Dr Notley - Chiropractor / Athletic Therapist

04/10/2026

Waking Up in Pain at 3 AM? Your Body’s Internal Clocks Might Be the Cause.

Content: For those living with chronic pain, the dark hours of the early morning are often the loudest. There is a very common and frustrating pattern where symptoms amplify around 3:00 AM. While we often assume we feel more sensitive simply because we are tired, clinical evidence reveals a dangerous "vicious cycle."

Pain disrupts your sleep, and the resulting deficiency physically and chemically rewires your brain to be more sensitive to pain the next day. This is how temporary discomfort can become permanent chronic pain.

Why does it peak?

A 3 AM Inflammation Spike: A primary pro-inflammatory chemical can be 10 times higher than normal at 3:00 AM. This creates a nightly "inflammatory soup" that contributing directly to intense nocturnal joint pain and morning stiffness.

Disarming Natural Painkillers: Sleep loss "de-activates" your body’s natural painkillers (opioids) and suppresses melatonin, removing key layers of nightly protection.

Turning Up the Pain Volume: While painkillers are shut down, sleep deficiency simultaneously "turns up the volume" on chemicals that amplify pain sensitivity.

Here is your Secret Weapon: Sleep is a powerful process that actively "cleanses" the inflammatory soup. Breaking the cycle often begins with the pillow or mattress, not the pill cabinet. Prioritizing restorative sleep is an active medical intervention.

04/07/2026

Chronic Low Back Pain: Why Team-Based Care Works Better
If you've been dealing with chronic low back pain, you've probably already tried the basics, rest,

Chronic low back pain often needs more than treatment alone. Learn how modern biopsychosocial care helps people recover in Winnipeg.

04/03/2026

On this Good Friday, we pause for reflection and recognize the profound importance of rest and recovery—not just for our minds, but for our physical well-being. 🧘‍♀️

Just as athletes prioritize downtime for optimal performance and injury prevention, our bodies require intentional periods of rest to repair, rebuild, and restore. It's during these moments of stillness that true healing occurs, allowing us to return to our daily lives and activities with renewed strength and resilience.

Take this opportunity to embrace restorative practices, listen to your body, and honor its need for quiet rejuvenation.

Holiday Hours:

🚩 Good Friday: Closed
✅ Saturday: Open
✅ Monday: Open

Wishing you a peaceful and restorative Good Friday.

04/03/2026

Protect the Spine: The Kettlebell Carry
If you have read this blog before, I hav

04/02/2026

This is never ever called a text neck headache but in this day an age phone use is more a problem than reading books or newspapers. https://drnotley.com/understanding-your-smartphone-and-neck-related-headaches-a-patients-guide/

03/30/2026

Are you part of the 77%? 🧐

New research confirms that excessive smartphone use is a major driver of Cervicogenic Headaches (CGH). It’s not just about "bad posture"—it’s about how your cervical spine and nerves react to hours of screen exposure.

In this study of young adults, moderate to severe pain was significantly linked to daily screen habits. If you’re tired of the "scroll-ache," it’s time for a clinical assessment.

Drop a "📱" in the comments if you’ve noticed your head hurting after a long day on your phone!

03/27/2026

Most knee rehab ignores something your knee does constantly — rotate.

Your knee isn't just a hinge. It glides and rotates with every step, every squat, every stair.

When that rotation is stiff or restricted, it puts stress on the wrong structures. Over time, that adds up.

This one drill takes 2 minutes and can make a real difference. 🔄

👇 Watch it at the link.

Dr Notley, Winnipeg Chiropractor and athletic therapist, demonstrates open chain knee circles to emphasis the rotational mobility of the knee.

03/25/2026

I've treated athletes who competed at the Canada Games. Athletes who've represented Canada internationally. Weekend warriors who just want to keep doing what they love.

Every single one gets the same thing: my full attention, a real diagnosis, and a plan that actually makes sense for their life.

Chiropractor + Athletic Therapist. 25+ years. Winnipeg.

New patients welcome. 📍 Link in

https://drnotley.com/

03/24/2026

"The room is spinning. You roll over in bed and suddenly the whole world tilts.

If this sounds familiar, you might have BPPV — and the good news is it's one of the most treatable conditions I see.

One maneuver. Often one visit. Most people walk out feeling dramatically better.

Here's what BPPV is and how the Epley maneuver works. 🌀

👇 Full breakdown at the link.

If you're dealing with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), two exercises can really help ease your symptoms: the Epley maneuver and the newer Half

03/23/2026

Your disc didn't just herniate for no reason.

Most people treat the symptom — the sharp leg pain, the sciatica — without ever understanding why it happened in the first place.

If you don't fix the cause, it comes back. Every time.

Dr. Notley breaks down the mechanics of disc herniation and what McKenzie extensions actually do to help.

One of the most troubling conditions my lower back pain patients face is sciatica, where they experience symptoms radiating down their leg. This often results

03/21/2026

"3 months of pain. Tried physio. Tried massage. Still not right.

This is the story I hear almost every week.

The problem usually isn't that people haven't tried — it's that no one has looked at the full picture. Chiropractic, soft tissue, acupuncture, movement patterns — together.

That's how I approach every patient. 25 years. Winnipeg.

https://drnotley.com/appointment/