Chiropractic Economics Letter From the Editor — I can’t sleep, can you?

“Sleep, those little slices of death — how I loathe them.” 
— Edgar Allan Poe

Poe died in 1849 at age 40 shortly after he was found deliriously wandering the streets “wearing clothes that were not his own.” His death report was lost, but newspapers at the time reported he suffered from cerebral inflammation, delirium tremens, heart disease and meningeal inflammation, among other speculation. 

The poet was not a big fan of sleep, which likely contributed to his demise. Whether it’s inflammation or other ailments, sleep is the great healer. Do you respect the rejuvenating 8-10 hours we should all be getting each night? What about for your patients?

Lack of sleep is killing us?

Surprisingly, sleep and its long-term effects remain poorly understood. 

In this modern informational age, our inability to take our eyes off our screens right up to the time we crawl into bed (and for many of us, in bed) has contributed to a lifestyle that is “killing us,” or shortening our life span. We are fatigued, tired during the day, and compromising our immune systems, leading a lifestyle that has us saying “I can’t sleep.” Lack of sleep is linked to increased cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disorders and obesity.

Sleep.org, the National Sleep Foundation, is a big supporter of chiropractic visits to help sleep, stating “one-third of people who have a chiropractic adjustment report that they experience immediate sleep improvement.”

Patient education and sleep

Do you talk to patients about sleep? Do you hear “I can’t sleep?”

Many patients don’t realize the link between regular chiropractic visits and better sleep — relieving pain and tension in the spine and other areas, and freeing the pathways of the body’s central nervous system for maximum function and less wasted energy. You can also offer natural supplemental guidance to aid sleep in the form of CBD, melatonin, valerian root, magnesium and glycine, just to name a few (I’ve personally found melatonin of late when I can’t sleep).

Speaking of CBD, Fab Mancini, DC, in this issue breaks down the essentials DCs should look for when considering a product, including spectrums, isolates, sourcing and more. Our feature article looks at sleep and how you can help patients rest better, including some of the latest technology hardware and software (think pillows). Among our other articles are lucrative occupational medicine opportunities as a side hustle, and a fascinating case study on interventions for a high school athlete on crutches.

Make patient education on sleep a priority, especially when you hear “I can’t sleep.” If this hasn’t convinced you, give our feature story a read, then maybe sleep on it.

P.S. — We love receiving your feedback or letters to the editor, email us at editorial@chiroeco.com.