We all know stress is a part of life and it seems like there is an excess of it this year. Stress is common – especially lately – but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Chronic stress can be a contributing factor to major health conditions and diseases including depression, diabetes, and heart disease. It’s important to be aware of stress no matter what time of year, but today is Stress Awareness Day so it’s the perfect time to learn more about how stress affects the body and how chiropractic can help.
The Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic portion of the nervous system is constantly active and controls all of the body’s automatic functions. It is comprised of the enteric nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system.
You have probably heard of the term “fight or flight” before. Well, that’s the sympathetic nervous system at work. It pulls the body’s functions away from things like rest and digestion for more protective functions. The parasympathetic nervous system alternatively manages repairing and resting the body including salivation, tears, and food digestion and elimination.
The Chronic Stress Response
For those that suffer from chronic low-grade stress, the sympathetic nervous system remains active at a steady rate higher than normal, but not so high that it is a danger. Some causes of low-grade stress include family and life demands, working long hours for extended periods of time, poor sleep habits, dehydration, improper diet, and more.
Chiropractic for Chronic Stress
Chiropractic care has many positive impacts on the health and wellness of the body, particularly the communication of the nervous system. Certain areas of the spine correlate with specific stimulation of different areas of the nervous system. For example, if one of our patients has a highly overactive nervous system, we can focus on adjusting the area of the spine that stimulates joint motion and nervous system function in parts of the spine that contain nerves associated with parasympathetic functioning, such as the upper neck. The idea behind this is to ensure the nervous system is functioning at its best in areas that promote rest functions.
This promotes calming elements of the nervous system and takes pressure away from the overactive sympathetic component.
One of the most common comments we hear after treating a patient is that they simply feel better. When the nervous system is healthy, the rest of the body follows suit which provides a feeling of ease which releases muscle tension, restores motion to the joints, and leads to a decrease in chronic stress. To learn more about how chiropractic can help relieve your stress, click here to request an appointment with your local Voorhees chiropractor.
