Acupuncture Can Be The Answer To Your Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition in which a person has problem falling asleep or staying asleep. We will talk about insomnia that pertains to low quality of sleep with symptoms persisting for a month or more and arising at least 3 times a week.

All people can potentially suffer from insomnia. In the modern world, this condition is so prevalent that it affects around 30% to 40% of all adult Americans each year. This rate goes even higher among women and the elderly.

Research has revealed that cases of sleeplessness likely rise with age and women are more prone than men in developing insomnia because of menstrual periods, menopause, or pregnancy. It’s also important to mention that Insomnia can be a condition in its own right, as well as a sign/symptom of another, more serious illness.

Acute or short term insomnia which can last for one or several nights, if left untreated, can worsen into chronic or long-term insomnia. This type of insomnia can go on for months, and in some instances, even years.

Insomnia symptoms can manifest in many ways:

• Waking up and not feeling refreshed or rested
• Problems going back asleep after waking up
• Waking up early
• Waking up throughout the night
• Light sleeping
• Difficulty falling asleep

The emotional, mental, and physical quality of life of the patient can be negatively affected by any of these symptoms. The mental and physical tiredness that usually comes with this condition can adversely affect a person’s activities during waking hours in a severe way resulting in tension headaches, poor concentration, anxiety, irritability, fatigues and daytime drowsiness.

Insomnia can lead to additional illnesses, complications, and other health issues if it’s left untreated.

The symptoms of insomnia are not always resolved with pharmaceutical drugs. Such treatments also have their own unwanted and harmful side effects. On the other hand, acupuncture in Bellmore is an especially effective insomnia treatment that does not require the use of pharmaceutical medications. It is a safe non-pharmaceutical alternative for people suffering from sleep disorders who would rather avoid problems that may arise with the use of medication (side effects and dependency). There are reports that show a maximum 90% rate of success in treatment of insomnia through specific acupuncture procedures.

Although its origins came from China millennia ago, acupuncture is now a well-known, proven and effective mode of healing that is used worldwide. Administration of this therapy is through the sticking of slender needles into certain acupuncture points that are found at various parts of the body.

Exercise and relaxation techniques can help in the treatment of insomnia. These can include natural health techniques such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and meditation that can go a long way in helping attain a more profound and extremely relaxing state of sleep by lessening the effects of everyday stress that’s one of the biggest contributors to the problem.

Equally essential is the need to establish and maintain healthy sleeping habits:

• Do not go to bed until you’re really tired or drowsy
• Do not nap or sleep during the day
• Every day (including weekends), make it a point to set your alarm clock to wake you up at the same time
• Sleep in a comfortable, quiet, and peaceful bedroom atmosphere that’s conducive to sleep. Take into account important factors such as lighting, and room temperature.
• Use the bed only for sex or sleep (no lounging, studying, reading, eating, TV, etc.)
• Near bedtime refrain from nicotine and alcohol
• During afternoon and evening hours, avoid taking caffeinated beverages
• If you wake during sleep at night, avoid worrying about time and look at the clock, just lie down in a comfortable position try to go back to sleep
• If you can’t fall asleep quickly, just get out of bed and walk to another room until you get tired enough to go back to bed
• Do not perform any strenuous exercises stimulating activities just before bedtime

Alternative and natural therapies such as acupuncture can be a very effective way of falling asleep and resolving insomnia, especially when their combined with the recommendations mentioned above.

Talking with your doctor is always the best way to fight insomnia and any other forms of disorders/ diseases; however, the number of medical doctors who are extolling and supporting the use of natural therapies and referring their patients for acupuncture treatments are steadily growing each day.

If you have a sleeping disorder, you need to consider acupuncture as a potential cure for your problem.

You Can Rely on Acupuncture for the Treatment of Your Insomnia

Treating insomnia with acupuncture surely makes a lot of sense if you are into natural modes of treatment that do not involve the use of any pharmaceutical medications. Occasionally, several practitioners also use herbal remedies along with acupuncture treatment.

Deriving its potency through filiform needles, acupuncture is not a painful type of treatment people scared of needles imagine it to be. The needle insertion might cause a tingling, discomforting, or numbing sensation but when the effect of the treatment kicks in, the patient usually dozes off the rest of the procedure due to the extreme relaxing effect that the treatment causes which is a very good thing for people who are uptight or suffering from severe stress.

One very important thing to understand if you are considering getting acupuncture treatment is your need to be treated by a qualified, experienced and accredited acupuncturist in order to avoid any accidents, injuries or infections that often happens under the hands of unqualified practitioners.

How Acupuncture for Insomnia Works in Vancouver

Insomnia treatment using acupuncture is a very old Chinese healing practice dating back as far as 4,000 years ago. The Chinese studied and worked with it to raise it into a highly complex and polished practice that it is today. Acupuncture is a part of an ancient medical codex known as traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. With modalities such as acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Tui Na, or Chinese massage, and food therapy, TCM is a mainstream form of treatment that hundreds of millions of people depend on to get well or maintain their health all over the world.

How acupuncture actually works is traditionally explained through the principle of vital energy or Qi or Chi which flows all over the body via a network of Qi channels known as meridians. When the circulation of Qi in the body is uninterrupted and constant, the person experiences good health; conversely, when Qi flow stagnates and is blocked pain and sickness occurs. Blocked Qi causes an imbalance causing symptoms. The type and location of the blockage determines the organs and organ systems that become affected.

One very good way to restore health and unblock the circulation of qi is through acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are inserted into the meridians where qi has been blocked or stagnated. The human body possesses around 2000 meridian points on the surface of the skin. For insomnia sufferers there may be dozens of meridian points that may be affected although this may depend on your body type, general health, and the kind of sleep problems you have.

Being a treatment that is specifically designed for a patient, acupuncture is a highly customized healing practice and so what the acupuncturist needs to do is to fully evaluate the patient. His symptoms also need to be taken into account. It is important for the practitioner to, for example, determine if the patient suffers from initial, terminal, or middle insomnia, and how he/she feels physically and mentally. The practitioner may also need to determine the lifestyle and diet of the patient as well as observe the patient’s tongue.

In the treatment of insomnia, the acupuncturist helps bring about a balancing effect in the patient’s body and mind. You don’t have to be thoroughly knowledgeable on how and why acupuncture works in order to derive its benefits. All you have to do is try it out and see if it really works for you.

The truth is, Western medicine’s understanding of acupuncture somewhat ignores the theory of the blockage and stagnation of Qi, and instead concentrates on the release of beneficial pain-blocking hormones such as endorphins and other hormones that calm the central nervous system. Regardless of the explanations that try to explain the workings of this very useful form of treatment, the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for insomnia is undeniable.

Experiencing Acupuncture Treatment for Insomnia

A profound sense of relaxation is often felt when the needles are inserted into the skin. This kind of experience is felt by patients regardless of the condition they are being treated for. As the needles go into the skin, the patient suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of calm that is seldom felt except in times of bliss and happiness.

There are occasions when the patient may experience a warmth radiating through parts of his/her body that previously felt painful or stiff.

These all prove that acupuncture indeed can affect the body and mind systems as well as prove its effectiveness towards the treatment of insomnia.

Is acupuncture for insomnia treatment right for you?

Acupuncture for insomnia is most effective when you are not suffering from severe sleep anxiety. This is because sleeplessness caused by high anxiety sometimes can be deeply ingrained in the brain that the only way to overcome it is through intense cognitive therapy.

The cycle of sleep anxiety is an endless loop that is self-perpetuating and usually gets more severe as various forms of treatment are tried out only to find out that they all won’t work for you. If you are faced with this kind of problem, the first step to treatment is to deal with this problem first. If you don’t, no other form of treatment will be able to resolve your insomnia; after you have learned to properly manage your thought process that’s the time to try out body-centered or holistic natural forms of therapy for your insomnia.

You can use acupuncture for almost all other forms of insomnia, especially if your sleep problem is due to certain circadian rhythm disturbances such as a jet lag.

Moreover, as an all-natural all body treatment, acupuncture is a perfect form of treatment for sleep problems caused by allergy or pain.

Feeling tired and wired are clear signs for trying out acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia. If your nervous system is overexcited, it is a big indication that your energy system is not balanced and this you will know when you have fast heart rate, when your thoughts and racing, and when you are fatigued. This kind of condition can be effectively addressed with acupuncture.

Searching for a Good Acupuncturist

Depending on the place where you live, looking for an experienced and well-trained acupuncturist can be a difficult task to do. One easy way to find one is through referrals from your doctor, neighbors, coworkers, relatives, and friends.

One can also ask referrals from holistic professionals such as a naturopathic doctor, chiropractor, or a massage therapist. Chances are high that they know a good acupuncturist for your insomnia.

If that’s not possible, you may get in touch with associations that acupuncturists belong to. You can go to the Acupuncture Today website and get a listing of the organizations by state.

Since acufinder.com had recently teamed up with the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine you can go the acufinder.com website to search for referrals.

Lastly, you may just respond to an ad and call the acupuncturist who placed an ad online or on a website. To make the most of your time, be sure to phone call more than one and prepare a list of questions so you may properly evaluate each of them through the phone. After you have found prospective practitioners, you can then do a web search to derive more information such as patient reviews, experience, and educational background and accreditations of those practitioners.

Sometimes the online reviews in favor of the acupuncturists may not all be that reliable, you can sift through the false information and be able to decide if the acupuncturist is a good practitioner or not.

Insomnia Symptoms

People with insomnia should be thoroughly examined by the doctor to know the deeper factors of this disorder. Insomnia can manifest itself in the following symptoms and signs that can last for a week or more.

Sleeping Difficulty

This is the most obvious and primary symptom. A person who has a hard time feeling sleepy or finds it very hard to fall asleep even if he does feel sleepy for days or weeks can be considered as suffering from insomnia. He may also find it hard staying asleep because he frequently wakes up and then finds it very hard to resume his sleep. He may also wake up very early in the morning feeling tired and exhausted due to lack of real sleep.

Symptoms of insomnia seen in the daytime (from poor quality of sleep or inadequate sleep)

• Poor responses to external irritations and lowered ability for alertness
• Emotional instability and confusion
• Lack of energy and mood changes
• Poor memory function
• Muscle aches and headaches
• High risk for errors and accidents – High risk of machinery and motor vehicle accidents
• Poor focusing, paying attention and concentration
• Offensive and irritable social behavior
• Depression and anxiety – They can be insomnia symptoms and the causes of insomnia as well.
• Fatigues and daytime sleepiness

Duration of Symptoms

How long the symptoms last depends on the kind of insomnia of the person. A transient type of insomnia lasts for a few nights; short-term insomnia can endure for less than a month; chronic or long-term insomnia can show symptoms that can last for several months. A detailed illustration of the symptoms and discussion with the physician can help the physician formulate a correct diagnosis leading to a treatment plan that relieves the patient of his insomnia.

 

Insomnia – Preparing For your Appointment

You need to consult with your doctor if youíre having problems with your sleep. In order to make your appointment productive, help your doctor by coming fully prepared for your insomnia appointment.  Listed below are some tips that can better prepare you for your appointment.

What you can do

* Know beforehand if there are any requests from your doctor you need to fulfill prior to your appointment ñ Your physician may request that you keep a sleep journal or diary wherein you can write down everything related to your sleep (number of hours you have slept, time of sleep or bedtime, the number of times you wake up, the how many times and the hours you wake up in the night and the hour in the morning you usually wake up). Include in the journal your normal daily activities and routines, and your sleep or rest during the day. You may start writing down all these a week or two prior to your appointment.
* Use a journal to list down all your questions to ask your doctor
* Have your sleeping partner accompany you to your appointment ñ Your partner can share valuable information about the way you sleep and about your problems with your doctor. This can help the doctor gain more insight to your problem and eventually formulate a correct diagnosis to your problem.
* List down in the journal the list of all medicines, herbs, supplements and steroids you are currently taking
* Also include in your journal all your medical conditions and information about yourself including recent noteworthy changes in your life, stress factors in your life and recent and current health issues.
* Jot down any symptoms you have even issues that may not be caused by your main complaint.

The questions you can ask your doctor that you should include in your journal can be like these:

* What is causing my sleeplessness?
* Are there other possible factors besides the likeliest factor that may be causing my insomnia?
* What do you think is the best way to address my insomnia?
* What is the best thing for me to do to properly address my other health problems including my insomnia?
* Do I need to go to a sleep clinic? If so, how much will it cost?  Is it covered by my insurance?
* Can I bring home insomnia-related articles and brochures from your office?  Can you recommend a website I can go to research further about my sleeping problem?

The doctor will need to ask you certain questions about yourself and your condition to help him come up with a correct diagnosis. Some of the questions can be like these:

* How long have you experienced your sleep problem?
* What are the symptoms of your sleep problem?
* Does your problem occur from time to time or does it affect you every night?
* What is your normal sleep pattern?
* Has anything occurred in your life that may have started to affect your sleep?
* Have you suffered from past sleeping problems? If yes, how was it addressed?
* Are you suffering from certain symptoms that may have arisen due to your sleeping problem?
* Is there anything that worsens your symptoms?
* Is there anything that makes your symptoms improve?
* Have you used nonprescription or prescription drugs to help you sleep?
* Do you take other types of drugs (prescription or nonprescription) for other health problems?
* Do you take illegal drugs like cocaine or drink alcohol to aid you in sleeping?
* Any home remedies you have tried? If so what are they? Have they been useful?
* Do you always feel very sleepy or sleep during the day especially during driving and work?
* Are your normal daily routines affected by your sleep problem?
* Do you have any family member that has been diagnosed with a sleep problem or with any type of depression?
* Do you have any health risks?
* Do you smoke?
* Do you snore?
* Have you experienced choking for breath while sleeping that forced you to wake up?
* What time do you sleep at night? What time in the morning do you wake up? Are your sleeping and waking times different during weekdays and weekends?
* How often do you wake up at night? If so, is it hard going back to sleep after youíve waken up?
* Does it take a while for you to fall asleep at night?
* How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?
* What part of the house do you sleep?
* Is your sleeping area noisy and/or brightly lit?
* What foods and drink do you eat at night?
* Do you exercise?
* Have you traveled recently?

Linda Lesperance is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of The Lotus Center of Oriental Medicine in Boca Raton, FL.

Insomnia Coping and Support

Insomnia can cause you to be mentally slow and more irritable; these two factors can increase your stress experiences. Listed below are some of the ways you can try to deal with stress-related insomnia.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

One cause of sleeping difficulty is too much muscle tension in your body. When a person is stressed out, he may not be aware of the tightened muscles in his body caused by his stress.  Progressive muscle relaxation is one sure way of relaxing the muscle tension in his body.

Journaling

Another effective way to help you get a good night’s sleep if you frequently wake up at night due to constant worrying is journaling. Journaling means jotting down whatever you wish, especially a pleasant experience that you remember or fantasizing about a new idea that makes you happy. Journaling is a therapeutic way to remove your mind of worries and negative thoughts and to keep thinking positive things that night and tomorrow when you wake up. You can also reflect on the day that ended, about the things that happened during the day and then letting them go. Journaling offers you a great way to let go of your stress and clear your mind so that you may be able to sleep well.

Work through Your Stress

A person who cannot sleep due to anxiety can be able to relax and fall asleep with a change of perspective. Anxiety is usually a natural reaction that entails some sort of action needed to be done to address the cause of the anxiety. Anxiety is about worrying and when you worry at night it keeps you awake. If you look at your situation as a challenge to you rather viewing it as a threat, you can more or less tackle this situation in a more proactive and decisive way instead of continuing in a passive and anxious frame of mind. If you can look at your situation in a different perspective, you may be able to see opportunities you may have initially overlooked.

Take the Pressure off Sleep

The problem when you begin to keep having frequent sleeping problems, bedtime itself can then become a not too pleasant experience as well. To prevent you from going into this kind of situation you can perform certain things to help take out the pressure caused by insomnia. One thing you can do is to arise from your bed (if you feel that you’re far from getting sleepy).  This will help you avoid the pressure of monitoring the clock for several hours. You can then occupy yourself with an activity. This way you may feel that you’re managing your time well unlike being in bed and looking at the clock for hours which can cause stress. Another thing to do is to make your bedroom first and foremost your sleeping area. This means you should only associate your bedroom and bed with sleep rather than stress. Doing other not-too stimulating activities like reading a book or watching a rather unexciting movie can bring sleep into your mind and body.  Try also not to take in caffeine during the afternoon and at night.

Seek Help

Unfortunately a lot of insomnia sufferers are unaware that joining a support group for their problem is a very effective way to help them deal with insomnia. A support group not only can assist you in getting sleep, it can also provide you with lots of information about your problem that can enable you to better handle and treat this condition.

Nawei Jiang is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of Nawei’s Acupuncture Clinic in Colorado Springs, CO.