How does Chiropractic help you sleep better? At our practice, we offer medical, rehab and hands-on therapies, in addition to chiropractic. When our chiropractors adjust, it allows your body to restore function appropriately. Adjustments combined with hands-on therapies, soothe the body and relax muscles (and the mind). We can also take that one step further: a lot of our patients attend rehab with our exercise physiologist. Exercise has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing for better and more deep sleep. If you’re looking for a chiropractor, be sure their practice is integrated, offering more than just adjustments – we’re certain you’ll feel the difference!
In addition to chiropractic services, you might benefit from the below considerations:
- Sleep positioning
- Mattress and pillow selection
- Following an evening routine
Sleep Positioning
Sleeping on your back or even your sides, are the best positions. This helps your body naturally align itself at night, and sleeping on your sides, when done correctly, has also shown to reduce snoring, which could be affecting your quality of sleep. The biggest take away here is to avoid sleeping on your stomach. When you sleep on your stomach, your neck and back can’t be in neutral positions, which leads to strains and pains in those areas throughout the day.
Mattress and Pillow Selection
At first thought, you may have no interest in spending a little extra money, and putting a bit more thought behind your pillows and mattress, but we spend nearly ⅓ of our lives asleep! That’s a massive chunk of time – and one worth investing in for your daily and future self’s comfort.
Everyone’s body has slightly different needs, but a few things are true for everyone. A mattress on the more firm side does support your back much better, and keeps low back pain minimal since you’re less likely to sink into the mattress. Additionally, your muscles are able to relax at night since your bones are able to support your body, given the more firm surface. This leads to improved circulation. So if you experience back pain often, it’s best to shop for firm mattresses and pillows.
Creating an Evening Routine
Just as your circadian rhythm naturally helps you to feel tired in the nighttime hours and awake in the daylight, creating an evening routine can also help your body prepare to go to sleep. Find some stretches and light exercises that help you relax and relieve any tension in your body before bed – you might be surprised at how beneficial it can be for you.
Author Kelsey Kelsey is Bay Area Wellness Center's Marketing Assistant. She comes from the advertising world with 3+ years of experience in research, strategy and media planning. Interested in collaborating with us? Shoot Kelsey an email at marketing1.bawc@gmail.com and she'll get back to you!