It’s safe to say this year has been an extremely stressful year, perhaps the most stressful year collectively for many of us. More people are showing signs of depression, anxiety, and high levels of stress than ever before.
By Dr. Lauren Millman
Tensions and worries are at an all-time high, and our physical bodies are feeling the effects. For many people, and without any warning, emotional wellness has become an overwhelming priority in their health.
The Mind-Body Connection
It is impossible to have a conversation about physical health without taking into account emotional well-being. The mind-body connection is a very real thing, and when coming from a holistic standpoint, they should not be treated independently. Natural healthcare is about addressing the mind and body since each impacts the other.
As a chiropractor, I witness this firsthand. Many people consider chiropractic care only when they are in physical pain. Although I don’t deny that chiropractic is exceptionally beneficial for pain reduction and feeling better, I personally believe one of the greatest benefits of chiropractic is improving emotional well-being. From my experience, physical healing occurs when both physical and emotional stress are reduced.
Calming Impact on the Nervous System
A common response from patients after beginning chiropractic care is “I am calmer, less stressed, and I’m sleeping better.” Following a chiropractic adjustment, the entire nervous system and brain calms and “de-stresses.” This calming impact on the nervous system is what sets the tone for healing to occur. I contend that when the nervous system is rebooted through spinal correction and alignment, the tension of the muscle fibers is released and joints experience a restoration of motion. Together this creates a calming response by the brain and a decrease in chronic stress load. Poor spinal alignment affects the body’s ability to move properly, which impacts the brain’s ability to function optimally, including the ability to process emotions and handle stress. The very action of the chiropractic adjustment stimulates the parasympathetic mode of your nervous system, which by its very definition, is the calming state of the nervous system.
Chiropractic aims to establish the balance between the mind and body, and ultimately is responsible for the calming, grounded effect. This explains why research shows a direct correlation between the chiropractic adjustment and lowering blood pressure, increasing the production of positive hormones, promoting restful sleep, and encouraging relaxation.
Proper spinal alignment is not going to eliminate the stressors in your life; however, a properly functioning nervous system and brain will help you better manage them. Often times, this is the very thing needed to jumpstart your emotional wellness, as well as overall healing on many levels.
Dr. Millman is the founder and upper cervical chiropractor of Suwanee Spine and Healing Center, author of The Ultimate Healing Handbook, and recently voted Best of Gwinnett 2019. For more information, visit DrLaurenMillman.com.
