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Acupuncture for Insomnia
Insomnia affects people of all ages and genders, particularly among the working-age and the elderly. Symptoms of insomnia can be listed as follows:
- Difficulty sleeping normally. That is, getting less sleep than usual (typically less than 4-6 hours).
- Finding it hard to fall asleep at night (taking more than 30 minutes).
- Waking up often or easily- disturbed sleep
- Waking up and struggling to fall asleep again.
All these factors can potentially lead to an inability to sleep at all during the night. This can result in drowsiness or sleepiness during the day, dullness, weakness, difficulty paying attention, fatigue, and so on, impacting your daily life and health.
Insomnia can be caused by physical or mental conditions or may result from being in a stressful situation over an extended period. It is also viewed by modern medicine as a neurological disorder that affects sleep.
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Virginia JinAcupuncturist & Chinese herbalistSleep disorder is a common problem for people today, but the causes are completely different in our TCM view.
Factors that contribute to the development of insomnia:
- Liver fire
- Liver and gallbladder damp heat
- Heart fire
- Spleen Qi deficiency
- Heart Qi deficiency
For chronic or even primary insomnia, your healthcare provider might prescribe sedative medications. These can be effective in the short term, but they can become addictive and may lead to feelings of drowsiness during the day.
Acupuncture, on the other hand, aims to identify the root cause of insomnia and positively address it by influencing certain neurotransmitters accordingly. According to research, acupuncture can help quiet you
r mind, improve relaxation, and decrease stress to promote sleep. The treatment can also assist in boosting the natural production of melatonin in the body, which can aid in improved sleep levels.
Causes of Sleep Disorder
Acupuncture for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnoea is another type of sleep disorder that causes a person to have temporary pauses in breathing during the night. This occurs when the muscles in the nose, nasal passages, mouth, or throat become too relaxed.
The American National Institute of Health (NIH) studies show that Acupuncture helps to decrease the apnoea-hypopnoea index, which is the number of times a person stops and starts breathing during the night. The treatment also helps to stimulate these muscles and prevent over-relaxation, thereby having the potential to reduce the number of apneas occurring throughout the night.
How could Traditional Chinese Medicine help in treating sleep disorders?
At our wellness acupuncture clinic, we aim to improve your sleep quality naturally, without using any chemical or hormonal sleep medications. Our team utilises traditional Chinese medicine techniques to alleviate symptoms of insomnia, sleep apnoea, stress and anxiety, which can impact the quality of your sleep.
According to TCM, insomnia results from an imbalance of energies in the body, specifically between Yin and Yang Qi. To restore this, Chinese acupuncture employs needles to help balance the flow of Qi (or chi) throughout the body.
Needles are strategically placed in specific points along 14 meridians – or qi pathways – in your body to rebalance this energy flow. When qi gets stuck, it can cause pain, discomfort, reduced bodily function, or illness. So, the strategic placement of these acupuncture needles releases the blockage and allows energy to flow as your body’s natural healing process kicks in.
This is why, after an acupuncture session, many patients often report feelings of bliss, relaxation or a dazed state referred to as “acu land.”
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Anxiety & Depression Disorder Care
Recent research and medical documentation show that many people struggle with depression, anxiety, and stress, and are searching for alternative options to antidepressant medication.
Some promising recent studies are showing how acupuncture can help individuals manage symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as providing clear, biological explanations for recently revealed clinical evidence.
For anxiety treatments, the acupuncturist inserts fine needles into certain identified acupuncture points on “meridians” which run throughout the body and correspond to certain organs. Think of meridians as a highway of energy or “qi” in TCM.
When there is congestion on the highway, energy gets backed up. When the meridians are clear (no roadblocks), the qi flows freely and acupuncture is theorised to work by getting rid of the “roadblocks” on this energy superhighway.
Each meridian “homes” to an organ and each organ has certain associations, such as emotions or body parts. For example, in Chinese medicine, the liver’s emotion is anger. When the qi is blocked, it can cause liver qi stagnation, potentially resulting in anger.
It goes both ways, though—when you get angry frequently, you can block the flow of liver qi. Western medicine has shown that these issues have subsided via acupuncture as it releases endorphins and activates natural painkillers in your health. There is considerable evidence available that positively endorses acupuncture for pain management.
Now we see that it affects other biological functions as well. Chinese medicine sees acupuncture as improving functioning by correcting blockages or imbalances in the organs.
Factors that cause Yin and Yang Qi imbalance:
- Dietary habits– Overeating, Caffeinated/ alcoholic
- Emotions- Anger, Sorrow, Extreme happiness
- Exhaustion from activities- Excessive exercise, Overstimulation of the brain
- Prolonged illness
- Old age
Book your appointment with us today and get back your night’s sleep
We help our patients to get back to their routine sleep, being relieved from any chronic pains, or other sleep issues via a natural treatment. We use Chinese herbs in addition to our acupuncture treatments depending on your health condition and case history.
During our first session, we will give you the lowdown on how we're working and what changes to realistically expect from Chinese acupuncture treatment in NZ. The longer the period of your insomnia, the harder it is to shift. Our treatments are aimed at helping you create long-term change. Reach out to us to know more details and to book your appointments.