A Good Night’s Sleep: Supporting Rest Through Nervous System Healing
By Dr. Sadie Laronde, D.C. | Ottawa Chiropractor | @drsades
Getting a good night's sleep is more than just going to bed early—it's a complex interaction between your nervous system, physical health, emotional well-being, and environment. As a neurologically focused and trauma-informed chiropractor, I believe that healing sleep comes from understanding the body’s systems and creating safety for deep rest.
In Anishnaabe culture, dreams are sacred messengers. As someone who has always been a vivid dreamer, I’ve come to appreciate the immense importance of restful sleep not only for physical healing but for spiritual and emotional clarity.
Why Sleep Matters for Health
Sleep is your body’s nightly repair session. During deep sleep, your brain flushes out toxins, including beta-amyloid, a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease. It's also when your immune system is most active, producing anti-inflammatory compounds and enhancing resilience.
Without enough quality sleep, we may experience:
Memory issues (due to poor hippocampus-neocortex transfer)
Increased cravings (due to hormone imbalance)
Lower immunity
Poor emotional regulation
Physical inflammation and tension
How the Nervous System Impacts Sleep
Your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)—which includes the vagus nerve—plays a vital role in shifting between alertness (sympathetic mode) and rest (parasympathetic mode). If you’re chronically stressed or stuck in “survival mode,” your body may never feel safe enough to fully relax.
Key systems involved in sleep include:
The Brainstem: Produces GABA to calm the body.
Pineal Gland: Produces melatonin with proper light cues.
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN): Regulates circadian rhythm and responds to light exposure.
Common Sleep Disruptors
Many people experience sleep issues without realizing the underlying causes. Here are a few I see regularly in practice:
Insomnia
Often tied to racing thoughts or unresolved stress. Practices like quiet time, journaling, and eye-roll exercises (borrowed from EMDR) can help.
Sleep Apnea
Usually caused by poor tongue posture, misaligned jaws, or obstructed airways. Mewing techniques, nasal breathing, and chiropractic cranial work can offer support.
Nocturia
Frequent nighttime urination may be linked to hydration imbalances or pelvic floor weakness. Try electrolyte support or pelvic floor therapy.
Bruxism
Teeth grinding is often related to sympathetic dominance and may be worsened by antidepressants. It’s frequently tied to unresolved anger or trauma.
Restless Leg Syndrome
A somatic approach like progressive muscle relaxation can help release built-up stress in the muscles.
Supporting Sleep with Posture & Lifestyle
Poor posture—especially from stomach sleeping or unsupportive pillows—can lead to chronic neck, jaw, and spinal issues. I recommend:
Back or side sleeping with pillows between knees
Ergonomic pillows for spinal alignment
A bedroom free of overhead lighting and screens at night
Daily habits also play a huge role:
Exercise boosts sleep duration and quality
Avoid caffeine 8–10 hours before bed
Finish meals 3 hours before sleep
Reduce blue light in the evening
The Trauma Connection
If you’ve experienced trauma, your nervous system may stay alert—even while you try to rest. This survival wiring can lead to chronic insomnia, light sleep, or heightened reactivity.
Trauma is not just emotional. It’s stored physiologically through a brain-body-immune connection (psychoneuroimmunology). Healing begins with reactivating safety and balance in the nervous system.
My Approach
At The Effect Healing Collective, I use a blend of:
Gentle chiropractic to restore nervous system balance
Sacral-occipital techniques for better cranial and breathing function
Neuro-emotional technique (NET) to release emotional blocks stored in the body
Stretches & Exercises for Better Sleep
Try these before bed:
Eye Stretching: Relieves neck/eye strain from screen time
Cat-Cow: Pumps cerebrospinal fluid and reduces pressure
Muscle Squeezing: Clears stress chemicals from the body
Eye Roll (EMDR-style): Calms trauma responses
Somatic Hip Work: Releases deep tension and may support emotional healing
Final Thoughts
Sleep is sacred, not just a biological need. Whether you're struggling with trauma, posture, or hormonal imbalances, your sleep patterns are a mirror of your nervous system's state.
If you're ready to dive deeper into how your sleep, nervous system, and healing journey intersect, I offer free consultations. Together, we can explore tools to help your body rest, recover, and realign.
Stay curious, stay open, keep on growing.
– Dr. Sadie
