Why is rocking relaxing

Insufficient sleep can increase the risk…. In this article, we discuss the most fascinating cell type in the human body. We explain what a neuron looks like, what it does, and how it works. A person with sleep paralysis will wake up but be unable to move. For a few seconds, they may feel afraid, and hear or see things that are not there…. Why being rocked will help you sleep better. Share on Pinterest New research helps explain why sleeping in a hammock feels so good.

How rocking affects sleep quality. Vestibular sensory stimulation is key. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Unlike humans, however, rocking did not seem to induce deeper sleep in the rodents.

The authors suspected rocking might exert its influence on sleep by stimulating the vestibular system, the sensory organs in the inner ears of mammals that control our sense of balance and spatial orientation. Using a strain of mice with impaired vestibular function, they showed this is indeed the case. Mice without these otolithic organs showed none of benefits of rocking during sleep. Kompotis says the two studies could lead to improved treatments for people who have trouble falling asleep as well as for those with inner ear defects.

But for those hankering to add rocking to their fitness routines, he urges patience. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Discover World-Changing Science.

Terms Privacy Policy. Part of HuffPost Wellness. All rights reserved. Every one of the participants fell asleep more quickly during their rocking nap. A majority eight out of 12 said they found the rocking nap "more pleasant" than the nap on the stationary bed. During the rocking nap, all of the sleepers moved more quickly from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of their sleep cycle. Stage 2 is where we typically spend half of our sleep time over the course of a night.

While rocking, sleepers showed significant increases in the types of brain-wave activity that are specifically associated with deeper, more restful and more continuous sleep.

Brain waves slow down from stage 1 Sleep spindles -- short bursts of electrical activity in the brain -- occur. I believe that there is great potential in these results. I'd love to see the effects of rocking tested over longer sleep periods and on subjects who suffer from sleep disorders, including insomnia. In many ways, of course, this study confirms what we all instinctively know about the power of this soothing, repetitive rocking motion.

And you don't need a custom hammock bed -- or even the old-fashioned version in your backyard -- to reap the benefits of rocking. Visualization is a powerful tool that requires no equipment, and you can try it tonight!

When you close your eyes for the night, create a restful rocking scene: Imagine yourself swaying in that hammock, or floating lazily on a raft under gentle waves.