Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Everyone needs good quality sleep.  Most of us need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night to be at our best.  We need quality sleep to allow the body to heal, repair and function properly.  Some more common problems associated with sleep deprivation include:

 1.       Decreased energy.

2.       Increased irritability.

3.       Reduced mental performance.

4.       Slowed reaction time.

5.       Increased accidents, including motor vehicle accidents.

6.       Headaches.

7.       Fibromyalgia.

8.       Increased cardiac problems.

9.       Increased chance of stroke.

 Stress is a big reason for poor quality sleep.  One indicator of how stress may be involved is to look at how long it takes you to fall asleep. 

 The normal amount of time to fall asleep is 5 – 15 minutes.  

 If you fall asleep in 5 minutes or less, it indicates you already suffer from sleep deprivation.  Obviously there are times when we go to bed so tired that we fall asleep as soon as the head hits the pillow but that should not be an every night occurrence.  In cases like those, it is important to get more sleep each night. 

 If it takes from 15 – 30 minutes to fall asleep, it indicates stress and possible adrenal weakness. 

 If it takes over 30 minutes to fall asleep, it indicates the need for serious nutritional and herbal intervention to restore normal function. 

 Adrenal gland function is an important factor to consider with sleep issues.  To get proper sleep, the adrenal glands must be healthy and in order for the adrenal glands to stay healthy, the body must get proper rest.  It becomes a “catch-22” situation where lowered adrenal function is causing poor sleep which causes lowered adrenal function which causes poor sleep and on and on and on.  Sleep issues can also be related to thyroid issues, pituitary gland issues, digestive or liver issues. 

 Finally, chronic sleep deprivation can be caused by pain, including back, neck, shoulder, hip or leg pain.   This is where chiropractic care comes into play.  By keeping the spine free of subluxation and misalignments, the body can function better and without pain which leads to better sleep.   

 If you suffer with poor sleep or even chronic sleep deprivation, we can help.  We offer quality chiropractic services as well as Nutrition Response Testing® to support your body is getting to the root cause of your sleepless nights.  As your sleep improves, your health will improve as will your whole outlook on life.  The world seems like a better place when you’ve had a good night’s sleep! Call us today at 501-842-1004 to make your appointment.