Are you that early bird who is up at the crack of dawn and tucked into bed the minute the sun sets? Or maybe you are a night owl who is just getting up as everyone else is going to bed?

Regardless of which one you are, there is a specific biological system, called a circadian rhythm, which maintains your body’s cycle of sleepiness and alertness. It essentially works like a 24-hour internal clock to govern when you are most and least energetic.

For most people, their biggest energy peak during the day tends to be between 8 am and 10 am. On the other hand, the biggest daytime dips happening between 1 pm and 3 pm (making an excellent argument for an afternoon siesta).

However, if this circadian clock gets thrown off, usually by lack of sleep, the cumulative effect can be disastrous. Below, Dr. Nathen Horst explains how this can happen, as well as how proper chiropractic care can get your internal clock back on track.

Causes for a Disrupted Circadian Rhythm

Because your circadian rhythm is so closely tied to how well you sleep, anything that disrupts your sleep will affect your circadian rhythm. Therefore, if you have an uncomfortable mattress or pillow, you might have difficulty falling asleep.

Likewise, if your bedroom is kept too hot or too cold, or if you have too many or not enough covers, you may find yourself tossing and turning at night.

Any stimulants, such as caffeine, the TV or computer, or vigorous exercise too close to bedtime can make it difficult for you to relax enough for sleep.

If this lack of sleep is due to a disruption of the circadian rhythm, it could lead to a number of serious health issues, including loss of bone density and muscle mass, a weakened immune system, greater risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease, and dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

Some research has shown that this may be related to an increase in cortisol (a hormone related to stress), which can trigger all of these health issues.

Chiropractic Care to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm

The basis of chiropractic care is that the source of many, if not all, illnesses and dysfunctions of the body can actually be the result of misalignments, or subluxations, of the vertebrae in the spine.

Illness, injury, stress, and sometimes even the environment can contribute to these subluxations. When the vertebrae become misaligned, they can pinch or put pressure on the nerves leading in and out of the spinal column, thereby sending and receiving improper signals to and from the brain.

This can result in pain, stiffness, and other symptoms that can disrupt the normal sleep pattern, ultimately disrupting the natural circadian rhythm.

To correct these subluxations, Dr. Horst performs what is known as a spinal adjustment. This will open up the space between the individual vertebrae in the misaligned areas of the spine, allowing them to slip back into their proper position.

Once the vertebrae are re-aligned, the pressure on the nerves is released. Proper signaling can then resume between the brain and the various organs and systems of the body, which can then reset your circadian rhythm.

Whether you are the early bird or night owl, your body knows when its circadian rhythm is off. If you find that is the case, Dr. Horst can help you reset things so that you can get back on track.