Why You’re Not Just Tired. Your Nervous System Is Overloaded.
- Mar 24
- 7 min read
Intro by Sarah Smith Warren
Two years ago I was introduced to the Nervous System. Of course I had heard about it, memorized it in school I suppose at some point, but I had no clue how important it was to my mental health and my day-to-day interactions. I did a deep dive and also learned how much this system literally touches everything in our life. Coming off of over a decade of grief and trauma, I had done a lot of work and healing, but I didn't realize my nervous system was still acting and reacting like I was in survival mode. I discovered this system needed it's own specific work and tending to for it to get the message that it was safe. For me, I discovered how to calm nervous system in my counseling sessions, with my naturopath, with a sound healer, with contrast therapy and using a multitude of other tools. But I had no idea that chiropractic medicine could also help reset our system. I love the work that is happening in this field, especially as it turns more toward women's health. I'm honored to introduce you to Dr. Erika Wiger of Turning Point Chiropractic in Fargo. Dr. Erika has a passion for serving and specializes in preconception, pregnancy, pediatric and family AND she's one of the Chiropractors for the NDSU Bison Football team! How's that for street cred! Welcome Dr. Erika!
Sarah Smith Warren is the founder of Soul Space Work, a coaching and consulting space working to support and empower humans and businesses to thrive in their life and work.
Connect with Sarah at ssw@soulspacework.com
Why You’re Not Just Tired.
Your Nervous System Is Overloaded.
by By Dr. Erika Wiger, DC, CACCP, Turning Point Chiropractic
If you’re a mom who feels exhausted but wired at the same time, this is for you.
You finally crawl into bed at night after a long day. Your body feels drained. Your brain does not. You scroll your phone hoping to unwind, but when you finally turn the lights off, your mind keeps running. You replay conversations from the day, think about tomorrow’s schedule, and remember the five things you forgot to do.
Eventually you fall asleep, but a few hours later you wake up for no clear reason. Your body feels alert even though you desperately need rest. You eventually drift back off, only for your alarm to go off not long after. The next day you feel foggy. You’re more irritable than usual. Small things feel overwhelming. You rely on caffeine just to feel functional.
If this sounds familiar, you might assume you just need better sleep habits. Maybe you need a stricter bedtime routine. Maybe you need to stop looking at your phone at night.
But what if the real issue isn’t discipline?
What if you’re not just tired?
What if your nervous system is overloaded?
Understanding the Nervous System
Your nervous system is the master control system of your body. It includes your brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves that exit the spine and communicate with every organ, tissue, muscle, and cell of your body. This system regulates nearly every function in your body. Your heart rate, digestion, immune response, hormone production, mood, and sleep cycles are all coordinated by your nervous system. You don’t consciously control these processes. Your nervous system manages them automatically in the background.
There are two main branches of the nervous system that control how your body responds to stress and recovery. The sympathetic nervous system is known as the fight or flight system. This is your survival mode. When it activates, your heart rate increases, your muscles tighten, and your body prepares to deal with a perceived threat.
The parasympathetic nervous system is known as the rest and digest system. This is where healing and recovery occur. Your heart rate slows, digestion improves, inflammation decreases, and your body enters a state that supports deep, restorative sleep.
Ideally, your body moves back and forth between these states throughout the day. You encounter stress, respond appropriately, and then return to a calm and regulated state. The problem is that many people today rarely return to that calm state.
Living in Chronic Survival Mode
For most of human history, stress came in short bursts. Imagine encountering a dangerous animal in the wild. Your body would activate the fight or flight response to help you escape. Once the danger passed, your nervous system would settle back down.
Modern stress is very different.
Instead of brief moments of danger, we face constant low level stress throughout the day. Emails. Notifications. Work demands. Financial pressure. Social obligations.
For many mothers, the load is even heavier. Managing children’s schedules, caring for a household, remembering appointments, and constantly responding to the needs of others creates an ongoing mental and emotional demand. Pregnancy, childbirth, sleep deprivation, and the physical strain of carrying babies and toddlers also place significant stress on the body.
When stress is constant, the sympathetic nervous system remains activated. Over time, the body begins to function as if there is always something it needs to prepare for. This creates a nervous system that is stuck in survival mode.
Some common signs of this include:
● Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
● Feeling wired but exhausted
● Digestive issues or bloating
● Hormonal irregularities
● Anxiety or racing thoughts
● Frequent headaches
● Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
● Lowered immune resilience
Many people assume these symptoms are simply part of being busy or getting older. In reality, they are often signs that the nervous system is under too much stress. This is not a character flaw. It is physiology. Your body is simply responding to the environment it has been placed in.
Why Sleep Is Often the First Thing to Suffer
Sleep is one of the clearest indicators of nervous system balance.
In order to fall asleep and stay asleep, the body must shift into parasympathetic dominance. This is the rest and digest state where your heart rate slows, muscles relax, and your brain moves through healthy sleep cycles. When the nervous system is stuck in fight or flight, this transition becomes much more difficult.
Even when you feel physically exhausted, your brain may remain active and alert. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently during the night, or feeling unrefreshed in the morning. Research has shown that chiropractic care can positively influence sleep by supporting nervous system regulation.
Chiropractic adjustments have been associated with increased time spent in REM sleep, which is one of the most important stages of the sleep cycle for emotional processing, cognitive function, and recovery. Adjustments have also been shown to reduce restless brainwave activity that can interfere with deep, restorative sleep.
Another important factor is inflammation. Elevated inflammatory markers in the body are known to disrupt normal sleep cycles and contribute to nighttime restlessness. Chiropractic care has been shown to help reduce inflammatory markers, which can support healthier sleep patterns.
Chiropractic care has also been linked to improvements in several of the most common contributors to chronic sleep disorders. These include restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. When these underlying issues improve, sleep quality often improves as well.
Chiropractic care does not force the body into sleep like a medication would. Instead, it supports the nervous system so the body can regulate itself and move more naturally into the rest and recovery state required for quality sleep.
The Spine and Nervous System Communication
Your spine plays a critical role in nervous system function because it protects your spinal cord. The spinal cord acts as the main communication pathway between your brain and the rest of your body. Every signal traveling from the brain to the body, and from the body back to the brain, moves through this system.
When the spine loses proper alignment or motion, it can create irritation or interference along this communication pathway. Even subtle dysfunction, especially in the upper cervical spine near the brainstem, can influence how effectively the nervous system regulates stress responses.
The brainstem is responsible for many automatic functions in the body, including balancing the fight or flight response with the rest and digest response. If there is stress or irritation affecting this region, it can make it more difficult for the body to shift out of survival mode. Chiropractic adjustments are specific corrections designed to restore healthy motion and alignment in the spine. When spinal function improves, communication between the brain and body improves as well. This improved communication allows the nervous system to regulate stress responses more effectively.
Many patients initially seek chiropractic care for physical issues such as neck pain, headaches, pregnancy discomfort, or low back pain. Yet one of the first changes they often notice is better sleep. They fall asleep faster. They stay asleep longer. They wake up feeling more refreshed. This improvement reflects a nervous system that is beginning to regulate again.
You Are Not Broken. Your Nervous System Needs Support.
If you have been feeling constantly tired, overwhelmed, or on edge, it may not be because you’re doing something wrong. You are not lazy. You are not failing. Your nervous system may simply be overloaded.
When the nervous system is supported and functioning properly, the body is able to regulate stress, recover more efficiently, and move into deeper, more restorative sleep.
If you’ve been feeling stuck in survival mode, it may be time to have your nervous system checked.
At Turning Point Chiropractic, our focus is on restoring proper nervous system function so your body can adapt, regulate, and heal the way it was designed to.
If you’re experiencing chronic fatigue, poor sleep, or feeling constantly overwhelmed, your nervous system may be asking for support. Sometimes the first step toward better sleep, better energy, and better resilience is simply removing the stress that is keeping your body stuck in survival mode. Schedule a visit at Turning Point Chiropractic and let’s take a look at how your nervous system is functioning.
📞 For appointments, call 701-929-5999 📧 Or email drerika@chirofargo.com
Dr. Erika Wiger, DC, CACCP
Turning Point Chiropractice drerika@chirofargo.com
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