2018 is the year we start fighting back against sleeplessness

Finding your eight hours of sleep of has never been fraught with so many obstacles. From the seemingly omnipresent intrusion of notifications, the indifferent glow of different-sized screens, the technology age has added a heavier weight to the scale opposing your sleep health. Some studies estimate that as much as one-fifth of our population, between 50 and 70 million people, suffers from some form of sleep disorder. Sleep is an essential component of life– it’s time we start making the effort to prioritize our sleep health. 

Motivation for prioritizing sleep

Sleep is essential for regulating health, especially in the following ways:

• Regulates hormone cycles and mood
• Helps regulate appetite 
• Improves immune function
• Improves physical performance and cognitive function

In short, getting sufficient sleep can help you feel, look and perform better. So why do we let sleep fall by the wayside? The problem is not that we don’t want to sleep, it’s that we are not setting ourselves up for success. Here are some classic ways that we defeat our sleep cycle before it can even begin:

• Too much caffeine throughout the day. Caffeine stays active in the body for up to eight hours after consumption.
• Poor eating patterns, especially right before bed. A heavy meal then straight to bed? Think again- forcing your body to digest in such a manner is sure to keep you up.
• Not letting ourselves unwind properly: we need to set the tone for bed. A hot bath, a stretch and a good book lets our minds unwind rather than…
• …using screens to the last possible minute: screens stimulate our minds which is the opposite of what we want before sleep.
• Poor sleep environment: temperature is important- you don’t want to be too hot while sleeping. Likewise light- the darker it is the better.

While there are many more factors which contribute to sleep health, the ones identified above can make or break your ability to find restful, restorative sleep. 

Making sleep health a priority in 2018

At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we believe that sleep is a cornerstone of wellness. We use natural modalities to help your body feel better so that you can get the right amount of sleep. Chiropractic modalities help you feel less pain and improve circulation throughout the body, ensuring the cells in your brain get enough oxygen and nutrients to perform tasks such as regulating sleep and waking cycles. If you are interested in finding more quality sleep, give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment today.