Many people know that Acupuncture treats pain effectively, but did you know it can also help with insomnia. I have patients coming to see me for many different reasons but very often they like to tell me that they have been sleeping better after the first session because Acupuncture always treats the body holistically, not just your symptoms, therefore you sleep a lot better than before.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a symptom which includes:
1. Difficulty getting to sleep and/or
2. Difficulty staying asleep (poor sleep quality) and/or
3. Waking much too early.
There are 4 main reasons causing insomnia:
1. Emotion (i.e. stress/ anxiety/grief)
2. Disturbance from pain
3. Illness (i.e. restless legs, irregular heartbeat, frequent urination, menopause & etc.)
4. Ageing
Can Acupuncture cure my sleeping problems?
Many medical health websites can offer you well-being guidelines to help insomnia. They often suggest reducing stress and eating healthily. I often see people though who have sleeping problems even after following these guidelines! I also see people who do not want to take sleeping pills because of the worry of addiction and other side effects. Let me tell you, here is the good news, Acupuncture treats insomnia successfully. Many studies and data collections have proven its effectiveness. This works for both long and short term insomnia patients.
Why does Acupuncture works well for sleeping problems?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine in order to stay healthy, we must keep our Yin (night/quiet) and Yang (day/active) energy balanced and flow smoothly in the body. If you suffer from a sleeping disorder, without pain, your body usually is either Yang dominant or Yin deficiency. In the elderly, it is usually caused by both Yin and Yang deficiency.
Acupuncture treats the imbalance by restore the deficient energy and regulating the excess energy. After that, you will feel relaxed, sleep well, and wake energised and sharper mind. If pain is stopping you sleep, then, it is essential to relieve the pain first using acupuncture. Besides, we also provide diet and lifestyle advice that suit you to maintain the Yin Yang balance in the body so that you can continue to feel good after the treatments.