How Chiropractic Can Improve Brain Function, Mental Clarity & Focus

It may have cute nicknames like “brain fog” or “mommy brain.” However, mental clarity and focus are important at every age, regardless of what degree we pursue or the career we may choose. As chiropractors, we deal directly with optimizing the nervous system, which maximizes your neurological function!

When Your Brain Function is Optimal, You Can Hear Yourself Think

A 2016 study in the Journal of Neural Plasticity shows that chiropractic adjustments increase your brain’s activity in the prefrontal cortex. This area is key to executive functions, thoughts and actions, problem-solving, comprehension, creativity, and more.

Mental Clarity in an Unstressed, Parasympathetic State

Have you ever been in a high-stress emergency, such as a car wreck, and then had to tell someone about it later in detail? Some details may stand out very clearly, while others may have become fuzzy in your memory.

Stress puts us into a sympathetic state, with hormones like adrenaline and cortisol pumping through our bloodstream, raising the alarm. In this state of being, the brain quickly determines what is vital to survival. This includes things like increased heart rate for fleeing danger and decreased digestion, which is no longer a priority.

With the brain and nervous system focus on survival, other thought processes such as creativity are set aside.

This stressed response isn’t just triggered by imminent danger, but by other stressors as well. A hard day at work has a similar reaction in the nervous system. The body can’t tell the difference from a life-or-death situation.

This is why when we are under chronic stress, we may experience “brain fog.”

The vagus nerve, which runs down the sides of the neck has a key role in sympathetic/parasympathetic responses, and may not be functioning well under pressure.

A study published in the 2020 Acta Biomedica showed that chiropractic adjustments of the upper cervical vertebrae help the nervous system to switch into a peaceful parasympathetic state, also known as “rest and digest.”

As a chiropractor, Dr. Bethany carefully evaluates where misaligned vertebrae may be putting pressure on the nerves and specifically adjusts the cervical vertebrae to remove that pressure, allowing the vagus nerve to function optimally.

Chiropractic also has the benefit of relieving a lot of discomfort and pain associated with stiff and misaligned joints. When your body is at ease, it’s much easier to think and process information, right?

Chiropractic, Focus and ADHD

Some people may think of ADD and ADHD (attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder) as behavioral. However, it is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves changes in how the brain develops and functions.

According to a 2016 national survey, 6.1 million children in the US have been diagnosed with ADHD, making it an important factor in many families’ lives. And there are many undiagnosed adults who display symptoms of attention deficit.

Neuroplasticity describes the way our brains rewire themselves and create new neural networks. A 2017 U.S. News article quotes Edward Hallowell, founder of the Hallowell Centers. “It’s an absolute fact that every brain can be improved,” he says. “Because of its neuroplasticity, the life of brains can be improved or destroyed based on how you manage it.”

This is why ensuring that your brain and nervous system are communicating well for every brain and nervous system, at every age.

Many case studies have shown how helpful chiropractic adjustments have been for children with ADHD.

It’s important to note that chiropractic doesn’t add anything to the body, like medication, which could have other unintended side effects. Neither does chiropractic take anything out of the body as surgery could.

Chiropractic simply removes interference so the neurodevelopment between the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves can proceed at optimal levels for that individual person.

Are you ready to get adjusted? Dr. Bethany Curnow offers excellent, compassionate chiropractic care for health-minded families, active athletes and busy professionals at EverHealth Chiropractic in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Click here to schedule an appointment or free consultation.

What our patients say…

"I was a bit nervous to see Dr. Bethany, being that it was my first time with a Chiropractor, but she was phenomenal. She was very patient in explaining in detail how my daily lifestyle could impact my joints, spines, and other important parts of my body. She always made sure I was comfortable before we began our session.”

- Shoua V.

Resources:

• 2016 Journal of Neural Plasticity study
• Neurobiological basis of chiropractic manipulative treatment of the spine in the care of major depression 2020, Acta Biomedica
• ADHD data
• ADHD case studies
• Article on neuroplasticity and ADHD