Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
Waking up tired no matter how much you sleep
You're exhausted at 3 p.m. and wide awake at 3 a.m. You've followed every sleep tip, and you still wake up tired.
what it often looks like
What people with sleep problems often describe
- Waking up tired no matter how many hours you get
- Lying awake with a racing mind
- Waking at the same hour every night
- Dragging through the afternoon
Why it is often missed. Sleep advice usually starts with habits and ends with a prescription. Whether your nervous system can switch out of fight or flight at night is seldom measured.
Why the upper neck may be involved. Falling asleep and staying asleep depend on the nervous system shifting into rest and digest. The brainstem, surrounded by the top bone of the neck, plays a part in that shift. When the system is stuck on, the body braces for an emergency that never ends, and sleep is one of the first things pushed aside.
what the research looked at
Three published studies on sleep problems
Published 2004 to 2015. The strongest design among them: controlled trial. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- Fibromyalgia: 120 people, with and without upper neck care added to the same program
- Nineteen people with chronic fatigue syndrome, six months after a NUCCA correction
- A 23-year-old man after a head-first fall: seizures, sleep, mood and migraine
In every study here sleep was a secondary measure in people with another main condition. There is no upper cervical study on this list of people whose main problem is sleep. Ongoing sleep problems deserve a medical look as well, including for sleep apnea.
The sleep problems studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. Heart rate variability shows how much reserve your nervous system has and whether it is stuck in fight or flight, and the thermal scan reads the part of your nervous system that runs the organs.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: Ongoing sleep problems deserve a medical look as well, including for sleep apnea.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on sleep problems on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about sleep problems
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Why do I wake up tired no matter how much I sleep?
There are many possible reasons, from sleep apnea to thyroid problems, and a medical workup should look for them. When those come back normal, one question is often missed: whether your nervous system can switch out of fight or flight at night. Heart rate variability is one way to measure that.
What does research say about upper cervical care and sleep?
In every study we found, sleep was a secondary measure in people with another main condition, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or a head injury. There is no upper cervical study yet of people whose main problem is sleep. We would rather tell you that plainly than overstate what has been studied.
Can a stressed nervous system keep me awake?
Yes. Falling asleep depends on the nervous system shifting toward rest and digest. When it is stuck in fight or flight, the body stays on guard, and you can lie awake exhausted with a racing mind. That pattern can be measured, which is a different question from whether your sleep habits are good.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.