Meet Rebekah - the founder of Hypnotic Massage & Sleep Boutique. A massage studio and wellness shop that offers effective sleep support and wellness products.
Hypnotic Massage & Sleep Boutique provides an integrative and holistic approach to help clients reach deep sleep. Each embracing Eastern and Western medical and wisdom practices.
After her sleeping issues were awoken in 2014, Rebekah wanted to help others achieve deeper sleep. She has over 23 years of massage and meditation experience. She is certified in Sleep Science Coaching, medical massage, shiatsu, chakra balancing, PNF stretching, sports massage, and a second degree in Reiki attunement.
We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Rebekah, who shared her wisdom on improving your sleep through therapeutic massage, reflexology, and meditation!
Tell us about what you do and how you got on this career path?
Massage began as a healing journey for me. I suffered from anxiety and depression in my early 20s and had to take a break from traditional college. On a whim, I decided to go to massage school. In learning to heal others, I also began to heal myself. Meditation also became an important part of my life at this time. Eventually, I moved back to Pittsburgh to finish two degrees in writing. In 2007, I opened the Hampton Holistic Center in a suburb of Pittsburgh. The center offered therapeutic massage, reflexology, meditation, nutrition and traditional counseling, hypnotherapy, and a variety of workshops and classes. During the pandemic, my center had to shut down, and I decided to make the move to North Carolina.
My sleep journey started when my childhood sleep anxiety was reactivated in 2014, and I suffered six months of sleep disturbances. I've always been a night owl with a chatty brain. I grew up on a ranger station deep in the woods. There was always something going bump in the night outside my window. I would lay awake until 1 or 2 am every night, wracked with anxiety. This anxiety came back when some coyotes started hunting outside my house in Pittsburgh. Exhausted but determined, I began studying sleep science and searching for holistic ways to reduce my anxiety and improve my sleep outcomes.
Since then, I have become a certified sleep science coach and done a ton of my own research. I took all that I've learned, my experiences, and my newfound passion for all things sleep and created Hypnotic Massage Sleep Boutique in lovely downtown Tryon, North Carolina (not far from Asheville). I feature a one-of-a-kind sleep massage that combines sleep coaching with a very specific massage modality to help clients jump-start a better sleeping pattern the same night as their session. I also offer sleep coaching, meditation coaching, and therapeutic massage. My sleep boutique offers sleep supplements, essential oils, teas, weighted blankets, Kindroot products, and a plethora of other curated products that support sleep. I also offer unique gifts and art created by women artists and makers.
What is a sleep coach and what type of work do you do with your clients?
As a sleep coach, I teach clients about the sleep cycle and the importance of good sleep hygiene, a consistent bedtime routine, the proper exposure to light throughout the day, etc. Together we create a simple but effective sleep plan they can implement immediately. I use the acronym HELP to organize the plan. HELP represents the following: H is for hygiene. E is for environment. L is for lifestyle. And P is for prioritize. There are many common factors regarding sleep disturbances and yet every single person has a unique set of circumstances. I start with my clients where they are and we begin with easy ways to set them up for sleep success. Change happens incrementally and it's important that clients realize this. It doesn't happen overnight - so to speak - but it can happen. And there are a lot of really simple and painless ways to start getting serene sleep.
In regards to the sleep massage. We do the sleep coaching first and then clients climb onto the table fully clothed. The hour massage incorporates a lot of rocking and deep, rhythmic pressure to lull them into the state right before sleep. In this state, their relaxation system is engaged and they are receptive to the guided meditation we do at the conclusion of the session. I then make sure the client is fully awake and ready to complete their day with the idea that at bedtime they will implement their sleep plan and go back into a serene state.
What is your #1 advice for someone experiencing sleep difficulties?
My main piece of advice is to keep calm and sleep on. Accept that sleep struggles happen and know that it will get better. To keep your stress hormones at bay, don't do sleep algebra - meaning don't worry about how many hours you have until you wake up. And if sleep never comes, just rest. Resting for several hours is much more restorative than being stressed and restless. And for goodness sake, do not pick up your phone or turn on the TV! The LED lights and stimulation will chase away all the remaining sleep hormones. Stay calm and quiet and make your sleep space as dark as possible.
What is your sleep routine and your favorite product?
My sleep routine is that I start relaxing about a half hour before bed. I turn everything off and make sure my room is super dark and cool. Then I start falling asleep with my eyes open to drink in the natural darkness. Usually, I drift off without realizing it. As I like to say, sleep happens when you are paying attention to other things.
And my favorite product is Snooze by Kindroot, of course! I take a lozenge during that half hour before bed and they work like a charm. I recommend them to all of my clients and customers. I can barely keep them in stock! The combination of melatonin and ashwagandha is magical!
Disclaimer: The information stated in this article is for educational purposes only. The information stated is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease, condition, or other physical or mental ailment of the human body. The desire to make any changes to one's dietary habits or supplementation should be consulted and discussed with a licensed medical professional.
