True Wellness: Balancing the Nervous System

When it comes to health, most of us have been conditioned to look for quick fixes. If we have pain, we reach for something to dull it. If we have low energy, we find a way to push through while drinking another cup of coffee. While this approach may offer short-term relief, it rarely addresses the why behind the issue. The true solution is addressing the cause, not just the symptoms.


Our bodies are designed with an incredible capacity to heal themselves, and the key to that healing lies in the nervous system. The nervous system is the body’s air traffic control room — it connects the brain to every cell, tissue, and organ. When the nervous system is functioning optimally, the body has the best chance to regulate, repair, and adapt. But when interference or stress disrupts this system, problems begin to show up — sometimes as pain, sometimes as fatigue, sometimes as more subtle changes in health.


There are several ways we can balance and regulate our nervous systems and when we combine some of these techniques that’s when we get the best results. One of the best ways we can balance the nervous system is by getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily. Sleep is when our body takes time to reset and heal. Our necessary systems tend to slow at bedtime (especially breathing and digestion) – this means that the other systems can take some time to heal. Reducing screen time before bed, limiting caffeine at the end of the day, and having a routine to wind down at the end of the day can all help our nervous system relax and lead to a more restful night of sleep. Eating a whole foods diet with minimally processed foods also helps balance the nervous system. Focus on eating plenty of protein mixed with good fats, vegetables and fruits on a daily basis. Also, don’t skimp on the water intake. Fueling our body- especially our brain can lead to a stronger and happier you! Make sure to get physical activity daily by walking, hiking, spending time in nature, swimming, doing yoga, or simply focusing on deep breathing. Our nervous system needs oxygen to be happy and feel balanced. Getting your heartrate up, especially with some fresh air is key. Lastly, introducing alternative therapies into your monthly wellness routine can be a key boost to balancing the nervous system. Some therapies to look into further include massage therapy, ionic foot baths, chiropractic care, and vagus nerve stimulation- just to name a few. 


At the core chiropractic care is about restoring nervous system communication. By removing stress and interference from the nervous system with gentle specific chiropractic adjustments, we allow the body to function the way it was intended to. This is a different approach than simply chasing symptoms. Instead of asking, “How do we cover this up?”, we ask, “What’s causing this in the first place, and how can we help the body resolve it?” Over the past almost twelve years, I’ve been privileged to see chiropractic care make a difference in the lives of so many. From athletes looking to perform at their best, to children experiencing fewer colds and ear infections, to seniors enjoying more mobility and less pain — the common thread is that true wellness comes from addressing the underlying cause. Applying some of the above techniques to balance the nervous system can make a world of difference to people’s daily lives. Making these changes won’t change your life overnight- they take time and repetition but if you’re patient one’s health and wellness can improve overtime. If you’ve never experienced chiropractic care before, or if you’ve only ever treated health challenges at the surface level, I invite you to learn what’s possible when we support the body’s natural design for wellness. That’s what it means to live life Up North Adjusted. 

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