduced a partnership with Oura ring to create a sleep therapeutic massage gun protocol within the Therabody app. Excellent timing.

The Therabody sleep protocol is a totally guided, six-minute routine, concentrating on areas of the physique that are inclined to have built-up pressure, just like the neck, decrease again, forearms, quads, shins, and toes. Every space will get a 30-second therapy, which seems like simply lengthy sufficient to loosen issues up with out taking perpetually to get by the whole-body wind-down. The protocol makes use of lighter strain, which is alleged to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “relaxation and digest” system, whereas heavy strain can lead you to be extra alert.

What occurred after I used a Theragun each night time earlier than mattress

My regular sleep routine is to go to mattress round 9:30 pm and to get away from bed round 5:30 am, so I used the Theragun Pro at 9:00 each night time for every week, doing a three-day lead-in with out it to determine a baseline. Listed below are my outcomes (don’t decide me—I get up a lot!):

Baseline nights

Throughout the baseline three nights, I went to mattress at simply earlier than 9:30 every night time. These are the approximate instances I awoke:

• 10/14: 10:30 pm, 11:45 pm, 1:10 am, 3:00 am, 5:30 am
• 10/15: 10:20 pm, 11:40 pm, 1:20 am, 2:25 am, 5:20 am
• 10/16: 10:15 pm, 10:45 pm, 11:20 pm, 2:00 am, 3:10 am, 4:55 am

Evening one utilizing the sleep protocol

As somebody who’s well-acquainted with anatomy, I discovered the sleep protocol straightforward to comply with, however when you’re much less acquainted with particular muscle teams, it is likely to be useful to do a dry run with out the therapeutic massage gun on to look at the app and follow. (As a perfectionist, I used to be continually wanting on the app to verify I used to be pinpointing all the best spots.)

As soon as it was time to get in mattress, I didn’t really feel like I fell asleep any quicker. Actually, I believe it took about 10 to fifteen minutes longer as a result of I appeared keyed up, so I used to be sort of bummed about that.

Nevertheless, I solely awoke thrice within the night time! This is probably not a victory for the common particular person, but it surely was two-plus fewer instances for me.

Nights 2 and three

The second and third nights went higher. I used to be nervous that it will take a very long time to go to sleep once more, however the reverse occurred. One night time, I used to be out like a light-weight and the opposite it was about on par with my common sleep timing. I continued to solely get up thrice (yay!).

Notably, I additionally skilled a lot much less ache at night time and awoke feeling much less stiff.

Evening 4

This was a tricky night time. I did a tough kettlebell exercise in the course of the day and was tremendous achy at bedtime. It was additionally an emotionally robust day for me and I couldn’t flip off my mind. Even after utilizing the therapeutic massage gun, I used to be nonetheless mendacity there stressed for over an hour, so I really caved and took a Tylenol. Fortunately, it took the sting off of my ache and I ultimately fell asleep.

Nights 5 by 7

The final three nights, I used to be like a brand new particular person (new sleeper?). I fell asleep shortly, awoke two or thrice per night time (two awakenings is my private report now!), and felt much less stiff and sore after I acquired up within the morning.

My takeaway: Did the Theragun assist me sleep?

I initially set out simply to check this for only a week, and since I’m normally all about simplifying my bedtime routine, I figured I’d cease as quickly because the week was over. However now, I’d simply maintain it going.

Though I haven’t been totally satisfied that I’m positively sleeping a lot better, I’m completely positive it’s not less than serving to to loosen up my thoughts and it’s actually stress-free my muscle groups and easing among the achiness I normally wrestle with at night time.

Subsequent up? I need to attempt utilizing the Oura ring to make the most of the distinctive partnership with the Theragun massage gun sleep protocol. As a numbers woman myself, I’d love to truly observe my sleep cycles and sleep high quality for a bit extra of a quantitative analysis of the advantages. For now, it looks like I’ve acquired a brand new bedtime routine that’s working—and I’m actually going to run with that!