The Acupuncture Way: Improve Sleep Quality and Eliminate Insomnia
Have you been struggling to sleep through the night? Are you looking for safe, effective ways to improve your sleep and help your overall health and well-being? You may benefit from trying Acupuncture at Balance in Motion Physical Therapy Clinic
Sleep is essential for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Although everyone will have trouble sleeping at some point in their lives, losing sleep regularly is a much more significant issue.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep. Some studies have shown that up to 30% of people have poor sleep quality, which affects their ability to function normally during the day.
Fortunately, at our clinic, our acupuncturists are highly skilled at helping people restore normal sleep patterns and get a restful night’s sleep. If you are looking for safe alternatives to strong medications to help you sleep, call and schedule an appointment today!
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a treatment technique that started in China more than 3000 years ago. It was used to treat common ailments that affect people’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The traditional foundation of Acupuncture is based on the belief that our life force/energy (aka Qi) flows through the body along the meridians.
These meridians are channels within the body that contain the Qi. Each meridian has a corresponding organ with associated physical, mental, and emotional attributes. If one of these meridians has a blockage or is impeded in any way, an illness will follow.
Our skilled acupuncturists at our clinic will identify the possible causes of your insomnia and which meridians are blocked. Next, they will use hair-thin needles to free any blockages to have the most significant impact on your sleep and overall health.
How Acupuncture is used to help insomnia
When Acupuncture is used for insomnia, the specific meridian points targeted depend on the individual’s symptoms and the conditions that may be influencing sleep. Whether you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, our (town) acupuncturists can help.
The main reasons for insomnia vary and may include one or a combination of the following causes:
- Medical/health conditions like sleep apnea
- Mental health disorders (i.e., anxiety or depression)
- Acute and chronic pain (i.e., trauma, surgery, old injuries, etc.)
- Irregular sleep schedules (i.e., working the 3rd shift)
- No known cause (aka primary insomnia)
It is thought that the physiologic effects of Acupuncture include the release of chemicals in the body related to proper sleep habits. Research studies on Acupuncture for insomnia have concluded that sleep may improve due to the release of certain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain).
The specific neurotransmitters that regulate our body’s internal clock are positively affected by Acupuncture. These neurotransmitters include:
- Norepinephrine: The chemical that helps us wake up and stay alert.
- Melatonin: This hormone helps our body calm down and prepare for sleep.
- Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): This chemical helps us fall asleep and stay asleep.
The use of medication to assist sleeping can be effective but comes with side effects. Whereas, Acupuncture is safe and effective without any side effects. If you are looking for solutions to your insomnia, call our clinic today and get the good night’s sleep you have been looking for!
What to expect at your acupuncture sessions
At our clinic, our acupuncturists will start with a consultation that includes your medical history, including any medication or supplements you may be taking to help your insomnia.
Your acupuncturist will then decide the best course of treatment for your particular condition by determining which meridians to target based on your situation. In most cases, we recommend a course of acupuncture treatments to reduce or eliminate the causes interfering with your sleep to achieve optimal results.
Our highly trained acupuncturists will educate you on other steps to improve your sleeping patterns, including proper nutrition, herbal supplements, and other traditional Chinese medicine methods.
Our acupuncturists are highly skilled and will use all forms of acupuncture treatments, including needles and any other recommendations, to ensure your overall well-being. The goal of each session is to facilitate the energy flowing through the meridians and restore health to the individual.
Request an appointment at our clinic today!
At our clinic, our highly trained acupuncturists will thoroughly evaluate your symptoms to identify where your meridians may be blocked and develop a course of treatments to help you find relief once and for all!
Call Balance in Motion Physical Therapy Clinic today to schedule a consultation with one of our acupuncturists!