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Brain and sleep care on the Gold Coast

Brain & Sleep - Gold Coast

Brain & Sleep

Brain and sleep care built on functional neurology, with the nervous system at the centre of whole-person care.

Prefer to talk? Speak to one of our specialists today.

(07) 5651 7343

The Nervous System

Brain Health

The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal vertebrae, spinal nerves which carry information from body to brain and vice versa, the cranium which houses and protects the brain, and a series of built-in survival reflexes that respond to internal demands (organs, tissues, pH, inflammation) and external environmental demands. These are fight/flight, reproduction and digestion.

The purpose of our nervous system is to assist us to Adapt (through movement), Relate (emotional and biochemical integration), Learn (to create meaning and self-reflect) and Love (through application of values and virtues to create a peaceful coexistence within self, family, community and the planet).

Our state of health reflects our nervous system's ability to adapt to the changes of life, which directly affects the choices we make. The adaptation depends on how the brain integrates and makes sense of the incoming information.

Factors necessary for a healthy nervous system

  • Oxygen
  • Food through healthy eating
  • pH balance (acid/alkaline balance)
  • Activation through movement and exercise, creating a good posture
  • Sleep - the body's innate immune, detoxification and stress management system
  • Emotions - the meaning we give to our perceptions
  • Spiritual factors - passion, purpose and belief system

Brain integration can be interrupted through

1

Structural stress

Car accidents, sports injuries and strains, poor posture, head injuries, stroke.

2

Electromagnetic stress

Long-term exposure to computers, telephones, electrical appliances, microwaves.

3

Bio-chemical stress

Poor eating habits and choices, environmental pollutants and toxins, alcohol, drugs, too many acid-forming foods.

4

Emotional / mental stress

Change of career, loss of job, divorce, separations, anger, abuse.

5

Spiritual stress

Inadequacy of passion, purpose and belief system.

Sleep

Body's Natural Stress Management System

One of the most important building blocks for health resides in sleep. Sleep is food for the brain - get enough of it, and get it when you need it. After oxygen and water, sleep is the most important need, even more important than food.

Sleep is divided into four stages of Non-REM sleep (around 75%) and REM sleep (around 25%, Rapid Eye Movement). These are sometimes referred to as "sleep phases" or "sleep cycles".

Non-REM sleep is associated with regeneration, detoxification (liver, gut, lymphatic system), repair and hormonal regulation. REM sleep is associated with emotional processing, memory reconsolidation and learning.

Dreaming occurs in both stages, but mostly during REM sleep. Each cycle of NREM and REM is repeated every 90 minutes, four to five times a night. Five to six cycles is an ideal amount of sleep for everyone over 15 years old.

Sleep plays a role in detoxification, immunity, regeneration, memory consolidation, learning, emotional balance and, most importantly, recuperation of the brain from the day's activities. Quality sleep is closely connected to brain chemistry, mood and the internal psychological push we call motivation.

Our founder, Dr Reza Samvat, has published a physician's guide titled 'Sleep, Health, and Consciousness', incorporating years of clinical observation in sleep medicine.

Most common sleep complaints

  • Sleep apnoea
  • Snoring
  • Insomnia
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Night terrors
  • Sleep walking
  • Sleep talking
  • Teeth grinding
  • Bed wetting
  • Night sweats

Modalities utilised

  • Sleep lab test
  • Neural Organisation Technique
  • Biochemical / nutritional assessment
  • Neurotherapy
  • Functional neurology
  • Dentistry and oral appliances

Seven Areas, One Whole Person

The Integrative Experience

Explore the world of holistic healthcare, where the focus is on the whole person - body, mind/emotions and spirit. Select an area below to read more about it and see the related services offered at our clinic.

Posture is important for good health, helping us perform activities with more energy and less stress and fatigue. Poor posture can affect functions like digestion, elimination, breathing, muscles, joints and ligaments.

According to Dr Roger Sperry, a 1980 Nobel Prize recipient for brain research, 90% of the brain's energy output is used to relate the physical body to gravity, while only 10% is used for thinking, metabolism and repair.

Postural balance and proprioception - the body's awareness of its position - are developed through a series of innate primitive reflexes, postural reflexes and movement patterns in early childhood. These reflexes are also part of our survival reflexes, including fight/flight, digestion and reproduction, and their proper integration is a crucial component of sensory processing in early childhood.

Injury (such as birth trauma, sports injury, whiplash, head injury), prolonged stress (financial, relationship, abuse) and excessive exercise or overuse can compromise postural reflexes. This can be associated with persistent joint aches, myofascial pain, headaches, poor digestion, poor sleep and reduced adaptive capacity.

The optimal functioning of the nervous system which regulates our posture depends on proper development of these reflexes, adequate oxygen supply, food and ideal physiological pH.

Modalities are selected according to the need of each client

  • Chiropractic
  • Osteopathy
  • Vestibular rehabilitation
  • TMJ (temporomandibular joint) assessment / functional dentistry
  • Physiotherapy / DNS / postural rehabilitation
  • Neural Organisation Technique
  • Functional neurology
  • Sensory integration
  • Shockwave therapy
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF)
  • Interactive Metronome
Aerial view of the Inspiring Choices clinic at Clear Island Waters on the Gold Coast

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