Sleep
Sleep is a fundamental component of health, some of the major benefits of adequate sleep include; improved mental health, improved weight loss, better energy production, increased immunity and long term brain health- (“Get Enough Sleep – MyHealth | health.gov”, 2021).
The average human spends 1/3 of their life asleep so if you are trying keep your spine healthy or manage pain/injury your sleeping position is paramount. According to the Sleep Foundation, to consistently get a good night sleep we need to:
Create a sleep inducing bedroom
Optimize your sleep schedule
Have a pre bed routine
The first step is to create a sleep inducing bedroom, this includes having a high quality pillow and mattress to support your spine so you are comfortable therefore enabling you to fall asleep easier and not wake up with aches or pains. Not using your phone right before bed and keeping your room dark are two more components of creating a sleep inducing environment. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates our sleep and awake cycle, blue light from phones and TV’s inhibits the release of this hormone which keeps us up and reduces the quality of sleep.
A recent study showed that sleep deprivation decreases the body’s ability to recover from muscle and ligament damage (Yang et al., 2019). If you are recovering from any sort of ailment or wanting to perform at your best, you need to be getting enough sleep! The amount needed varies from person to person but it is typically between 7-9 hours per night.
If you aren’t sleeping well due to discomfort or you are waking up tight and sore, make an appointment to speak to one of our Chiropractors today.
REFERENCES:
Get Enough Sleep – MyHealthfinder | health.gov. (2021). Retrieved 17 September 2021, from https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/everyday-healthy-living/mental-health-and-relationships/get-enough-sleep
Yang, D., Shen, Y., Wu, C., Huang, Y., Lee, P., & Er, N. et al. (2019). Sleep deprivation reduces the recovery of muscle injury induced by high-intensity exercise in a mouse model. Life Sciences, 235, 116835. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116835
