Sleep Awareness Week

It seems like the world keeps spinning faster and more people struggle with getting a good night’s rest. Many people find stress and worry to be a common cause of insomnia. Pressures from job, family, illness, and side effects of medication, changes in hormones, and aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows can all steal peaceful sleep.

In this technology age, television and computers can contribute to problems falling or staying asleep. One study found the concentration of melatonin, the human biological clock and sleep interference were all effects of performing exciting tasks on computers with bright monitors at night. With today’s technology even watching higher action shows on a tablet before bed could be related to sleep issues.

While coffee and energy drinks can be helpful in the short term, they can have other side effects long term. Here are our recommendations:

• Keep your body subluxation free by getting adjusted regularly. This helps keep the body in a state of communication and ease and can be very helpful in times of stress.
• Get a massage. Especially for stiff muscles and aches and pains getting regular massage can be helpful.
• Lavender Essential Oil is very helpful to many. By either inhaling, applying topically or using in a warm bath before bed, Lavender Essential Oils helps encourage relaxation and rest.
• Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable and supportive.
• If you exercise in the evening, do this at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Go to bed at the same time on Weekdays and Weekends
• Find a way to build in some relax time before bed.
• For smaller children, limit TV and Video games to 1 hour a day.

Source: http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=2477

From Dr. Sara Tripps

HOW CAN A CHIROPRACTOR HELP MY CHILD SLEEP BETTER?

Bones that aren’t moving properly can interfere with the sleep center in the brain and prevent a child from being able to reach a state of deep sleep. In addition, when children have trouble falling asleep or when they wake often, it may be because they have headaches, neck pain or other physical discomforts that keeps them in a shallow state of sleep. Either way, when I release the locked elements, your child is able to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber. These conditions may have many causes which is why I will thoroughly examine your child on the first visit to determine the source of your child’s problem.

IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE GENTLE? IS IT SAFE? Chiropractic care for children is both gentle and safe. Chiropractors are highly trained health care experts who have been helping children for over 100 years by addressing the cause of illness (subluxation), rather than symptoms alone.

Chiropractors are doctors with a 4-year degree and over 4500 hours of study in subjects including anatomy, physiology, neurology, orthopedics, radiology and nutrition. In addition, Dr. Tripps has taken advanced pediatrics courses. Our techniques are so gentle that infants often fall asleep during their visit!