Orem Insomnia Doctor Discusses A Chiropractic Approach To Insomnia

Insomnia.  It starts out as a sleepless night.  An inconvenience for sure, but not a big deal.  Unfortunately for some one sleepless night turns into many sleepless nights, increased stress, weight gain, and a variety of other symptoms just because you can't sleep.

At some point most people say to themselves "I can't take it anymore!" and look for the quickest insomnia treatment, hoping for a decent night sleep.  Who can blame them?  Lack of sleep can lead to many other serious conditions.  The top 10 are:

1. Vision problems
2. Depression
3. Dizziness
4. Weight gain
5. Trouble speaking
6. Lethargy
7. Irritability
8. Tremors
9. Memory loss
10. Hallucinations 

Once a person has decided "I can't take it anymore" they often look first to over the counter (OTC) sleep aids, which are, in most cases, lower dosages of the higher octane, prescription drug. The problem is the side affects can be the same and if the desired results are not achieved a person may take more and more pills.

Violence, suicide, depression and death are documented effects in many studies of prescription and over the counter insomnia treatments.

Most over the counter sleep aids, as well as prescription sleep aids, are anticholinergic, which means they work by destroying a brain chemical acetylcholine.  The problem is acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in memory.  So by destroying this brain chemical a degree of sleep can be achieved, except that it's ruining your ability to remember and studies have found those who use these drugs have accelerated dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Another problem with prescription sleep aids is they are highly addictive.  Again the OTC version are usually watered down versions and so they may be as addictive as their prescription counter parts.

As an Orem insomnia doctor how do I treat sleep disorders?

Did you just ask yourself, "Chiropractic cures insomnia ?" What kind of weirdness is that?  Chiropractic doesn't cure insomnia.  For those that suffer with insomnia I combine several therapies, which can include chiropractic.  Let me explain . . .

First I do a through evaluation of the brain and brain stem, especially an area referred to as the Reticular Formation.  What happens in many people is this area of the brain never slows down as it should.  If this area doesn't slow down, you don't go to sleep.  When this is the case I prescribe appropriate therapeutic brain exercises that will allow this area to slow down, allowing you to get the night's rest you've been waiting for.

If no brain stem involvement is found a metabolic problem may be interfering with sleep.  When this is the case we'll take a more nutritional approach to your "I can't sleep" problem.