Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for Insomnia
Nearly 30% of American adults struggle with chronic insomnia, which increases with age. Standard treatment includes sleeping pills and cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy shows a lot of promise as an effective treatment, and sleeping pills can be helpful in the short term. However, according to standard approaches, it is a condition that can be treated but, unfortunately, not cured. And while many Americans don't meet the criteria of a 'chronic insomnia' label, anyone who lacks proper sleep regularly will suffer physical, mental, and emotional health consequences. Besides the apparent fatigue that comes with many types of insomnia, there can be accompanying effects such as headaches, dizziness, sore muscles, and mood issues. One large study found that insomnia patients were five times more likely to suffer from depression than those who got adequate sleep. This is in addition to other associated effects on brain health, cardiovascular health, immunity, and weight.
Acupuncturists and practitioners of Chinese medicine typically ask about the quantity and quality of sleep no matter the initial complaint or reason for seeking treatment. As holistic health practitioners, we recognize the enormous impact sleep has on the overall health experience. If there are any deficits in sleep, this will usually be part of the focus of treatment. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), nighttime is yin time, a time for rest, healing, and recovery. It needs to balance yang time (daytime) activity levels. This harmony of yin and yang is central to the TCM understanding of health.
Acupuncture takes an individualized approach to insomnia, as everyone is different. There can be many reasons why someone is out of balance. In addition to external factors such as trauma or stress, a person's internal environment will be examined. A traditional Chinese medicine pattern assessment evaluates the body's abundance and flow of blood and energy (qi), excess hot or cold type disorders, and any organ imbalances. But is it effective?
In a review of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of Acupuncture for insomnia, Acupuncture was found superior to medications in its ability to increase sleep duration for >3 hours. Also, Acupuncture plus medications showed a better effect than medications alone on total sleep duration. And finally, Acupuncture plus herbs was significantly better than herbs alone in increasing sleep rates. Worthwhile to note that there were no serious adverse effects of Acupuncture observed in any of the trials.
According to Western physiology, Acupuncture affects our ability to sleep by triggering the release of our sleep hormone: melatonin, and various other mechanisms still being studied, such as the activation of specific brain pathways involved in sensory processing. Acupuncture is also known to stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps shift the whole body into a more relaxed state. When the body goes into this relaxed state, sleep quality improves. The body also turns on the immune and repair systems, cutting down oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Given the interrelationship of sleep and overall health, if all Acupuncture did were improve sleep, it would still merit recognition as a valuable health system. But Acupuncture is prescribed for so much more! Contact Marc J. Gian, an Acupuncturist and Massage Therapist in Flatiron, NYC, and Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to set up a session. Marc often uses essential oils on Acupuncture points to provide the most calming and effective treatment.