Resolving Insomnia

Sleep has such a powerful effect on our daily life- it is imperative for our cognitive functioning, essential for our healing process, and critical for our emotional well being. When we sleep well, we are energized and grateful, but when sleep is elusive, a struggle to obtain, or disrupted for various reasons, we begin to recognize how vital it is to our wellness, and how difficult insomnia is to cope with.

Acupuncture is gaining recognition as an effective alternative to prescription sleep medications. Insomnia is a complaint commonly seen by Acupuncturists, as it effects and is intertwined with so many other conditions. We all want a natural, restful, restorative night's sleep, without the groggy hangover from pharmaceuticals or over the counter drugs. Acupuncture provides relief on a deeper level, treating the cause of the insomnia at the source, and dealing with each person's unique presentation of symptoms.

Insomnia is not a black and white issue, it's a term that encompasses various problems including: difficulty to fall asleep, restless sleep, waking during the night, waking up early in the morning, and dream disturbed sleep.

In Chinese Medicine, treating insomnia usually involves nourishing the Heart, and helping to calm the Shen, (the spirit of the Heart) so that it can rest, and be rejuvenated. However, each individual has their own unique presentation, which may also involve imbalance with other organs or meridians, and this is all taken into account when planning an appropriate treatment to alleviate the root cause of the insomnia. Following is an explanation of some types of insomnia identified by Chinese Medicine, and the typical patterns of symptoms that they involve.

Heart and Spleen Deficiency: involves difficulty falling asleep, fatigue, poor memory, palpitations, poor appetite, anxiety, and pale complexion.

Heart and Kidney Disharmony: characterized by waking frequently in the night, difficulty getting back to sleep, night sweats, palpitations, dizziness, poor memory, tinnitus, backache, dry mouth and throat.

Heart and Gallbladder Qi Deficiency: often affects timid individuals and involves waking up with fright and difficulty falling asleep again, lots of dreams, light sleep, palpitations, breathlessness and fatigue.

Liver Fire: more common in people with a lot of emotional stress, and can be characterized by nightmares, irritability, thirst, headaches, red eyes, and bitter taste in the mouth.

Phlegm Fire Disturbing the Mind: identified in people with restless sleep and lots of tossing and turning. There may also be dizziness, a feeling of oppression in the chest, nausea and poor appetite. Dietary changes can be very beneficial for this type of insomnia.

If you have noticed a pattern of waking up at the same time each night, it may be helpful for you to know that in Chinese Medicine, each of the 12 organ/meridian systems has an associated two hour time period during the 24 hour day. If you consistently wake during a certain time period, it could be helpful for your Acupuncturist to know, to better understand potential causes for your insomnia. This information, along with your symptoms, feeling the pulse, and observing the tongue, helps to determine a therapeutic treatment plan.

More and more people are seeking out Acupuncture for insomnia. Whether you've tried medications and don't like the side effects, are worried about dependence, or just don't feel like you are getting quality sleep when it is induced by a medication, Acupuncture is a therapeutic alternative that nourishes the body, mind, and spirit on a core level. Many people find that Acupuncture helps them feel calm and relaxed, which naturally allows them to fall asleep peacefully and wake feeling refreshed.

Sleep induced by a prescription is better than no sleep at all, but many people are left feeling groggy and hungover, and not as refreshed as they would feel from natural sleep. By treating your insomnia at the source, Acupuncture encourages your body's own natural sleep cycle to take over, and re-establish a peaceful rhythm of restorative sleep once again, so that you can greet each new day feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.