Clinic director shares tips on vitamins

The essentials of life; food, water, air...and sleep? Yes, though most people wouldn't include sleep as a life essential, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) all you have to do is ask the other 30%-40% of adults that suffer from insomnia – the inability to fall or stay asleep, or waking up and still feeling tired – how important it is. In addition to the other well known common essentials, sleep is the one thing we truly can't live without.

Insomnia is an affliction with absolutely no prejudice. In younger people, stress and worry commonly cause it while older adults suffer from a natural decrease in melatonin – a sleep inducing hormone. Pressures from ones family, job, illness, aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows, and side effects of some medications can also rob us of sleep. Overall, 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders each year, and an additional 20 million have occasional sleep problems.

Lost ZZZ's can carry a hefty price. For children, sleep is necessary to assist their growth and learning ability. For all people regardless of age, the lack of it affects the immune and nervous systems, memory, judgment, attention, patience, thinking and reading abilities. In addition, the lack of sleep can be especially dangerous to those who drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that sleep deprivation is responsible for an astounding 100,000 vehicle accidents a year, resulting in 1,500 deaths and 71,000 injuries.

Recent research shows that the old advice of sleeping in a comfortable bed in a cool bedroom, eating an early dinner, going to bed at the same time each night, controlling your stress levels, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before sleep is still good advice but may not work for everyone. If you're counting more sheep than you are sleeping soundly, before you turn to prescription medication, experts agree that there are many lifestyle habits that can prevent your sleepless nights. Whether your sleep deprived because of a new job, a newborn or possibly a new romance in your life, the following suggestions can significantly assist you in getting the sleep needed to live life powerfully.

Create a routine. Drink some herbal tea, dim your lights 30 minutes before bed so you're winding down and/or play quiet music. Any activity that doesn't excite you will do the trick. The most important thing is that you do it every night before bed. Your body will learn to recognize these activities as things that happen before sleep. As a result it will be more ready for sleep.

Also, creating a morning routine can help you be more awake in the morning. Your body will begin to recognize taking a shower, making your bed, and brighter lights as a sign that it's time to be awake. These routines are especially helpful if you work a swing shift.

Stay on schedule. It's best to get up and go to bed at the same time, even on the weekends! If you need extra sleep, take a short nap in the middle of the day. Also, emerging research has shown that the simple task of making your bed each day promotes better sleep.

Give yourself permission to nap. Sometimes all you need is 20 minutes in the middle of the day to sleep. If you are tired, take a short nap. You may be surprised that after 20 minutes you feel remarkably better and are far more able to be productive with the rest of your day!

Exercise regularly. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon is best. If you exercise in the evening, do so at least two or three hours before bedtime. If the only time you have to exercise is just before bed, do some stretching, rather than anything strenuous. Stretching will help your body reconnect and unwind.

Limit your intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, colas and tea. Avoiding caffeine is one of the hardest and most important parts of improving sleep. If you weren't so tired you wouldn't drink so much caffeine! And if you didn't drink so much caffeine you also wouldn't be so tired. The first few days without, or with significantly reduced, caffeine will be hard. But it will get easier! Pick a two or three day time period when you plan to cut back. Drink caffeine free substitutes, like herbal tea or soda water. Know that any headaches and irritability are only a sign of how much your body needs to kick the caffeine habit. Tell your family, friends and co-workers why you are cutting out caffeine. If they understand why you are doing it and support you, it will be much easier!

If you are planning on cutting back, rather than cutting out caffeine, drink it early in the day. Give your body as much time as possible to burn-off the caffeine. A cup of coffee at 9 am won't harm your sleep nearly as much as one at 4 pm! Cutting out caffeine after 2 or 3 in the afternoon is a good place to start.

Also pay attention to how much sugar you eat. Simply switching from soda to caffeinated tea may make a huge difference in your sleep.

Eat an early dinner. Eating after 6 pm may interfere with sleep as your body works to digest the food you've eaten. If you do eat later, eat vegetables and lean protein such as chicken, fish or beans. Avoid sugar, flour and corn.

Get Adjusted. The best thing you can do to improve your sleep is to get adjusted. When you are subluxated, your body cannot communicate properly. Maybe you know it's time to go to bed, but your mind can't stop racing. Maybe you wake up at 2 am unable to fall back asleep. Whatever your sleeping challenges are, the problem likely stems from a disconnect between what you want—sleep—and what your body is doing. These disconnects are subluxations. Getting adjusted will help your nervous system function better. It will allow your nerves to tell your mind and body to slow down and to sleep. People don't often think of chiropractic for help with insomnia and trouble sleeping. And yet, so many chiropractic patients are sleeping better, easier and feel more rested than they did before chiropractic care.

Pay attention to the hours you have the most trouble sleeping. Do you wake up at the same time every night? According to Chinese medicine, the hours between 1 and 3 am are associated with your liver. The hours between 3 am and 5 am are associated with your lungs. Your chiropractor can adjust the nerves that impact these organs. This will often help you sleep through the night.

Indications of Insomnia

· Taking more than 30 to 45 min. to fall asleep

· Waking up many times during the night

· Waking up early and not being able to fall asleep

· Waking up feeling tired

Potentially Helpful Supplements

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) may be appropriate for long-term use as it does not appear to impair vigilance the morning after use.

German chamomile, hops, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, and wild lettuce have been said to have mild sedative properties.

Melatonin supplements may be useful for treating insomniacs. They appear to be safe when used for days or weeks.

Note: Pregnant or nursing women, children under 3 years of age, and people who use alcohol or sedative drugs, should check with their doctor before taking any of these supplements.

Need a New Pillow? Sleep position plays a big role in how you feel and function when you wake up in the morning. Think about the position your head and neck are in when you sleep. Is your head turned to one side? Imagine spending hours with your head turned to the side. That is exactly what is happening if you sleep that way!

The most important thing to do is find a pillow that keeps your head in a neutral position. If you are lying on your back, you will need a little pillow under your neck and not much under your head. You don't want a pillow that will push your head forward. If you sleep on your side, you want a pillow that is as tall as the distance between your shoulder and your neck. That will allow your neck to stay straight even when you are lying on your side.

Consider buying a pillow that is high on the sides, for side sleeping, and low in the middle, for back sleeping. Chiro One Wellness Centers sell a great version of this pillow. They can help you find the size that is best for your body type. And you may be able to take home today! If they don't have the one you need in stock, they can easily order you one. The pillows are specially designed to help your neck stay in the proper position while sleeping. It might take a few days to get used to them, but once you do, you will notice a major difference in how you sleep and how you feel in the morning! To find the Chiro One Wellness Center nearest you, visit www.ChiroOne.net/locations.

Dr. Emmy Wang serves as Clinic Director of Chiro One Wellness Center of Naperville. Dr. Emmy can be reached at (630) 898-7774 or via email at ewang@ChiroOne.net.