You probably spend more time sleeping than doing anything else in your life, even if you have insomnia. Why is sleep so important? How can you get the sleep you need (7-8 hours) at night instead of napping throughout the day? Why can a gentle adjustment at the base of your skull be exactly what you need in order to sleep better? We’re going to address the answers to these questions and more in our article. If you suffer from insomnia, there is hope, and it doesn’t have to come from a pill bottle!
More than 1 in 3 Americans don’t get enough sleep according to the CDC. They found even more interesting things while researching sleep by demographic. For example, people with jobs are more likely to get 7 or more hours of sleep at night than those who are unemployed. Stress over finances and trying to find a job may contribute to those sleepless nights.
Certain states and even certain races were more likely to get the proper amount of sleep. Another telling statistic was that 5% more married people slept through the night than those who were never married and 11% more than those who went through a divorce, separation, or death of a mate.
It is clear that stress and emotional trauma play a role in sleep. But could physical trauma also be an issue? Before we discuss potential underlying causes of a lack of sleep, let’s recount some of the important benefits of getting the right amount of sleep.
Sleep affects just about every part of our life. Consider the following reasons that sleeping well at night is an absolute necessity:
Yes, sleep is vital to life! So let’s consider the way that brain function, specifically brainstem function, affects sleep. This will help us to discover a natural way to cope with insomnia.
Researchers don’t fully understand how the sleep process works, but they know enough to recognize the role of the brainstem. This part of the body that controls many of the processes that take place without conscious decision making (i.e., breathing) also sends the signals that the body uses to regulate its own internal clock (called a circadian clock). That means both the sleep and wake cycles are dependent on the brainstem.
When you are falling asleep, your body does a number of things automatically. Blood sugar levels are regulated as is blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, and so on. Hormones are released into the body that set this process in motion. When you wake up, the opposite needs to occur. Your body has to increase things like blood sugar levels and blood pressure along with releasing certain hormones in order to wake you up from sleep.
So clearly, brainstem function is important to sleep. But what can affect brainstem function? Here’s a short and simple anatomy lesson.
The vertebrae are circular and provide protection for the spinal cord which runs through the vertebrae. The brainstem is where the brain meets the spinal cord. The top vertebra in the neck (called the C1 or atlas) surrounds and protects the brainstem.
However, this also means that proper alignment of the atlas plays a major role in brainstem function. Even being a little out of place can take the atlas from being a protector to applying pressure to the brainstem and inhibiting optimal function. So how can you know if your atlas is in place and correct the problem if it is not?
Upper cervical chiropractors are few and far between because this is a very specific subspecialty that focuses in the atlas. When the atlas is misaligned by a mere fraction of a millimeter, long-term problems can arise. That’s why this niche has arisen. Upper cervical practitioners take measurements down to hundredths of a degree and provide gentle and precise corrections that don’t involve any of the popping or cracking that you probably associate with chiropractic care.
If you are suffering from insomnia or other sleep issues, the atlas is one place you should be looking to for natural relief, especially if you have any personal history of head or neck trauma. To learn more about upper cervical chiropractic and the overall health benefits that it has to offer, use the search feature on this site to locate a doctor near you. Your initial examination may be your first step toward sleeping better and enjoying the many other positive results that patients are experiencing thanks to upper cervical care.
Can chiropractors help insomnia?
Yes, upper cervical chiropractic care can help insomnia by treating the root cause of the problem. If the main cause is stress, chiropractic adjustment can help with it. Stress is bad for the body and immune system. Chiropractors help patients relieve stress in many ways.
Why do you sleep better after chiropractor?
Chiropractic care is a drug-free therapy that helps relieve pain and improve sleep quality. After adjustments, patients immediately feel and notice muscle relaxation. Subluxation adjustment also helps treat insomnia by balancing the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.
How does insomnia affect your health?
Complications of sleep disorders such as insomnia include lower performance on the job or at school, slow reaction time, mental health disorders such as depression, an anxiety disorder or even falling into substance abuse.
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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
