Quality sleep is the key to so many things related to our physical, mental, and emotional health. When you’re not sleeping well, you feel foggy, maybe grumpy, and overall, you’re not on your A game. About one in three adults do not get the restorative sleep they need each night. Sound familiar?
Issues such as back pain, joint pain, and stress can lead to restless nights, making it difficult for the body to relax and recover fully. This raises an important question: could a spinal adjustment be the key to better sleep?
The Relationship Between Spinal Health and Sleep
Your spine is a key part of your nervous system, which sends signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When your spine is aligned, your entire nervous system functions better. Nerve signals can travel efficiently, enabling the body to function optimally. When the spine is misaligned, it can disrupt these signals, leading to both mental and physical dysfunctions that affect your sleep.
Common problems associated with spinal misalignments, such as back and neck pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis pain, tension headaches, poor posture, and restless legs, can really interfere with your ability to get a good night's rest. Chiropractic care can help alleviate these symptoms so you can sleep better.
How Do Chiropractic Adjustments Improve Sleep Quality
Chiropractors help identify and treat the underlying causes of pain and discomfort that can keep people awake at night. Problems like tight muscles, inflammation, and nerve irritation can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. By gently realigning the spine, you’ll experience reduced pain and increased mobility, which helps promote relaxation and deeper sleep. It’s likely you will need several alignments over the course of a few weeks to keep the spine aligned.
Here are some additional ways that the holistic approach of chiropractic care can improve your sleep:
- Relieving tension: Chiropractic adjustments can ease tension and stress in the muscles, especially in the neck, back, and shoulders. This relaxation helps your body rest and recover better.
- Improving the nervous system: A properly aligned spine enhances the nervous system function. When the nervous system operates properly, the body can better regulate sleep-wake cycles.
- Correcting poor posture: Good posture is crucial for efficient and comfortable breathing during sleep. Misalignments can block airflow, making it harder to sleep. In contrast, an aligned spine supports better breathing, which is key to reaching deeper stages of sleep.
Additional Tips for Better Sleep
Quality sleep means more than the number of hours you get each night. It’s also about how you sleep, where you sleep, and your sleep habits.
The position you sleep in has a lot to do with your spine's alignment and ensuring a comfortable night's sleep. Most experts recommend sleeping on your side or back instead of your stomach. That’s because stomach sleeping can cause the spine to twist and put pressure on the neck. Using supportive pillows, such as placing one between your knees when sleeping on your side or under your neck when sleeping on your back, can help keep your body aligned. Even small changes in sleep position can make a big improvement in the quality of your sleep.
The type of mattress and pillow you choose matters, too. Soft mattresses may not adequately support your spine, while overly firm ones can put too much pressure on your joints, including your hips, which causes you to wake up more often in the night. A medium-firm mattress usually offers a good balance. When choosing a pillow, look for one that keeps your head aligned with your shoulders to ensure proper spinal alignment. The ideal thickness and firmness can vary based on whether you're a side or back sleeper.
If you need a good pillow, Village Chiropractic can help you find your perfect fit!
Finally, it's important to develop healthy sleep habits. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Also, avoid screens for one to two hours before bedtime. Making these changes can lead to better sleep and help you wake up feeling refreshed.
When to Consider Chiropractic Care for Sleep Problems
If you struggle with ongoing sleep issues despite having a good sleep environment and solid bedtime routines, it may be time to look at your spinal health. Frequent tossing and turning, waking up feeling sore and stiff, and feeling tired after what should have been a full night's rest could be related to misalignments in your spine.
If you suffer from problems such as neck and back pain, tension headaches, or poor posture that interfere with your sleep, you may benefit from a chiropractic evaluation. Chiropractors offer a holistic, non-invasive approach to improving sleep through gentle adjustments, along with recommendations for targeted stretches and better sleeping positions. Regular chiropractic care could be the key to achieving the quality sleep your body needs.
Get Comprehensive Care for Better Sleep at Village Chiropractic
Remember, your spinal health plays an important role in how well you sleep. Proper spinal alignment helps you get the sleep you need by reducing pain, easing muscle tension, and supporting your nervous system. A relaxed body makes it easier to achieve restorative sleep. If you're experiencing sleep disorders and want to manage them without medication, request an appointment with our chiropractors located in The Woodlands and Cypress.
