Combat Insomnia with Chiropractic Care

Combat insomnia with chiropractic care. Struggling to get a full night’s sleep, wide awake at three in the morning, trying to fall back to sleep before the alarm goes off. Everyone suffers from occasional sleepless nights, but when insomnia occurs regularly, it can lead to other issues like:

• Daytime fatigue and/or sleepiness
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Low motivation and energy
• Poor concentration
• Inability to stay focused
• Lack of coordination can lead to errors and accidents

Research shows that around 50 percent of the population is experiencing some type of sleep problem. Adults require a little more than eight hours of sleep every night. However, very few individuals can manage that with busy/hectic lives. Job, children, and other obligations require many to be up and on the move and get to bed much later than if following the body’s natural biological rhythm. A disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm, which governs hormone production, body temperature, and sleep, can lead to insomnia.

Combat Insomnia

The body needs adequate, restful, healthy sleep to perform its best. Insomnia can cause mental fuzziness and interfere with how the body performs its regular activities. It also increases the risk of:

• Depression
• Headaches
• Accidents

Stress, anxiety, regular caffeine, and alcohol use are some of the greatest contributors to insomnia. Learning to combat stress effectively is highly recommended to increase the chances of getting a healthy night’s sleep. Small lifestyle adjustments could be the difference in getting back to normal sleep.

Sleep Suggestions

• Some light, regular exercise before dinner time can help put the body in a restful state by bedtime. But do not exercise close to bedtime, as this can amp up the body, creating restlessness.
• Get out into the sun as often as possible to stimulate melatonin release, which will help reset the circadian rhythm.
• Reduce stress through yoga, meditation, and Tai Chi, whichever works and are great ways to help teach the mind and body to relax.
• Caffeine and smoking keep the body stimulated. Try to avoid them from mid-afternoon onward.
• Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.
• Have a small protein snack with a complex carbohydrate before bed, like peanut butter, on a whole-grain cracker. This will keep the blood sugar from dropping too low, causing the body to wake up.
• Maintain a regular sleeping and waking schedule.
• Turn off the television or any electronic device screen an hour before bed, as it stimulates the brain, causing sleep difficulties.
• Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
• If lying awake for more than about 20 minutes, get up and sit in another dark/dimly lit room until sleepiness begins to come on.

Creating healthy sleep habits and discussing treatment options with a chiropractor can help combat insomnia and bring sound sleep.

InBody Composition

Lack of Sleep Stops Muscle Growth

Lack of sleep significantly affects catabolic hormones, specifically a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that is released as a stress response. It helps break down tissue, including muscle tissue, which gives the body energy that it needs to deal with whatever stressful situation the body is dealing with.

Research has shown that during restricted sleep and complete sleep deprivation, cortisol levels become elevated the following evening by up to 45%, potentially accelerating the development of metabolic and cognitive impairment. Cortisol has a muscle-reducing effect, and increased levels from a lack of sleep can threaten muscle development. The overall effect of not sleeping enough can seriously hamper efforts to gain muscle and increase Lean Body Mass.

References

Bolash R, Drerup M. How to Beat Insomnia When You Have Chronic Pain. Cleveland Clinic Web site. health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/12/managing-insomnia-for-those-with-chronic-pain/. Published December 18, 2015. Accessed April 18, 2017.

Improving Sleep: Special Health Report. Boston, MA: Harvard Medical School; 2015.

What is Sleep? American Sleep Association Web site. www.sleepassociation.org/patients-general-public/what-is-sleep/. Accessed April 18, 2017.