There’s not much that can make or break your day like a good night’s sleep. Sleep is so important not only to feel good physically but also to feel good mentally and emotionally. Continuous lack of sleep can take a toll on the body and can lead to a weakened immune system, irritability, inability to concentrate, and more. One of the most common questions we get asked all the time is if a chiropractor can help sleep and the answer is “YES”! Let’s learn how!
How can chiropractic care help me sleep better?
Treat Injuries and Pain
Pain and injury can affect your daily life and ability to do things you would normally do. They can also definitely affect your sleep. Discomfort can cause poor sleep, which can result in lowering the body’s threshold for pain. In order to treat that pain, chiropractors can use natural, evidence-based treatments that work to promote the body’s natural ability to heal itself. A chiropractor can treat a wide variety of injuries such as auto accident injuries, sports injuries, workplace injuries and more. They also can help chronic pain caused by various things such as movement intolerances, sitting in a chair all day, old injuries, pregnancy, etc.
A chiropractor can also help you sleep better by making sure the body is in proper alignment. Proper alignment of the head, neck and spine is vital to the nervous system and also to ensure the body is functioning properly.
Reduce Stress
Not only will chiropractic treatments help reduce pain but they can also help reduce stress on the body! When the body is stressed, whether that be from extra activity, injury, or mental stress, it can have a variety of repercussions. When the body is stressed, trigger points (or knots) can form which can reduce the amount of blood and oxygen that is available to get to the muscles. Stress or any other misfunction in the body is going to interfere with your ability to relax to get a good night’s sleep.
A chiropractor can help you sleep better by using treatments such as dry needling and cupping are great at helping release those trigger points and bring blood and oxygen back into the muscles. Also, a chiropractor is a great resource for stretches that can release tension in the body.
Help Reduce Medications
Another one of the biggest benefits of chiropractic care is its holistic and natural approach to pain management. Many pain medications can have a serious impact on sleep. One study revealed that patients who were taking opioid medications for chronic pain had decreased sleep quality, increased symptoms of insomnia, increased fatigue and felt sleepy during the daytime. Using natural chiropractic treatments can help you avoid the use of pain medications. It can help your body heal by truly getting to the root cause of the issue. This is not only much better for your overall health, but your sleep quality as well. In addition, pain medications such as opioids can be extremely dangerous. They can lead to long-term issues such as drug-dependency and drug abuse.
Mattress and Pillow Recommendations
Another great way chiropractors can help improve your sleep routine is by helping you find the best mattress or pillow for your sleeping type. With extreme variability in sleeping positions and body types, there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” mattress or pillow for every person. Chiropractors can help you select the mattress and pillow that will give you the best support and sleep environment based on your individual needs. Check out this awesome post on some tips our chiropractors typically recommend!
Our advice – Build a Sleep Routine
In addition to using chiropractic treatments and rehabilitative exercises to help treat pain, injuries and stress that can be impacting your sleep, we also recommend implementing healthy changes in your routine that can benefit sleep. Some great tips include:
- Implement a bedtime routine you perform the same way each night. This will signal to the body that it’s about time to go to sleep.
- Develop a sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help keep your circadian rhythm in sync. This will allow you to fall asleep and wake much easier every day.
- Turn out or dim the lights. As you begin to wind down, make sure the lights are low and dim. This will help signal to your body that it is almost time to go to sleep.
- Stop looking at screens. Screens emit blue light which prevents the body’s natural ability to produce melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that signals your body to go to sleep. Try to avoid looking at screens 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you wake up in the middle of the night, try not to look at your phone. Blue light blocking glasses are also great to wear in the evening to prevent blue light consumption.
- Create an ideal sleeping environment. The best environment for sleep is a cool, dark, room free of distractions. This also includes pillows and mattresses suited to your individual sleeping positions and body type.
Get Treated at Kaizo Health
Our goal at Kaizo Health is to always get you back to feeling 100%. Not only will our doctors provide treatment to help you be pain-free, but we also have a dedicated team that will work with you and your insurance to make sure you get the most from your benefits so that you can experience relief for as little cost to you as possible. If you are ready to experience relief from the pain, make an appointment to see us now.
At Kaizo Health, our world-class team of chiropractors in Rockville, MD; Landover, MD; Fort Washington, MD; and Fairfax, VA, practices an evidence-based approach combining chiropractic care and guided, individualized rehabilitative exercises prescription. We provide the treatment and resources you need to recover your health and strength as best-in-class, state-of-the-art chiropractors. We are here to help! In the meantime, make sure that you check out our blog for more information on the chiropractic field, as well as our free virtual self-assessment chiropractic web app here.