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Click on this 3 minute movie link for an overview of the Lamb Program For Stretching
Dr. Blair Lamb, MD recommends
Get Healthy! Stay Healthy!
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Sleepless in Seattle, and Toronto, and New York and London...Most people will experience sleeplessness from time to time and many people will experience sleeplessness that is prolonged. There are many studies to confirm that sleep disruption and chronic pain are linked but much controversy exists in explaining the exact mechanism. I will offer one of my unproven theories. It is accepted by most neuropathic pain specialists that most people will experience prolonged paraspinal muscle shortening over time and that this shortening will contribute to degeneration of the spine and partial neuropathies, also known as "pinched nerves" . It has been theorized that the chronic stimulation of the nerves from the spine causes a decrease in the normal serotonin levels of the brain. This depressed serotonin can contribute to mild (or severe) symptoms of depression, namely agitation and therefore sleep disruption. Now it also seems that muscle length decreases as we sleep thereby increasing the compression of your spine and joints and therefore increasing nerve irritation, joint pain and agitation. My analogy is that these tight muscles that get tighter as we sleep and that cause nerve irritation, act much like a stimulus to prevent you from sleeping- much like a slap in the face. For help, stretching of the neck, low back, arms and legs may help with sleeping agitation. Medications that seem to improve muscle length (anti-inflammatories) and that seem to enhance serotonin levels (Elavil, Trazadone) in the brain may help both chronic pain and sleep. The Lamb ProgramTM can be helpful for total body stretching and may help overall health. Watch for more on insomnia on DrLamb.com.
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