What can I do physically to get better sleep?

Here at the Scandinavian Health Institute, we are focused on sleep and its importance for your health.

As Dr. Kverneland says: “As a chiropractor, I see patients for all kinds of problems, but primarily back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Although you wouldn't necessarily think there was a relation to sleep, for many of my patients, a lack of sleep is a strong contributing factor. This is why sleep hygiene and improving it, is nearly always a part of my recommended treatment plan. Getting sleep can help repair and rejuvenate the body.”

Good sleep comes from a regular pattern, but with stress, new routines, and uncertain times, it will affect sleep.

Getting the right amount and good sleep is important, but how do you do it? Let's delve into some of the most common questions you have in regarding to sleep. 

What can someone do for themselves physically to get better sleep? 

• Exercising regularly, will help sleep quality. But you should try not to do the exercises close to bedtime as it can “waken” you up. 
• It can also help your mind to have a change in scenery, so instead of jogging on a treadmill inside every day, go outside jogging preferably in nature where you see trees. Forest bathing is good for our minds and health. 
• If jogging isn’t for you, I recommend my patients to do HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) as it time efficient and has shown great results from studies. There a plenty of YouTube HIIT workouts. 
• Get in the habit of stretching. I recommend stretching the muscles that are prone to stress, particularly neck and shoulder area. Can highly recommend our 5-week programs that you can find here.

What kind of affect does lack of sleep have on my work? 

Getting a good night's rest is underrated - it is so vital for our well being and happiness. Matthew Paul Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley says with lack of sleep, it’s like the memory inbox of your email is shut down and incoming emails will bounce off. We are simply not able to produce memory and learn properly without sufficient sleep. Pair that with added stress and you can see how it will have effects on the work you are producing. This is why sleep hygiene and improving it, is recommended. Getting enough of the right kind sleep will help repair and rejuvenate the body.

When is the best time to do something to help my sleep cycle?

As with anything, there’s no time like the present. Getting good routines is never too late, and improving something is little bit, is better than nothing.

What should I look for in a mattress?

When getting a mattress, invest time in finding the right mattress for your size and shape. A mattress with no flame retardants, formaldehyde, and ethers, is more likely to have been made from more eco-friendly materials and be of better quality. You want to make sure you sleep on a mattress that gives you proper alignment.

 

About Dr. Kverneland and the Scandinavian Health Institute:

Dr. Sebastian Kverneland is a Norwegian chiropractor and the founder of Scandinavian Health Institute. Having seen the need for a modern, Scandinavian chiropractic care in the US, he brought this to Los Angeles in 2019. Beyond helping patients find the root cause of pain, he is firm believer that all of us can do life-style changes that can significantly help us live longer and better lives. Kverneland holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Southern California University of Health Sciences and is in the process of being certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine. His work has been featured in Martha Stewart, Yahoo Lifestyle, Thrive Global and Medium. 

The Scandinavian Health Institute is centrally located in LA on La Brea Avenue between Santa Monica Blvd and Melrose Ave. One of the reasons we have patients from all over the city, including Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Malibu, Silverlake, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Los Feliz, and Santa Monica is because of Dr. Kverneland’s high standard of care, where quality is everything.

We have flexible hours, virtual appointments as well as house-calls to your home or your office. You can easily book an appointment through our website or by calling us at (310) 750-9887.