At Advanced Spine, from chiropractic to physical therapy, all the way to massage and our medical team, our goal is always function, recovery, and healing. But, there is a side of healing that we aren't able to directly aid in our office- the healing that naturally takes place in our body as we sleep.

When you hit the hay at night, you may feel like your body is slowing down, but that's far from the truth. The fact is, sleep is actually a time when your body is actively restoring and repairing different functions, muscles, and hormone levels. Therefore, it's a no brainer that getting proper sleep following your chiropractic care, physical therapy, or massage is a vital part of the healing process. Here are just a few reasons to catch a little more shut eye tonight!

Skeletal System Health

Eating calcium rich foods like almonds, broccoli, and kale is not all you need to do to strengthen your bones. Adequate amounts of sleep are so important for healthy bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside the bones that contains stem cells, which eventually form blood cells in the body. Long term sleep deprivation can lead to loss of bone flexibility which can make bones more quick to fracture!

Immune System Health

If you don't get adequate sleep, you could find yourself sick a lot more often. Research has found that people are more likely to catch the common cold when they are behind on their rest. Your body's immune systems become less active by producing less proteins and blocking specific genetic processes in the cells, which is responsible for fighting infections and disease. Researchers have also found that rest can give you more benefits than from preventive vaccines!

Healthy Weight

Insufficient sleep is known to cause changes in hormones, especially the ones that regulate your appetite and the feeling of being full. The result is that sleepy people tend to feel more hungry and consume more energy than those who are well rested. Imaging studies suggest that when people are sleep deprived, their brains respond differently to unhealthy foods, and they are less likely to resist eating them. Not sleeping enough is also known to lower your metabolic rate and affect the production of insulin.

Muscle Recovery

As you sleep, your body produces its own muscle-building hormones, including human growth hormone. During certain stages of sleep, blood flow to your muscles increase so tissue growth and repair can occur. Next, the muscles relax, which can help relieve tension and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain. In fact, many of the critical restorative functions in the body for tissue repair and muscle growth occur mostly or only during sleep. A consistent sleep schedule of seven to nine hours a night will help the muscle-healing process.