A very important part of the healing process, and sometimes an overlooked aspect, is sleep, especially deep sleep. The following are six reasons “not to scrimp on sleep”.
1. Learning and Memory – When learning new tasks, we need a good night’s sleep in order for “memory consolidation” to occur.
2. Weight and Metabolism – Chronic sleep issues have the potential to cause weight gain. Chronic sleep issues “alter the way our body processes and stores carbohydrates and by altering hormones that affect appetite”.
3. Safety – Sleep deprivation leads to increased fatigue. When we are extra tired, we are more prone to accidents, due to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the day.
4. Mood – “lack of sleep can increase irritability, impatience, concentration loss, and moodiness”.
5. Disease – chronic sleep deprivation alters the immune function, which can make us more susceptible to certain cancers.
Now that we have covered why a good night’s sleep is so important to our overall health, lets discuss how we can get that good night’s sleep. Having the proper pillow is a very important part of getting a good night’s sleep. “The ideal pillow is on that allows the neck to remain neutral or maintain its normal curve that is present when standing. A neck friendly pillow should be thicker on the edge so that it fills in the space between the neck and bed and thinner under the head”. Finally, sleeping on our back or either side is preferable to sleeping on our stomach, which requires rotation of the neck.
Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. Augustine of Augustine Chiropractic in Wesley Chapel, FL, has over 31 years of experience treating patients for their neck pain and their ailments through personalized chiropractic care treatments. The locally owned and operated chiropractic clinic offers both in-office treatments and at-home therapy regiments to help people recover and heal from auto injuries and other conditions. The staff is dedicated to providing alternative and therapeutic solutions for better overall health. Give them a call today at (813) 994-6008 to schedule and appointment and visit their website to learn more about their services!