What’s the positive connection between stress and chiropractic care?
Somehow, it’s already November and you know what that means; Thanksgiving is almost here which means it is practically Christmas, and the new year is right around the corner. Yikes!
This time of year, regardless of what holidays you celebrate, things can start feeling a little rushed and a bit hectic. Who among us hasn’t experienced holiday-induced stress? It’s a time of year that is meant to be spent with loved ones & enjoying the season, but it can leave us feeling ready to pull our hair out.
How does stress affect your body?
Chronic stress wreaks havoc on not only your mind but your body as well. It can cause headaches, fatigue, disruptions to sleep patterns, lowered immune response, physical aches & pains, digestive issues, etc. It can lead you to make poor eating choices, which further affects your health. Chronic stress can lead to immune disorders, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic disease, and behavior disorders.
What’s the connection between chronic stress and your spine?
It is not uncommon for patients who are going through stressful periods of life to present to our office with spinal abnormalities. You might not make the connection as to why your back or neck suddenly hurts all the time but consider this: when you’re feeling stressed your posture changes, muscles get tense, and you hold your body differently. Your breathing pattern changes. These stress-induced physical changes can cause your spinal vertebra to become misaligned.
So, what can chiropractic care do for your stress levels?
Getting chiropractic adjustments addresses the misalignments (or subluxations) caused by your stress. Spinal subluxations affect the nervous system and make it difficult for your body to work properly. When functioning without interference from subluxations, your nervous system can enhance your immune system, improve the quality of your sleep, and allow you to heal more quickly. All this said, it allows your body to better respond and adapt to stressful situations when they arise instead of simply compounding your already stressed system.
While it may not be practical to eliminate all stress (especially this time of year), maintaining your spinal health with chiropractic care can greatly help you navigate life with fewer issues caused by chronic stress.
We’d like to wish everyone a healthy, less stressful holiday season. We’ll see you in the office soon!