Acupuncture for Insomnia

Insomnia is a persistent disorder that can make it difficult to fall asleep and hard to stay asleep or both, despite the opportunity for adequate sleep. With insomnia, you usually awaken feeling unrefreshed, which takes a toll on your ability to function during the day. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood but also your health, work performance and quality of life.

How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. Most adults need seven to eight hours a night. Someone with insomnia will often take 30 minutes or more to fall asleep and may get only six or fewer hours of sleep for three or more nights a week over a month or more

Many adults experience insomnia at some point, but some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be secondary due to other causes, such as a disease or medication.

Insomnia symptoms may include:

·         Difficulty falling asleep at night

·         Awakening during the night

·         Awakening too early

·         Not feeling well rested after a night's sleep

·         Daytime tiredness or sleepiness

·         Irritability, depression or anxiety

·         Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering

·         Increased errors or accidents

·         Tension headaches

·         Distress in the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract)

·         Ongoing worries about sleep

Someone with insomnia will often take 30 minutes or more to fall asleep and may get only six or fewer hours of sleep for three or more nights a week over a month or more

Common causes of insomnia include:

·         Stress. Concerns about work, school, health or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep.  Acupuncture is very effective in reducing the physiological effects of the stress on the body, and train your body and mind how to manage stress better.

·         Anxiety. Everyday anxieties as well as more-serious anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may disrupt your asleep. Acupuncture and herbs are effective ways to reduce anxiety levels. Meditation, Qi Gong, Tai chi, and yoga are natural and effective ways to reduce your anxiety level.

·         Depression. You might either sleep too much or have trouble sleeping if you're depressed. Insomnia often occurs with other mental health disorders as well. Many Studies have shown that electro-acupuncture and auricular acupuncture to be an effective in treating depression.

·         Medical conditions. If you have chronic pain, breathing difficulties or a need to urinate frequently, you might develop insomnia. Examples of conditions linked with insomnia include arthritis, cancer, heart failure, lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, stroke, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Acupuncture has been proven to be effective in treating muscular skeletal pain, it is also effective in treating asthma, and Chinese herbs and diet modifications can be effective in reducing GERD symptoms.

·         Change in your environment or work schedule. Travel or working a late or early shift can disrupt your body's circadian rhythms, making it difficult to sleep. Your circadian rhythms act as an internal clock, guiding such things as your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature.

·         Poor sleep habits. Poor sleep habits include an irregular sleep schedule, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment can lead to insomnia.

·         Medications. Many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep, including some antidepressants, heart and blood pressure medications, allergy medications, stimulants (such as Ritalin), and corticosteroids. Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications — including some pain medication combinations, decongestants and weight-loss products — contain caffeine and other stimulants.

·         Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeine-containing drinks are well-known stimulants. Drinking coffee in the late afternoon and later can keep you from falling asleep at night. Nicotine in tobacco products is another stimulant that can cause insomnia. Alcohol is a sedative that may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes you to awaken in the middle of the night.

·         Eating too much late in the evening. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down, making it difficult to get to sleep. Many people also experience heartburn, a back flow of acid and food from the stomach into the esophagus after eating, which may keep you awake.

  

·         Hormonal changes. Women are much more likely to experience insomnia. Hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle and in menopause may play a role. During menopause, night sweats and hot flashes often disturb sleep. Insomnia is also common with pregnancy. Acupuncture and herbs are effective in reducing hot flashes and night sweats and other symptoms associated with menopause.

At Acuwellness Center, we can treat your insomnia using natural and effective treatments. For more information or if you like to make an appointment, please call our office.