Jamie's Blog

I loved the academic part of massage school. It was fascinating to learn about each of our body’s systems and how they function for us. I thought it might be fun to write some blogs on the topic. Let me know if you’d like more of these in the future :) Have you ever wondered why stretching feels so good, or how massage actually helps your body? Our muscles work hard for us every day—whether we’re sitting at a desk, practicing yoga sculpt, or carrying groceries. But how much do we really know about how they function? In this blog, we’ll explore how muscles work, the benefits of stretching your muscles, and how massage therapy supports healthy, happy muscles.

Ever felt a deep ache or sharp pain in your glutes or lower back — perhaps even pain that radiates down your leg? That might be your piriformis talking to you. Though small in size, the piriformis muscle can cause a world of discomfort when it’s tight or irritated. Let’s take a look at what the piriformis muscle is, what it does for you, and why you might want to have it massaged. You'll also see some great stretches to relieve tension in this muscle.

You may not have heard of it by name, but if you've ever experienced nagging lower back pain, your quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle might be the culprit. This deep core muscle plays a key role in your daily movement—and when it's tight, weak, or overworked, it can cause discomfort that’s hard to ignore. Let’s take a look at what the QL muscle is, what it does for you, and why you might want to have it massaged. Read to the end for some bonus yoga stretches for this muscle.

Are you concerned that a loved one might be struggling with an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder? As someone who has personally struggled with disordered eating and now works as a recovered eating disorder recovery coach, I'd like to share some warning signs, ways to help support your loved ones, and things to avoid.

Getting a good night's sleep is so important to your physical and mental health. However, getting quality sleep is becoming more difficult in today's busy world. According to a recent CDC survey , 14.5% of adults experience trouble feeling or staying asleep most days or every day. Incorporating yoga into your nighttime routine can help enhance sleep quality and duration. Yoga for sleeping can help people who sleep poorly or suffer from insomnia. I am a certified yoga instructor who struggles with sleep problems. After experimenting with lots of options to help improve my sleep, I have found that gentle yoga and breathing techniques are the most effective for going and staying asleep. Keep reading to find out more about how a regular yoga practice can help improve your sleep too.
More content from Jamie

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that allows one to gain the benefits of deep rest while being awake. Read more on the Island Power Yoga blog.