A good night’s sleep seems obvious, but unfortunately for many people this is not the case. When you get into bed at night, you expect to relax, but a busy schedule, worrying thoughts and a body that just won’t relax make this increasingly difficult. The result is that you lie awake for hours or sleep restlessly, leaving you exhausted during the day. Then you sleep poorly again at night and eventually end up in a vicious circle that is difficult to break out of. Fortunately, chiropractic care can offer a solution. How is that possible? Read on to find out.
How stress affects your sleep and why this is not always immediately noticeable
We already knew that stress affects all aspects of your life. However, people often only notice its impact when they start to suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. When you experience prolonged stress in your life, your body continuously produces hormones to keep you alert. This makes it extra difficult to relax at night. This is logical, because your body thinks there is an emergency and tries to survive in this way.
When people sleep poorly due to stress, chiropractic care is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, it is worth considering this option. Chiropractic care can reduce blockages in your spine, which improves circulation and relaxation. It can also help you get in touch with your body and recognise signals before they cause problems.
Muscle tension and sleepless nights: they are more connected than you think
The idea that insomnia comes exclusively from the mind (worrying) is true to a certain extent, but not entirely. When someone says, ‘I can’t sleep because of stress,’ it is often the result of tense muscles caused by tension. Your shoulders are locked, your neck is stiff, and your back may hurt, all of which are signs that your body is constantly in a kind of survival mode. Chiropractic focuses on improving the mobility of the spine, which directly affects this tension. Targeted adjustments make the nervous system more flexible, allowing the body to switch back to rest mode more easily. When your body relaxes, it sends a signal to your mind that everything is fine, allowing you to sleep better and more deeply.
The role of the stress hormone cortisol and why chiropractic can help
Het stresshormoon cortisol speelt een grote rol bij stress en daardoor ook bij slaapproblemen. Een te hoog cortisolniveau kan ervoor zorgen dat je slecht slaapt, en dat werkt zo: Cortisol hoort in de ochtend hoog te zijn zodat je wakker wordt en klaar bent voor de dag, en ’s avonds hoort deze laag te zijn zodat je tot rust komt en kunt slapen. Heb je een langere tijd last van stress? Dan kan dit ritme verstoord raken. Je lichaam blijft dan continu in deze overlevingsstand staan en dus slaap je moeilijker.
Chiropractie kan helpen om dit ritme weer te herstellen. Wanneer de wervelkolom vrijer kan bewegen, kan het lichaam beter schakelen tussen actie en ontspanning. Daardoor daalt het cortisolniveau geleidelijk, waardoor zowel het inslapen als het doorslapen verbetert. Het duurt een tijdje tot dit effect duidelijk wordt, maar mensen merken na verloop van tijd dat hun lichaam echt anders reageert op stressprikkels.
Why chiropractic care can be a valuable addition to your sleep routine
Chiropractic treatments are not a “quick fix”, but they do offer long-term support. It helps your muscles relax, improves your mobility and also helps you schedule some time for yourself. The goal is not only to relieve your symptoms, but also to improve your body’s functioning, making you stronger both physically and mentally. As a result of this improvement, you will notice that your sleep becomes deeper, that you wake up feeling rested and that you have more resilience during the day, allowing you to cope with more. Chiropractic helps you regain control of your sleep, so that you also feel better during the day.
