Question: Can chiropractic treatment help prevent nightmares and improve sleep quality?
Answer: Sleep quality is essential to a healthy functioning mind and body. Anything that can improve sleep quality naturally is well worth it. Ask anyone with sleep deprivation or think about how crummy you felt the last time that you did not get enough sleep. Unfortunately not many adults get enough sleep, especially in our stressful lifestyles. Nightmares are also a result of poor sleep and unresolved anxiety. The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests the following can increase the risk of nightmares: eating before going to bed, anxiety and stress, a major life event, illness, reaction to a medication, alcohol excess or withdrawal, breathing problems, and other sleep disorders.
Chiropractic plays a large roll in assisting the body to resume its normal sleep patterns and reduce nightmares. A relaxed and balanced nervous system reduces physical stress and allows muscles to loosen up.
A vertebral subluxation in the cervical region can potentially cause the excess firing of nerves and increase energy to tissues when it should be calming them down. There are natural herbs such as chamomile, Valerian Root (passionflower), and St. Johns Wart that act to calm the nervous system. Other remedies include warm milk, or a banana an hour before bedtime.
Do not take poor sleeping quality lightly. It is a definite signal that something is out of balance physically, chemically or mentally.
First, get your spine checked by a chiropractor who can give you advice about diet, exercise and behaviors that can improve your sleep.
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