Many of us don’t get enough sleep at night. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about 40 million people in the United States suffer from chronic long-term sleep disorders each year. Furthermore, 20 million people experience occasional sleep problems.
The benefits of sleep go far beyond feeling refreshed in the morning. Sleep has a major affect on your health, mood and overall quality of life. Sleep is critical to your ability to function, make decisions, work performance, etc. It’s obvious that lack of sleep causes excessive fatigue, poor concentration, illnesses, and many other negative side effects.
Common Causes of Sleep Problems
Sleep problems can be caused by a wide array of factors. Short-term or acute insomnia can be caused by stress and/or anxiety, such as a major life change. It can be caused by illness or chronic pain, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.
Sleep problems can also be self-inflicted, such as from using recreational drugs or alcohol or consuming too much caffeine. Environmental factors can also play a major role in your ability to sleep, such as light, noise, temperature or the quality of your mattress.
While it’s normal to have the occasional sleepless night, some of us may be inflicted with insomnia. There are three primary classification of insomnia:
Transient insomnia: Transient insomnia is temporary and generally subsides within one week. It’s usually related to environmental changes, such as jet lag.
Acute insomnia: According to the National Sleep Foundation, acute insomnia is likely caused by a life event, such as a major change, which typically goes away without treatment.
Chronic insomnia: Chronic insomnia usually lasts more than one month. It can be caused by another medical condition, such as a neurological disorder or mental illness
Chiropractic Care to Improve Sleep
There are many ways to improve your quality of sleep. Building good sleep habits include: exercise, nutrition, purchasing a high quality mattress, etc. However, another way to improve sleep is through chiropractic care.
How does it work? The nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ and system in the body. The nervous system is protected by the 24 bones of your spine. When spinal bones lose their normal position or motion, due to everyday activities or injuries, this can affect your balance, posture, resistance to disease and sleep.
Through gentle and safe adjustments, chiropractic care helps restore normal nerve function and communication. Regular chiropractic adjustments are also known to reduce levels of stress, which is an important factor in getting restful sleep. Not only can chiropractor diagnose and treat spinal problems to relieve discomfort, but he or she can also offer suggestions for getting better sleep.
Schedule an Appointment at Seattle Chiropractic Center’s Petett Chiropractic
Most sleep experts agree that the average adult needs about 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re not getting adequate sleep, consider scheduling a visit to Petett Chiropractic for chiropractic care.
Please call (425) 277-2225 to schedule an appointment to discuss your sleep problems with one of our Seattle chiropractic doctors. Our chiropractic clinic is conveniently located about 30 minutes from Seattle. Our staff at Petett Chiropractic is here to answer any questions on chiropractic care and sleep.