Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy

Abstract

Infants and toddlers (M age = 1.5 years) with sleep onset problems were given daily massages by their parents for 15 minutes prior to bedtime for one month. Based on parent diaries the massaged versus the control children (who were read bedtime stories) showed fewer sleep delay behaviors and had a shorter latency to sleep onset by the end of the study. Forty-five minute behavior observations by an independent observer also revealed more time awake, alert and active and more positive affect in the massaged children by the end of the study. © 2001 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V.