The Parasympathetic Reset: How Chiropractic Care Helps You CHILL
Your nervous system has a gas pedal and a brake. The sympathetic (aka fight or flight) side is the gas: alert, busy, stressed go-go-go! The parasympathetic side is the brake: calm, digesting, recovering. Most of us live with our foot on the gas pedal. Chiropractic adjustments can help tap the brakes.
Here’s how it works: your spine is the structure protecting a neural highway. Every vertebra sends constant feedback to your brain about what’s going on in that area. When vertebrae get stiff or restricted, that feedback becomes noisy and your brain interprets it as stress. Adjustments restore movement and clear those messages, which calms your NERVOUS nervous system ;)
There are a few studies that tell us that spinal adjustments improve autonomic nervous system function and adaptability (Tavil et al., 2023, Hart et al., 2019, and older but big study: Zhang et al., 2006). These studies give evidence that chiropractic adjustments improve heart rate variability (aka “HRV”; a marker of vagal tone).
Why does that matter? Higher vagal tone is linked to better stress resilience, improved digestion, lower inflammation, and faster recovery after exercise or illness. In other words, it’s not just about less tension in your back, it’s about a calmer, more adaptive nervous system.
GUYS, STEP ON THE BRAKES! Regular movement, good sleep, breath work, and chiropractic care all help your parasympathetic system reset more easily. You’ll feel it as deeper sleep, steadier mood, and better focus long term. It’s not just about temporary relief from pain!
<3 Dr. Laura
Sources:
Tavil, H., Levine, A., Tuchfeld, R., Sekeles, B., Mendi, R., & Gidron, Y. (2023). Effects of a chiropractic three-dimensional surface on vagal nerve activity and distress: An experimental study. Journal of Spine Research and Surgery. https://doi.org/10.26502/fjsrs0062.
Hart, J. (2019). Heart Rate Variability Following Spinal Adjustment: A Practice-Based Study. The Internet Journal of Neurology, 21.