sleep well sleep healthy - maximum health, wellness and...
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Sleep Well
Sleep Healthy
A Special Presentation by
Your Doctor of Chiropractic
To Help YOU Enjoy the
Health Benefits of Quality Sleep
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
Why are we here tonight?
We are here to explore sleep,
sleep problems and the vital role proper, quality sleep
plays in our health, performance,
happiness and longevity --
AND
To share the unique and powerful role the
Doctor of Chiropractic can and should play in
helping you achieve and maintain
personal optimal health and wellness.
What is Sleep and
Why do we need it? Individual patterns vary of course,
but we humans will spend upwards of
one-third of our entire lives sleeping.
For centuries, sleep was little understood and assumed to be simply
“downtime” when the brain had shut off and the body was at rest.
In recent decades, however,
we have gained
an important new understanding
of the complexity of sleep
and its vital importance to
good health and optimal performance.
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
What Happens when we SLEEP?
Science understands sleep to be a naturally occurring state
of physical and mental respite in which
we suspend our active consciousness
and where most external stimuli
are blocked from the senses.
One popular English-language
dictionary defines sleep as:
“…a naturally recurring state of relatively suspended sensory and motor activity, characterized by total or partial unconsciousness and the inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles.”
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
What Happens when we SLEEP?
While we all sleep and have a sense of what it is,
few people really understand how complex and vital
to our health and performance sleep really is.
In fact,
science is
only beginning to
delve into key aspects
about the
many phases of sleep
and how
each dimension of sleep
serves our physical
and emotional needs.
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
How Important is this?
What is universally agreed upon,
among researchers,
is that sleep is an
absolutely vital
component of health
-and that sleep problems
are emerging
as a MAJOR THREAT to public health
in the 21st Century.
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
The role of sleep in determining health and well-being is right up
there with nutrition and physical activity!
Researchers are discovering how vital sleep is to everything from
strength/coordination and immune system resilience to learning
and memory.
They are also learning how lack of sleep directly impacts our
health, safety, and longevity!
Sleep is a dynamic process -- and a complex process --
where the body restores and renews many structures and functions.
What Is the Impact of Sleep on our Health?
Chiropractic and Healthy Sleep
Science has also determined that
sleep is an active period of
heightened anabolic state,
accentuating the
growth and rejuvenation
of the immune, nervous,
skeletal and muscular systems.
In fact, we only build new cells
when we sleep.
Scientific research and definitions explore and describe the
dynamics of the body’s physiology
and changes in function including patterns of brain waves
when we sleep.
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
YOU and YOUR ICA DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC --
Partnering to Make A World of Difference in Healthy Sleep
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Good Health
REQUIRES
Good Sleep:
• General Health
• Emotional Well-Being
• Family Connections
• Interactions with Others
• Clarity of Mind
• Physical Coordination
• Structural Integrity and Stability
• Resistance to Illness
• Work and Career Performance
Lack of Sound Sleep
Impacts Health on Many Levels!
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Common
Sleep
Problems:
• Insufficient Sleep
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Difficulty Sleeping Through the Night
• Breathing Problems:
– Apnea and Snoring
• “Restless Legs”
• Anxiety, Worry
• Digestive Problems
• Uncomfortable Sleep Positions
• Postural Support and Pressure issues
Lack of Sound Sleep
Impacts Health on Many Levels!
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
The
Gifts
of
GOOD
SLEEP:
• Resilient Health
• Reduced Risk of Illness
• Improved Memory
• Weight Loss or Maintenance
• Cellular Health and
Healthy Complexion
• Positive Perceptions and Mood
• Advanced Intellectual Capacity
• Physical Flexibility and Strength
• Enhanced Reflexes and
Coordination
• Increased Energy for Work and
Creativity in Career
The Significance of Sleep Problems:
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Disrupting the
Biological Clocks
of the Body
When we sleep,
When we wake up
Body temperature
BODY RHYTHMS:
•Enzyme production
•Hormonal production/secretion
•Elecrolyte excretion/balance
•Brain Waves
The Significance of Sleep Problems
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Disrupting the Biological Clocks of the Body
EXAMPLES:
Increased Incidence of Accidents
--around 4:00 A.M.
Peak in task performance errors
--around 4:00 A.M.
Minimum
body
temperature
is lowest
around
4:00 A.M.
SLEEP PHASES: Brain Wave Pulsations
The more awake we
are, the faster our
brain-wave
frequency
Our brain-wave
frequency slows
down as we
relax into sleep
Brain waves can
pulsate at speeds as
high as 30 cycles
per second
We fall asleep only
when our brain
wave pulsations
slow down
SLEEP PHASES: Sleep Cycles
When we sleep
through the night,
we run through
about 5 “sleep
cycles” that run
about 90 minutes
The combination of
sleep cycles adds
up to about 7.5
hours of sleep each
night
We enter the first
sleep cycle of the
night with the shift
into lower level
alpha waves of brain
wave activity
SLEEP PHASES:
Dreaming is GOOD for You
REM sleep and
dreaming are
essential for sound
mental and physical
health• If deprivation is
prolonged,
metabolic and
immune system
functions
BREAK DOWN
Learning new things increases the amount of
REM sleep by actively using your mind!
SLEEP PHASES:
Dreaming is GOOD for You
The more slow-
wave and REM
sleep we get, the
stronger our
immune system
becomes
• The stronger our
immune system
operates, the less
likely we are to be
challenged by
infectious diseases
and cancer
To release these powerful healing qualities we
need to take positive, proactive action!
STRESS!!!!!!!!Stress hurts the body on all levels, both emotional and physical The Stress of Life, Hans Selye, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1956.
All of the symptoms of stress detract from
an individual’s capacity to sleep
STRESS!!!!!!!!
Stress includes:
irritability, muscle tension, inability to concentrate, and a wide range of serious physiological reactions
--including issues like headaches and heart problems, exhaustion, and loss of resistance and recovery
All of the symptoms of stress
and all the effects of stress
harm an individual’s capacity
to sleep and heal
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
• Chiropractic science
has shown that
healthy spinal function
and proper spinal
support during sleep
can have a
positive effect
on your overall health
and performance.
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
COMPLEX SHIFTS TAKE PLACE
WHILE SLEEPING:
• pulse
• breathing
• muscular tone
• brain activity
• multiple metabolic functions
Sleep is an ACTIVE PROCESS
Many important activities are happening within us --
right while we appear to be quietly resting!
Almost every organ of the body is involved and
mental activity is intense
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Sleep problems including
insomnia are reflections of
dysfunctions and loss of
balance in multiple areas:
• Psychological
• Neurological
• Physical
• Lifestyle Choices
Sleep is a LIFE-SUSTAINING PROCESS
The best way to solve sleep problems is by
addressing and resolving the causes
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
Side effects include:
Low Energy
Impaired Memory
Reduced Coordination
Difficulty Sleeping
Poor quality sleep
Distorted REM sleep
Overdose, Hangover risks
Medication may mask
the underlying cause of sleep problems,
and create additional health issues
Medication can actually worsen quality of sleep!
HEALTHY SLEEP and GOOD HEALTH
FACTORS AFFECTING SLEEP
CAN INCLUDEboth
Physical AND Emotional Elements:
• Work Stress
• Job Schedules and shift changes
• Obesity
• Anxiety
• Inactivity
• Overactivity
• Diet
• Health Conditions
• Light Exposure
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
There are two important segments of our population that deserve special
consideration in any health sleep discussion.
The first is our aging population, soon to reach unprecedented numbers,
with upwards of 88 million seniors soon to be among us.
We never outgrow our
need for ample healthy
sleep. Ongoing research
continues to document
that a person’s sleep
needs do not decline as
we age but remain
constant throughout
adulthood.
In fact, sleep becomes even more important as we grow older
because it is vital to maintaining concentration and memory
formation and allows our bodies to repair any cell damage
that occurred during the day.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Sleep is also vital to maintaining a healthy immune system
-- which is key to disease prevention.
A recent study* indicated that getting even a few less hours sleep each night
can significantly increase your risk of coming down with the common cold.
Many other studies clearly indicate that the better the quantity and quality
of sleep, the better health and quality of life of older adults tends to be.
As well, older adults who regularly sleep seven to nine hours nightly are
reported to enjoy more positive moods and a more positive outlook on
their lives.
That amount of regular sleep also serves to support a more active and
outgoing lifestyle which in turn, better supports a healthy sleep
experience.
*Cohen, Sheldon, PhD; Doyle, William J. PhD; Alper, Cuneyt, M., MD; Janicki-Deverts,
Denise, PhD; Turner, Ronald B., MD, “Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the
Common Cold,” Archives of Internal Medicine, 2009;169(1):62-67.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Aging does not inherently bring sleep difficulties with it.
Too many of our seniors just assume that insomnia, frequently waking up
during the night, feeling tired during the day, often in need of a nap, or
waking up feeling un-rested are just part of getting old.
While those patterns are very common, they are the result of factors most of
us are fully able to control and not part of an inevitable or even normal part
of the aging process.
Research data does show, however, that elderly people can experience
significant sleep problems:
--One study indicates that 44 percent of elderly persons surveyed in the
United States are having significant insomnia problems.*
--Another scientific paper states that half of all elderly persons suffer from
insomnia.**
*“Aging and Sleep,” National Sleep Foundation, http://www.sleepfoundation.org
**Kamel, NS, Gammack JK. Insomnia in the elderly: cause, approach, and treatment.
Am J Med. 2006 Jun; 119(6):463-9.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
If sleep problems are not normal or inevitable in elderly persons,
why is it then so difficult for elderly people
to attain regular healthy sleep?
There is a long list of items and behaviors that can contribute to
problems sleeping, including:
An inactive, sedentary lifestyle centered indoors, around the television
A pattern of daytime napping
An unsuitable sleep surface or other environmental issues such as
room color, light and clutter
Medications for a wide variety of conditions common in the elderly that
can have a negative impact on sleep
Chronic pain from such conditions as arthritis, heartburn or discomfort
from their health issues or a skin condition
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Poor diet and eating at times less favorable to healthy sleep
Excessive or poorly timed caffeine consumption
Emotional and psychological issues such as a feeling of
isolation or stress related to separation from or the loss of loved
ones and depression
Alcohol consumption or even abuse
A feeling of a need to frequently use the toilet during the night
Additional items and behaviors that can
contribute to problems with sleeping include:
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
The good news is that while sleep problems are
common, relatively few elderly people have genuine,
serious sleep disorders and a conscious effort
to identify and eliminate
as many causes of sleep disruption as possible
can have a major impact in the
quantity and quality of sleep.
Your doctor of chiropractic can help you
get a healthy sleep program organized
for yourself and your spouse.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Here is where we start:
EXERCISE!
Get moving because
movement supports every aspect of
healthy sleep, from respiration
and circulation to feelings of being tired--
Exercise is sleep’s most natural ally!
Swim, dance, golf, bicycle, visit a gym or fitness
center, garden or at the very least, walk.
Vigorous walking once or more every day will
cover the basic needs for movement.
Go with a friend or group of friends and make it a
social outing.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Plan and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Unless other opportunities or demands call for
variations --
which are ok and can even help
expedite and support sleep once you go to bed --
set a specific target time to begin sleeping and
set a time to wake up every day,
even on weekends and when you travel.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Take conscious steps to ensure you have a sound,
sensible sleep environment.
Make sure your mattress gives you the support and
comfort you need. If it does not, change it.
Make sure your room temperature is appropriate; cool
but not too cool is best for most people.
A dark, quiet room facilitates sleep.
Having the television on produces both sound and
light and draws your concentration at a time when you
want to be letting go of issues and objects that engage
your conscious attention.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Stay mentally active and socially connected.
Contact with family members and friends as well as active
engagement in groups and church, community or other
organizations can keep your mind active, help reduce
stress and a sense of isolation and help prepare your
mind for a good night’s sleep.
Write notes or e-mails, use the telephone, read and keep
learning.
All these activities will help you sleep better.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Carefully watch your desire to take naps.
Watch so that any naps you might take do not interfere
with nighttime sleeping.
A brief nap early in the day may help you stay active and
alert longer and make a good night’s sleep easier to
attain. Long naps late in the day are not going to help
when night time comes.
Exposure to natural sunlight helps regulate melatonin
production, which in turn helps regulate your sleep-
wake cycles. A couple of hours in the sunlight,
especially if you are walking, gardening or engaging in
some physical activity, can really help.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Work with your spouse if snoring or excessive movements
are issues keeping you awake. Do not hesitate to talk
openly if such issues are hurting your sleep. Look at all the
options, from earplugs and “white noise’ devices to seeking
professional advice. While sleeping in separate bedrooms
is always an option, it doesn’t help keep that vital sense of
connection couples should enjoy throughout their entire
lives.
Work at relaxing and winding sown with soft music,
dim lights, and stretching, breathing or other relaxation
exercises. Many people find a bath helps them relax.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Carefully monitor your medications.
Always involve your doctor(s) in making any changes, but
always ask if a medication is absolutely necessary.
Look for drugless alternatives.
Your doctor of chiropractic can help since chiropractic is a
drugless science. If medications are absolutely necessary,
carefully follow the directions provided by your doctor or
pharmacist. Always throw away old prescriptions.
Never take old drugs for a new condition or problem.
Avoid sleep medications, especially self-administered
substances. Sleep medications often have the opposite effect
intended since they can both create dependency and at the
same time make deep, healthy sleep more difficult to achieve
and maintain. As well, the levels and quality of sleep can be
negatively impacted.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Diet and sleep deserve a special discussion because of how
important such inputs are to the sleep process.
One sleep expert made the comment,
“We sleep what we eat,” because nutritional inputs,
good or bad, can have a major impact
on our sleeping habits.
Some basic guidelines for senior citizens include the
following:
Avoid caffeine from coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolate,
especially late in the day. It takes the body at least six hours
to process half the caffeine in a large cup of coffee and
caffeine is a proven barrier to easy and uninterrupted sleep.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Alcohol is a bad and even can be a dangerous choice as a
sleeping aid. It might seem to make you sleepy, but will
disrupt your sleep. If you do drink alcohol, do so with a
meal and make sure you have three or four hours to process
it through your system before trying to sleep.
Never go to bed hungry. Regular meals are an essential
element for our general health and should be a priority for
everyone.
--Sometimes, a light snack an hour or so before bed time
can eliminate any hunger edge that might keep you awake
or wake you up after you have fallen asleep.
Remember; avoid alcohol and foods with high-sugar,
sodium or caffeine contents.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Watch out for foods that you know are going to be a
problem. This might include hot or spicy foods, certain
kinds of meats or vegetables that you have difficulty
digesting
Watch the quantities of everything you eat. To overeat
almost always means discomfort on some level.
Also, timing can make a big difference in how food
impacts sleep. Try to eat your evening meal,
especially if it is a big one, at least three hours before
you try to go to sleep.
Healthy Sleep – Healthy Aging
Finally, watch your intake of liquids
before bedtime.
It is important that you drink plenty of water and
fruit or vegetable juices as part of a healthy diet.
In fact, dehydration among the elderly is important
to watch out for.
However, remember that drinking lots of liquids right
before bedtime will have consequences on the other end
and will most certainly require one or more trips to the
bathroom during the night, further disrupting your sleep.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
The second very important special population we want
to discuss is our young people.
Sleep is especially essential to young people who are going
through their fundamental physical, emotional and
intellectual development.
Scientific research has verified that “…inadequate sleep
results in tiredness, difficulties with focused attention, low
threshold to express negative affect (irritability and easy
frustration), and difficulty modulating impulses and emotions.
In some cases these symptoms may resemble attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
With all of the distractions, demands and tensions in young lives,
with waves of “electronic noise” from Face Book, Twitter, the
Internet, cell phones, video games, computers for study and
entertainment and television bombarding our children,
the age of instant communication even has some young people
afraid to go to sleep because they are afraid they might miss
something.
Add these electronic distractions to a reduction in physical activity
that is often a by-product, sugar and caffeine-rich diets and all of
the social pressures that accompany the developmental years and
it is easy to see why adequate healthy sleep is, indeed, a difficult
place for many young people to reach.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
The consequences of sleeping problems are widespread and often
severe as far as both behavior and performance in school.
Leading researchers have identified some of the negative
consequences as follows:
“Poor sleepers” were significantly more likely to fail to meet
requirements for their grade level;
Fatigue caused by poor sleep or lack of sufficient sleep time is a
strong predictor of school failure;
Students with better grades report more total sleep on school
nights than students with lower grades; sleep habits
distinguished students making mostly C’s or worse from
students making mostly A’s and B’s
Sleep, more than eating habits, mood, stress, time
management, and social supports, accounted for the largest
variance in grade point averages among college students
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
In an age where achievement is vital to everything from a child’s
basic emotional health and self-esteem to their future career
success, sleep problems are emerging as a major health and
performance factor for children and young people worldwide.
--One respected researcher stated in 2008 that,
“more than more than 2/3 of all children having some kind of sleep
problem,” and Australian researchers say almost 25% of six and
seven year olds have trouble sleeping.”
--Another respected expert with extensive experience in the school
systems of the United States has noted that,
“Physicians and psychologists estimate that as many as 30% of
children may have a sleep disorder at some point during childhood.”
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
• Students in high schools with earlier start times
(7:40 compared to 8:30) reported shorter school night
total sleep times and more sleep problems,
more daytime fatigue and sleepiness,
more difficulties with concentration and attention,
greater likelihood of using stimulants (like caffeine)
to stay awake,
and poorer school performance
• Insufficient sleep is associated with school tardiness,
inability to concentrate, tendency to doze off during class,
and lowered school motivation.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
WHAT TO DO?
Researchers report that the
sleep problems of children spill over
to the parents who themselves have
added sleep disturbance due to the
unmet sleep needs and problems
of their children.
With so much at stake, parents will want to look carefully
at the sleep habits of the entire family, assess the state
of family sleep and, if necessary,
develop a healthy sleep action plan.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
Every sleep action plan starts with
each family member’s sleep environment.
The mattress is the first place to start.
Make sure that every sleep surface in the home is appropriate to the
size and support needs of the person using it.
This is easy to overlook in younger children since we often just
assume they are adaptable and have fewer needs than adults in this
regard.
But considering the amount of time a child spends on their mattress
- by the age of two, most children have spent more time asleep than
awake - you can see how important this matter is.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
Restful room colors and proper sleeping temperature are also
environmental factors.
• Sleep experts say that bright, vibrant colors may help delay
relaxation and sleep and relaxation. Comforting neutral colors,
especially taupes, grays, beiges, and whites or muted tones and
light pastels are more likely to help you relax and wind down into
healthy sleep.
Likewise, room temperature is an important component in healthy
sleep.
• Too hot, it is hard to both fall and stay asleep. Too cold, the
same thing happens. As well, breathable bed coverings that
allow for optimal circulation of air will help the body go through
the temperature changes that accompany everyone’s sleep
cycles without any disturbance.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
Mattresses and other environmental conditions are the easy part.
It is the behavioral changes that children must address that are
likely to be most difficult.
Starting with diet, the consumption of high sugar, caffeine
containing and other sleep-inhibiting substances need to be
carefully regulated both in terms of quantity and when they are
consumed. As we have already observed, “you sleep what you
eat” referring to the important role food plays on facilitating or
inhibiting healthy sleep.
Consult any of the readily available credible nutrition resources on
the Internet or your healthcare professional for advice in this key
area. Make sure your child has eaten properly and will not wake up
hungry during the night.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
For regular, healthy sleep on a predictable schedule,
stimulation and emotions need to wind down
which means that televisions, computers and cell phones need to not
only be turned off but removed as a source of temptation to be turned
on once the parents close the door.
Setting a predictable schedule is essential, and you need to be
prepared to defend your decision about bedtime against all complaints
on the child’s part, an inevitable issue that will intensify as children
become older.
School-aged children need somewhere between 9 and 12 hours of
sleep at night but resistance to parental rules about sleep and social
concerns and demands almost guarantee that children will push back
very hard.
Be prepared to deal with such resistance.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
Also, bedtime should begin in a child’s bed.
Parents, especially busy parents with more than
one child to care for can easily get in the habit of
allowing a child or children to fall asleep in a
chair, on a couch or on the floor.
A routine that involves quiet, calming activities in
which parents are regularly involved
can help a lot.
Sleep and Your Child’s Health,
Behavior and Performance
Parents must commit the time and the thoughtfulness it will
certainly take to effectively address the sleep challenges and
needs of children or all ages.
It is, however, one of the best investments you can make in your
children’s’ future and good health.
Preventing problems in school and elsewhere that are sleep-
related is so much easier and much more responsible than trying to
solve them once they surface.
Every measure of performance and behavior indicates that
healthy sleep is essential to the kind of emotional and intellectual
development and physical growth we all want for our children --
and it is attainable for all families.
SLEEP
ENVIRONMENTSleep Surface
Noise / Quiet
Temperature
Disturbing colors and décor
Bright Light / Darkness
Sense of Sanctuary
Factors
You
May
Adjust
and Control:
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:
The body temperature
shifts through the sleep
cycles; it is important to
regulate temperature for
sleeping conditions
if the room temperature
and/or coverings create
too much warmth or
insufficient temperature
maintenance so the
person is cold/hot, it will
affect the ability to
sleep deeply.
Light,
Temperature,
Noise:
Maintaining a
Healthy Sleep
Environment in
ways you can
adapt and control
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:
Sleep Neck Support
•Pillows come in many shapes and
sizes with many degrees of firmness
and elevation of the head and neck
while sleeping
•It is important to avoid an unnatural
elevation that puts unhealthy pressure
on the cervical spine
•It is also important to provide
structural support for both supine and
side-lying positions
CHOOSE
OPTIMAL
SUPPORT
FOR THE
CERVICAL
SPINE
FOR
RESTORATIVE
SLEEP
•Resilience for structural support
Keeping spine “straight” in line
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT: Sleep Surface
•Bed Size and Shape:
Room to Move
•Bed Support and Structure:
Mattress “soft” or “hard”
“Firmness” / “Buoyancy”
CHOOSE
THE BEST BED
FOR
RESTORATIVE
SLEEP
•Resilience for structural support
Keeping spine “straight” in line
•Fabric covering the mattress, “ticking”
Allowing for air circulation
through the mattress
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT: Room to Move
IMPORTANT SLEEP CONCERN:
The Right Bed for Restorative Sleep
• When sleeping we move through
series of position changes
• Each move coincides with a change from
one sleep stage to the next
• Major moves mark the end of a sleep cycle!
We must have ample room to move
AND
have adequate support to maintain and change sleeping positions
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT: Room to Move
IMPORTANT SLEEP CONCERN:
The Right Bed for Restorative Sleep
We must have ample room to move
AND
have adequate support to maintain and change sleeping positions
•A Mattress must be designed to
provide proper support and
comfort, or your muscles must work
to keep your body comfortable and
positioned as well as possible
during sleep
•This disturbs your sleep and
interferes with the sleep cycles
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:
Choosing a
Mattress
A mattress that provides an
appropriate level of support
and comfort will protect your
spine and allow for the
important shifts in position
during the sleep cycles.
Sleep Surface
SLEEP ENVIRONMENT:
Choosing A Mattress
A good mattress construction
helps ensure adequate support
maximum comfort, and the
capacity for quality sleep
Look for a mattress design that incorporates zones of support,
that maximizes effective spinal support and postural alignment
Quality mattresses include strong support structures around the
edge of the mattress
Fabric covering (ticking) for the mattress needs to breathe and
allow air to circulate freely through the mattress
Sleep Surface
Move around and test
every pressure point,
especially your natural
sleep position:
Support should be
consistently comfortable
(including hips, shoulders,
knees)
Lay down on the
mattress:
Surface should
accommodate your weight
but also feel resilient
Choosing a Mattress:
Dress comfortably and test it out!
Sharing the mattress:
—Partner rolls over while
other lies still:
Does mattress shake and
shift, or remain stable and
still?
Roll to outer margins,
Sit on edges:
Are edges supporting
same as center?
Are sides sagging,
or reinforced and firm?
Choosing a Mattress:
Dress comfortably and test it out!
Sleep Environment: Studies of Bedding Systems
Research Studies
Jacobson BH, Wallace T, Gemmell H: Subjective rating of perceived back pain, stiffness and sleep quality following
introduction of medium-firm bedding systems, J Chiropr Medicine 5(4):128, 2006.
Comparing personal and new, firm bedding systems
Research participants experienced benefits in all areas of
measurements from the new bedding systems
Use of a Firm sleep surface showed immediate and
significant improvements:
in back discomfort and stiffness
AND
in sleep comfort , quality and efficiency
Beds and Backs:
Studying the Situation
Sleep Environment: Studies of Bedding Systems
Beds and Backs:
Studying the Situation
Sleep Problems from uncomfortable sleeping surface :
Lower back discomfort, stiffness, and shoulder pain complaints
Comfort and function of mattress pressure distribution:
Reduced pressure and lesser degree of spinal distortion
Sleep quality and sleep deprivation related to chronic back pain:
Mattresses both directly and indirectly affect ability to sleep well
Direct relationships between spinal alignment, sleep quality and
sleep-related disturbances:
Improved breathing, increased percentage of slow-wave sleep
Chiropractic and
Healthy Sleep
Chiropractic
studies many
facets of body
function to assess
and correct health
problems
The Chiropractic Approach to Health
CHIROPRACTORS –
A Powerful Health Care Paradigm
Chiropractic science
recognizes that
all bodily functions
are controlled and
coordinated by the
nervous system.
Chiropractic care
addresses the role these
vital systems play in the
restoration and
maintenance of health.
The Chiropractic Approach to Health
Doctors of Chiropractic
address illness and
imbalance through
addressing the
misalignments of the
spine and related
functional disorders of
the bones, muscles and
nervous system.
CHIROPRACTIC
Chiropractic care
optimizes the inner
healing powers of the
body by removing barriers
to natural healing within
the spine, its
musculoskeletal structures
and the nervous system.
The practice of chiropractic centers on:
the detection,
assessment and
correction of interference
with normal nerve
transmission
produced by imbalanced
positioning of one or
more vertebral motor
units in the spine
The practice of chiropractic:
Chiropractors locate and
correct disorders at the
spinal level,
where movement and
positioning between
segments of the spinal
vertebrae are restricted
and misaligned, and
strains and irritates the
tissues and their healthy
function.
The practice of chiropractic:
The chiropractic adjustment
works to correct imbalances in
spinal vertebral alignment,
to restore the healthy, normal
positioning and movement of
those important structures.
The adjustment restores proper
motion, eliminates interference
with nervous system
communication, and maximizes
the healing capacities of the
body.
Chiropractic cares
for the whole person
Chiropractic care addresses health
rather than seeking to mask symptoms
Chiropractic care
recognizes the
importance of
the internal and
external
environment of
the individual
The Chiropractic Approach to Health
To Sum Up --
In so many aspects of life it is commonly said that
attitude is everything.
This applies to healthy sleep as well.
You can work to attain a healthy, restorative sleeping
pattern, but it takes awareness, follow-up and support
from friends and family.
Consciously adopt a positive, can-do attitude towards
healthy sleep.
Since sleep is so vital, get the help you need.
Your doctor of chiropractic is a perfect professional
source of help, clinical care and support.
Like good nutrition and healthy exercise, healthy sleep
can add years to your life and life to your years
so it is really worth it.
THANK
YOU!