Welcome to the first installment of “Your Health.” Please reference our video series on Youtube and also on our website Transformation Chiropractic Missoula, Montana Dr. Shaun Stuto is a Missoula Chiropractor, author, speaker, and the owner/founder of Transformation Chiropractic. The goal of “Your Health” is to explore and dissect many of the different aspects that encompass wellness. “Wellness” is a buzzword that we hear alot on T.V. and in other media. The big question is who is defining what wellness is? The concept of “wellness” is the polar opposite of disease and death. Wellness is at the far end of the spectrum of health and is not necessarily a destination. The concept and goal of wellness is in the journey of achieving it. Think of “wellness” as the point between “excellence” and “perfection.” Excellent health includes many factors such as a balanced lifestyle, low blood pressure, good height:weight ratio low mental stress, healthy diet and an active lifestyle to name a few. The point where excellent health actually becomes perfect cannot be precisely distinguished.
The first aspect of wellness we will explore is sleep. While the nervous system and a well adjusted spine are the single most important aspect of wellness, sleep and nutrition are a tie for second. An optimal functioning nervous system free of disturbance is only made possible through a well adjusted spine. The spine protects the nervous system which is the master controller of the body. As a person becomes stressed physically, chemically or emotionally, this can lead to disturbances in the nervous system that only a chiropractor can detect and correct.
The effects of this type of sleep deprivation are massive. This type of person has no energy. They are irritable and stressed. Often this type of patient is driven to be the perfect worker, the perfect spouse, the perfect parent, the perfect child etc… It is no surprise that this type of person cannot maintain this lifestyle forever. They often develop inexplicable symptoms such as aches and pains. The most common areas of pain show up in the neck and lower back. What is the quickest way to make a person slow down and rest? Low back pain! When the low back goes out, you go down and have to rest. The body has the innate intelligence to know when and how to put you down and force you to rest.
Unless you are an elite athlete training hours/day and burning thousands of calories, you should not need more than 7-9 hours of sleep per night. If you need less than 6 hours see a doctor and if you need more than 9 see a psychologist. It is quite possible that compounding emotional and psychological factors are contributing to your need to sleep so much.
The most important aspect of sleep is your comfort. You must be comfortable in order to maximize your recovery time. With the high stress, high paced lives most of us lead, it is crucial to maximize our time at rest. “Invest in your rest!” I coined the phrase and you should take it to heart. Invest in your rest means spend the money on the highest quality bed you can afford. Most people do best on a firmer mattress.
As your Chiropractor, I personally recommend the Sleep Number bed to ensure your comfort. Remember make price a non-issue. We spend 1/3rd of our lives in bed so we must ensure the highest quality rest possible. The sleep number bed virtually guarantees your comfort because the firmness of the bed is so variable. This is the solution for couples with different mattress preferences. No longer will one person be left to toss and turn. It is so common for households to spend $1000’s on a fancy couch and a flat screen T.V. but want to sneak by with a $300 bed. Does this make sense? No way! Where did you get your bed? Do you remember? How old is it? Do you even know? If you cannot even answer these questions then skip the rest of the article and go order a sleep number bed. Seriously, invest in your rest and do not spend another night on a bed that is hurting you.
You have now heard the essentials of sleep. Ensure you are getting 7-9 hours sleep on the highest quality bed. A sleep deficiency or poor quality of sleep can have devastating effects on a persons body, emotions and overall health. In fact, a poor nights sleep could be leaving you stressed and craving sugar. A lack of quality sleep could actually be making you fat!
Make health and wellness a top priority now. You owe it to yourself. Ensure optimal function of your nervous system by committing to regular chiropractic care. Implement a regular exercise routine and healthier eating habits. Last, get more sleep and a higher quality of sleep through a top quality bed. Aim for 7-9 hours of undisturbed sleep on a consistent schedule each night. Go to bed within 1/2 hour of your scheduled time each night and get up at the same time every day. When you follow this simple plan you will experience unbelievable changes in the way you feel, your energy and your attitude.
Thank you for reading “Your Health.” I am Dr. Shaun Stuto and I wish you a life of abundance.
Dr. Shaun Stuto is a Missoula Chiropractor| Chiropractors Missoula MT and the founder of Transormation Chiropractic in Missoula, MT. Call TODAY and Schedule an appointment (406) 728-1250