We’ve all been there, tossing and turning, counting invisible sheep, realizing how creaky the floorboards in our house are, and praying for the sandman to work his magic.
No explanation is needed regarding the effects of lack of sleep on our mood or performance. We’ve all been caught in a never-ending loop of zombie-like existence fueled by caffeine and desperation. Let’s just say there’s a reason they use sleep deprivation as torture: it renders people completely useless.
We’ve all heard the sleep gurus chant the “eight hours a night” mantra, and as annoying as they are, I’m sorry to say they’re right.
As a chiropractor in Springfield, IL, I know that a lack of sleep doesn’t just mess with our mood and transform us into a caffeine-powered whirlwind. It’s a puppet master pulling the strings of our health.
Our immune system throws in the towel, leaving us defenseless against an onslaught of germs. Our brain becomes a haze of befuddlement, like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in a carnival funhouse. And our ability to function looks something like this:
We need sleep quantity and we need sleep quality. Anything less and we are on the road to deprivation. Our body needs sleep, just like air and food. As we sleep, our body heals from the stress we encounter each day and restores our chemical balance. Our brain forges new connections and stores the memories we make during the day. For better or worse.
There isn’t enough coffee in the world to override our need for sleep.
Positive.
Our spine is more than just a collection of bones; it’s the armor for our body’s communication superhighway. Our nervous system is responsible for ferrying messages between our brain and the rest of our body. Without our nervous system, involuntary and voluntary functions would be impossible.
Dodging that pigeon? Get ready for a head-on collision.
Writing an email? We’ll have to circle back.
Breathing?
A dysfunctional nervous system is not ideal. It is the boss of all the other systems. And if the boss isn’t happy, no one is happy.
Immune System
While we sleep, our immune system is busy producing antibodies and cytokines that protect us from foreign invaders and help us fight off infections.
It’s more like the bacteria and viruses swirling around as we go about our day. Some of these cytokines also help us sleep. Sleeping leads to more sleep! Without sleep, our immune system can’t build up its forces, making it more difficult to fend off or recover from illness, increasing our risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Respiratory System
It’s a two-way road between sleep and respiration. Sleep apnea is a nighttime breathing disorder that can interrupt our sleep and lower sleep quality. Each time our apnea wakes us up at night, it leaves us more vulnerable to respiratory infections like the common cold or flu.
Digestive System
It’s not just overeating or avoiding the gym that leads to weight gain; lack of sleep will get us there, too. Sleep affects two critical hormones, which control hunger and fullness.
- Leptin – tells our brain we’ve had enough
- Ghrelin – tells our brain we need to eat
Without sleep, our brain lowers leptin and raises ghrelin. Not to mention, it’s hard to exercise when we’re exhausted.
It’s a cruel trick, really.
Sleep deprivation restricts the amount of insulin produced after eating and lowers our glucose tolerance. These disruptions lead to diabetes and obesity.
Cardiovascular System
Sleep keeps our ticker in tip-top shape. We’re talking heart and blood vessels here, the whole shebang. A lack of sleep affects our blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation levels and makes it more difficult for our heart to repair itself.
Burning the midnight oil makes us more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. This is serious stuff.
Endocrine System
Our hormone production is dependent on the quality of our sleep. Testosterone alone needs three hours of interrupted sleep. Our hormones may not get much attention, but they are essential for building muscle mass, repairing cells and tissues, and other functions that help our bodies grow and develop. It just goes to show how essential sleep is for children and adolescents.
The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are real:
- Memory issues
- Trouble concentrating, problem-solving, and being creative
- Mood instability
- Increased risk of accidents
- Weakened immunity
- High blood pressure
- Increased risk for diabetes
- Weight gain
- Lowered sex drive
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Poor balance
All these effects can be kind of stressful. Unfortunately, stress makes it harder to sleep. And then there are those of us that stress about being stressed. It’s like a non-stop game of Whack-a-Mole – every thought popping up at the most inconvenient moments.
This explains why 10% of the population takes sleep medication daily. Many regularly reach for over-the-counter drugs to get to sleep and avoid the adverse effects of sleep deprivation.
But there must be a better way.
Natural Sleep Aid
Chiropractic care isn’t just about our spine. It has a beautiful ripple effect on your entire nervous system. When our spine is aligned, our nervous system works like a piece of art. Reducing pain, stress, and anxiety, those pesky villains that love to crash the sleepover.
A spinal misalignment is a traffic jam on that communication superhighway, resulting in horns, delayed trains, and disgruntled travelers. Misalignments, or subluxations as we chiropractors like to call them, interfere with waking life, making sleeping life harder, which makes waking life harder, which makes sleeping life-
When we’re stressed, our body is in a constant state of alertness. Our heart races, our muscles tense up, and our mind races a mile a minute. It’s not exactly the recipe for a peaceful night’s sleep. Chiropractic adjustments help ease that tension, allowing our body to shift into relaxation mode more easily.
By gently adjusting the spine, chiropractors help alleviate pain, reduce tension, and restore proper alignment. When our spine is in its optimal state, we can relax more effectively, paving the way for a more restful slumber.
Healthy Sleep Habits
Of course, chiropractic care isn’t a magical cure-all. To truly unlock the benefits of better sleep, it’s essential to cultivate healthy sleep habits.
- Create a Sleep Sanctuary
- Stick to a Sleep Schedule
- Unplug Before Bed
- Wind Down Bedtime Routine
- Mind Our Diet
Sleep is the foundation of our well-being, and a lack of it can take a serious toll on our health and happiness. At The Springfield Wellness Center, we work with patients to remove the things that make it difficult for them to sleep. We work to optimize their bodies for sleep, and we can recommend lifestyle changes to help lock in our chiropractic care.
Give us a call or schedule a time to meet with one of our amazing doctors to get out of the endless cycle of sleepless nights. Not only will we wake up refreshed, energized, and ready to conquer the day, but we’ll ensure our heart, lungs, hormones, digestion, and immunity can support our quest to be the best versions of ourselves possible.
