Chiropractic and Sleep – Manage Back Pain For a Better Night’s Sleep

Why sleep is so important…

As a society, we get less sleep than we need. Having trouble sleeping is one of the most common complaints. Lack of sleep results in fatigue, poor concentration, and more illness. Sleep is a fundamental requirement for good health. Poor sleep interferes with every biochemical process in the body. For example, sleep is critical for the balancing hormone leptin. Leptin is the hormone that lets your body know when you are full. This helps prevent over-eating. Sleep deprivation also drives up inflammation (joint pain, aches, stiffness). Lack of sleep raises the risk for chronic disease including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition where it is difficult to fall asleep. Insomnia happens for a variety of reasons. In many cases, it can be hard to pin-point. Some cases include anxiety, depression high stress levels, and certain medications. The most common sign of insomnia is the inability to fall asleep. You may be unable to fall asleep for hours at a time. Another classic sign is waking up at night, with the inability to fall back asleep.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea occurs when breathing is obstructed during sleep. This causes a brief pause in breath. Then an awakening sensation will occur. This can be caused by the shape of the airways and mouth. Head trauma or excessive weight gain can also be a contributing factor. A person with sleep apnea may experience a sudden waking and gasping for air. Snoring and sleepiness during the day, and extreme dry mouth upon waking are also symptoms of sleep apnea.

Chiropractic Adjustment

Chiropractic care is mostly viewed as managing back pain. Many people fail to understand how important it is to improving sleep. Chiropractic care focuses on the spine. Correcting any misalignments in the spine, boosts the spine’s overall health. As for sleep, it means that the pain and tension built up in the spine is released. This allows the body to be more comfortable, and easier to relax and fall asleep. Chiropractic also helps enhance the body’s Central Nervous System. The Central Nervous System plays a primary role in efficient function of the body. When the Central Nervous System is working better, it allows for better overall health.

Tips for getting a better night’s sleep

The first tip to getting a better night’s sleep is getting chiropractic adjustments regularly. People who receive chiropractic care report being able to fall asleep quicker. They also report having a deeper, more restful sleep. The second tip is to remove electronics from the bedroom. Electronics emit a lot of light on the blue light spectrum. This suppresses the hormone melatonin. Ultimately, this can interfere with sleep.

The third tip is to make sure your mattress and pillow are supportive. Make sure your pillow is not pushing your chin into your chest. Also, make sure your pillow isn’t bending your neck into an awkward angle. This can cause a sore neck. It is also important to make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable. Check the life expectancy on your mattress. The average life expectancy is 8 or 9 years for a good quality mattress. If your mattress is older, it may be time to start looking for a new mattress.

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