Insomnia in Traditional Chinese Medicine is characterized by several possible patterns of energy imbalance and corresponding additional symptoms. You may have one or more types of insomnia, and acupuncture treatments are tailored to address your individual pattern type.
The five most common types of insomnia are:
- Difficulty Falling Asleep
- Intermittent Waking During Sleep
- Waking Early/Inability to Fall Back to Sleep
- Vivid Dreams Disrupting Sleep
- No Sleep All Night
In addition to insomnia, you may have sensations of heat, palpitations, dry mouth, restlessness, tinnitus, dizziness, headaches, poor memory, and of course tiredness. Each set of symptoms is a clue as to the pattern of insomnia to pinpoint the appropriate treatment with acupuncture.
WHAT CAUSES INSOMNIA?
There are many potential causes for insomnia. The beauty of treating insomnia with acupuncture is the therapy is focused on getting to the root cause of the problem by addressing any underlying health issues that are the reason for your wakeful nights.
For instance, the analgesic effect of acupuncture effectively relieves pain. If you cannot get into a comfortable position to rest because of pain, then it’s best to eliminate the pain rather than mask it with pain killers or sleeping pills.
If heartburn or GERD is keeping you up, then acupuncture works fast to harmonize the digestive system. Eating late at night before bed disrupts sleep because the body is busy digesting when it should be resting and restoring.
Restless thoughts, overworked, irritability, stress and depression all are symptoms indicating the energy of the body is not flowing freely. Long-term stress stagnates Qi and results in the inability to unwind and calm down for sleep. Acupuncture is excellent in reducing agitation and helping you relax.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP SLEEP?
In Western terms, acupuncture works by triggering opioid peptides in the brain and releasing natural chemical sedatives of melatonin and serotonin. Energetically, acupuncture balances systemic disharmonies to promote restored health, wellness, relaxation and sleep.
Acupuncture can naturally:
- reduce stress, anxiety, depression
- stimulate melatonin production
- calm restless mind & body
- reset your circadian rhythm
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- relieve pain which disturbs sleep
- treat indigestion causing insomnia
- balance hormones causing menopausal insomnia
