Insomnia and What You Can Do About It

We all know that getting a good night’s rest is an important part of maintaining good health. And, we know that missing out on sleep can affect how we function, our energy and our moods.

So, if you’re having problems falling or staying asleep, let’s do something about it! There’s a lot you can do naturally before relying on a sleep aid, so give a natural solution a try before reaching for a pill.

About 10% of us experience chronic sleep difficulties. Unfortunately, the number of people using prescription drugs to treat insomnia has increased, while the true causes for insomnia are left unaddressed. So, let’s take a deeper look.

What Exactly is Insomnia?

Here are a few indicators that you may be dealing with insomnia:

• Trouble falling asleep in the evening
• Waking up repeatedly throughout the night
• Waking up too early in the morning, unable to get back to sleep
• Waking up feeling tired instead of refreshed

Drowsiness or fatigue during the day, problems concentrating, low energy and irritability; even weight gain are all problems associated with not getting enough sleep. The lack of sleep can take physical tolls on your body as well, such as poor posture or dark “bags” under your eyes. And, we know how much you want to avoid that… so read on.

Some Causes of Sleeplessness:

Emotions running wild. For some, lack of sleep may be a sign of grief, unhappiness, depression or other emotional concerns. For others, anxiety, worries or an ongoing mental to-do list get in the way of getting to sleep.

Food and drink. Sometimes, excessive amounts of food, alcohol or caffeine before bed can make falling asleep and staying asleep challenging. So avoid evening use of alcohol, food, caffeine or smoking as that could help you sleep better.

Exposure to light. The body’s biological clock, which regulates our sleep-wake cycles, is strongly affected by light. Melatonin, an important hormone, affects both our desire to sleep and the quality of our sleep. Darkness enhances melatonin production, while light inhibits it. Therefore, those who don’t get enough exposure to direct sunlight, can suffer similar types of insomnia.

Being inactive. Regular exercise will tire you out so you’ll fall asleep faster! If you’re having a hard time fitting exercise into your schedule, try fitting a family walk with the dog or even a friend once a day to get some fresh air and a little exercise.

What Can You Do To Get Some Rest?

Chiropractic care for proper function and sweet dreams. In our practice, many patients report vastly improved sleep patterns after beginning regular chiropractic care. Why? The act of removing interferences in the nervous system often helps with the natural processes of the body, including sleep. You could be one of many who start getting a full night’s rest and enjoy feeling refreshed in the morning after visiting us.

Relax. Little changes in your day can make a huge difference at night. Read, listen to music, write in a journal or take a warm bath before bed. Also, try to avoid upsetting discussions, stressful work, etc. before bedtime so you can relax. Then, dim the lights throughout the house and stay off technology to give your mind a hint it’s bed time.

The Last Resort. Sleep problems are not the result of a sleeping pill shortage! While convenient (and potentially addictive), drugs merely mask the real problem. And while you may sleep, the quality of your sleep from a drug-induced stupor is hardly the rejuvenation you need! But you knew that.

See what’s possible when you have a better working nervous system! By utilizing today’s chiropractic care and tweaking your routines, you can get better, more refreshing sleep to make each day just a little brighter!

Give us a call so we can help ensure you stay on track and get the rest you need to wake up on the right side of the bed!