Sleep Part 5 A Healthy Nervous System

Rounding out our series on sleep, we can't be remiss about how vital it is to create or maintain a healthy spine. In our fast-paced world, with overbooked schedules, stretched finances, and non-stop communications, it is easy to become stuck in sympathetic, also known as fight or flight mode. In sympathetic mode, our bodies crank out the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, our hearts beat more quickly, blood pressure increases, breathing speeds up, blood goes into the extremities and away from our internal organs and digestion.  The physiology supports running away and thinking quickly. Our body needs sympathetic nervous system to get us through stressful situations, but without having periods of rest from this, while our parasympathetic nervous system is in charge, the resources of the body become quickly tapped, and it is becomes increasingly difficult to wind down.  That is why we find so many individuals who are both tired AND wired. Having a sympathetic dominant system is much like having a Ferrari engine, you are designed to GO GO GO!

Chiropractic, specifically the tonal techniques used at Lifelong Health Family Chiropractic, support a switch away from sympathetic dominance and toward parasympathetic balance. This is because your parasympathetic nervous system is housed in your upper neck and low sacrum and hips, precisely we focus your adjusments because these are the powerful areas where your spine and spinal cord connect.  As your body unwinds its tension, we liken your adjustments to "pumping the brakes" so your body can have big powerful brakes to match the giant roaring engine of the sympathetic nervous system.  As a result, many of our clients, children and parents alike, report an increase in quantity and quality of rest, as well as greater ease with other bodily functions.

Another benefit of chiropractic in those people who struggle with sleep is the physical aspect.  If certain positions are difficult due to pain, or your stress or pain become worsened by lying down, correcting your spine helps your body function AND feel better. 

Cheers to a Happy and Healthy Nervous System with lots of ZZZ's!