Sleep Disturbance (Coaching)

How chiropractic care can support better sleep—naturally.

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The Big Idea

Chronic poor sleep is often tied to a nervous system stuck in sympathetic overdrive (fight-or-flight). Chiropractic adjustments—especially to the upper cervical spine, mid-back, and rib mechanics—aim to reduce excessive sympathetic tone and restore balance with the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system. As spinal joints move and ribcage/diaphragm mechanics improve, many patients report it’s easier to down-shift at night.

We pair adjustments with simple, sustainable sleep-hygiene coaching and gentle exercises so your body can learn a nightly rhythm—without relying on medications.

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How We Help

1) Chiropractic First

• Upper cervical & suboccipital focus: Calms sympathetic drive, improves head/neck alignment for breathing and comfort.
• Thoracic & rib mobility: Frees the ribcage and supports diaphragm function, a key lever for switching into parasympathetic mode.
• Pelvis & low back balance: Reduces tossing/turning from positional discomfort.
• Techniques we may use: Diversified, Activator, Drop Table, SOT, gentle mobilization—matched to your comfort and goals.

2) Physiotherapy & Neuromuscular Re-education (low-tech, high-touch)

• Diaphragmatic breathing drills: 4-7-8 and box breathing progressions to stimulate vagal tone.
• Postural resets: Short thoracic mobility sequences that “unwind” desk stress before bed.
• Balance & proprioception: Light work on balance discs to quiet a keyed-up nervous system.

3) Targeted Exercises (home-friendly)

• 5-minute evening mobility: thoracic extension over a pillow/rolled towel, hip flexor openers, gentle cat-camel.
• Neck/shoulder decompression: Doorway pec stretch, scalene/suboccipital gentle release (with instruction).
• Breath-led wind-down: 3–5 minutes of slow nasal breathing while you dim lights and power down screens.

4) Laser & Light Muscle Work (as appropriate)

• Low-level laser therapy may be applied to areas of chronic tension (e.g., upper cervical) to support tissue recovery and comfort.
• Gentle soft-tissue work: Suboccipitals, SCM, scalene, jaw/temple area when muscle tension disrupts sleep.

We keep everything natural and conservative—no pharmaceuticals.

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Sleep Hygiene Coaching (simple & do-able)

• Consistent sleep/wake time—even on weekends; anchor your circadian rhythm.
• Light discipline: Bright light in the morning; low, warm light at night. Avoid screens 60–90 minutes before bed.
• Bedroom reset: Cool (65–68°F), dark, quiet. Consider blackout shades, eye mask, or a basic sound machine.
• Wind-down ritual (10–15 min): Stretch + breath + jot tomorrow’s to-do on paper to offload the mind.
• Caffeine & heavy meals: Stop caffeine by early afternoon; finish dinner 2–3 hours before bed.
• Naps: If needed, cap at 20–30 minutes before 3 pm.
• Alcohol: Minimizing or avoiding improves sleep depth/REM quality.

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Light Supplementation (optional)

We prefer habits over pills. When appropriate and after reviewing your history:

• Melatonin (very low-dose): Often 3–1.0 mg 30–60 minutes before bed can be sufficient for some adults. More is not always better. We’ll discuss fit and timing.
• Magnesium-rich foods: Leafy greens, nuts, seeds. (Glycinate form may be considered case-by-case.)

Always discuss supplements with your provider if you’re pregnant, nursing, on medications, or have medical conditions.

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What to Expect

• Visit 1: History, posture and movement screening, sleep pattern review, initial gentle care plan.
• Early phase (2–6 weeks): Focused adjustments + micro-habits for bedtime. Most patients notice changes in ease of falling asleep, fewer night-time wake-ups, or improved morning feel.
• Transition to Wellness: As pain and tension settle, we space visits and maintain sleep-supportive routines so results stick.

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Why It Matters

Sleep impacts hormones, immune function, memory, mood, pain perception, and tissue repair. For a readable deep dive, see Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD. Our goal is to help your body re-learn how to rest—naturally—so you wake up restored and ready.

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When to Refer

We’ll always screen for red flags (sleep apnea concerns, neurological changes, severe insomnia, etc.) and coordinate with your other providers when needed.

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Ready to start?

Ask about our simple evening routine handout and first-week checklist. Small steps, repeated, change everything.