Helping You Get Your Zzzs

By Angela C. Darling, DC, MSW

Everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. For some though, getting to sleep is a regular struggle. Still, others go through periods of insomnia only when they are under abnormal stress.

Regardless, most people know from experience the consequences of sleeping poorly feeling bad, decreased productivity, memory loss, and lowered immunity, to name a few. Sleeping, after all, is the time when our bodies are doing required maintenance and repair work. When we get the recommended 7.5 – 8.5 hours of sleep per night, we feel better, work better and even look better.

So, what do you do when you have trouble sleeping? Sleep experts recommend first implementing a number of “sleep hygiene” tasks. One should have a regular bedtime and wake-up time; cut out caffeine (or at least after mid-afternoon); don't drink alcohol, eat or use nicotine close to bedtime; make your bedroom the ideal place to sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and comfortable; get regular exercise as part of reducing stress.

If the basic sleep hygiene recommendations don't work for you, speak with a professional. Chiropractors commonly hear patients' complaints about poor sleep. We can help you discern the issues causing your sleep to suffer.

Is an illness, injury, or perhaps chronic pain keeping you awake at night? As a result of your pain, have you become dependent upon pharmaceuticals to get your shut-eye? Think about how much more comfortable you could be in your bed if you did not have neck, hip, or back pain.

The alignment of your spine allows your nervous system to function optimally by freeing the nerves to fire their signals, unhampered by structural impairment. Proper spinal alignment, therefore, improves the function of every cell, tissue, and organ whether you feel pain or not.

So, if you or someone in your household is having trouble sleeping, you may want to consider what chiropractic can do to help.