Acupuncture Can Help Treat Insomnia
Anyone who has ever had a restless night in bed, spent hours looking at the clock, or counting sheep, can legitimately complain of insomnia. Sometimes it happens for obvious reasons, and other times we're at a loss to explain why.
According to the theory of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, an imbalance of the heart organ often plays a role in disturbances and interruptions of our sleep. Linking the heart with insomnia might sound strange, but the following will help explain.
It is believed that the shen, also called spirit or mind, lives in the heart and returns there to rest every night while we sleep. The concept of shen refers to a person's cognitive functions, mental health, and overall vitality. The spirit finds sanctuary and rejuvenation in a healthy heart when the emotions and the physical body are equanimous. This ensures an undisturbed, good night's rest. However, when the shen is 'disturbed,' it cannot find its way home and is said to wander. When this is the case, symptoms of insomnia may arise.
There are many reasons why the shen may be forced to wander. The heart is a delicate organ that is vulnerable to pathological heat. An example of a condition involving the heart 'being harassed' by heat, is called heart yin deficiency. Yin is a cooling, quiet, feminine energy. It is likened to the hidden world of the yet-to-sprout seed, or the unborn baby still in the womb. As heart yin lessens and dries up, it leaves room for yang to take advantage and expand. Yang being a moving, active, masculine force, will create a condition of excess heat in the heart. This makes the heart inhospitable to the spirit.
There will usually be a manifestation of other symptoms confirming a case of insomnia due to heart yin deficiency. These signs and symptoms may include anxiety, mental agitation, poor memory, night sweats, and a dry mouth. It is interesting to note that this patient may be able to fall asleep without a problem, but will wake up frequently in the middle of the night. In this case, a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine may need to build up and nourish yin to cool down the heart.
Another patient who complains of insomnia, anxiety, and poor memory, may receive an entirely different acupuncture treatment. This patient has the additional symptoms of a pale complexion, dizziness, and reports that once asleep, the quality of sleep is heavily dream-disturbed. This patient does not wake up refreshed. In contrast to the first patient, this person suffers from insomnia due to heart blood deficiency. Treatment with acupuncture is necessary to tonify and bulk up the heart blood. By doing this, the shen will find the heart a more comfortable home.
If you wake up and still don't feel refreshed because you can't drift off peacefully, or you never seem to fall into a nice, deep sleep, call to learn how acupuncture can help you sleep better!
Nutrients to Ensure a Restful Night
One important way we can help ensure a restful night is by making wise decisions during the day regarding our diet. Eating foods and drinking teas with nutrients beneficial to our sleep cycle can be quite simple. Even minor changes in diet can lead to major changes in the quality and duration of sleep.
Two adages from the days of ancient China demonstrate the supreme importance of maintaining a proper diet with adequate amounts of food.
Eating is even more important than the Emperor.
He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician.
With this in mind, before heading to the bedroom for some shut-eye, let's first head to the kitchen. A good way to start is to look for foods that contain protein. No matter what the source of protein is, chances are good that it contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid the body utilizes to create vitamin B6. In turn, vitamin B6 triggers the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter precursor to melatonin.
Melatonin is a very important hormone for regulating sleeping and waking cycles. It can balance our circadian rhythms, which are our natural responses to being awake when it's light and being sleepy when it's dark outside.
To simplify things, rather than remembering the lengthy chain reaction that occurs when you eat foods with tryptophan, just think protein for a good night's rest. Foods with high amounts of tryptophan include turkey, lamb, beef, chicken, pork, nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, tuna, and crab.
For those who want non-dairy or vegetarian options high in Vitamin B6 some foods include bananas, hazelnuts, spinach, sweet potatoes, and garlic
If you prefer to drink your way to a better night's sleep, teas are also an easy, nutritious option. During the day, it's fine to sip tea that is room temperature or cold, but in the evening, when it's closer to bedtime, a cup served warm is best. The heat provides comfort that helps the stomach and the whole body relax.
Herbs known for their ability to help bring on relaxation and a peaceful sleep include chamomile, valerian, lavender, kava, peppermint, and lemon balm.
Not only is including a small, warm cup of tea in your bedtime ritual helpful for sleep, but drinking 1-3 cups during the day can also provide nighttime benefits. Just make sure to have half a cup if you prefer some tea right before going to bed. You'll still get the benefits but avoid waking up in the middle night to use the bathroom.
Having a caffeinated beverage is fine if a moderate amount is consumed in the morning. This is because the effects of caffeine may stay in the system for up to eight hours, so best to drink it only as part of a morning ritual.
If you would like to explore dietary recommendations that target your specific sleep issues in greater depth, consult a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine to learn more about chewing and sipping your way to a peaceful night's rest.
Call to learn how acupuncture can help you sleep better!
Acupuncture for Sleep Deprivation Relief
You don't sleep much at night, but that's normal for many people, especially those with busy lives filled with tasks and to-do's, right? Sleep deprivation may not seem to be a cause for alarm, but the consequences of this condition can be very real. Snoozing less at night can cause daytime drowsiness, diminished cognitive functions, a drop in immunity, and may potentially lead to other medical conditions. It can be an annoyance, at best, or, it can result in serious outcomes, at worse. Thousands of motor vehicle accidents occur yearly because a driver has fallen asleep at the wheel. Studies show that sleep deprivation can reduce motor skills and decision-making in much the same way alcohol can.
The symptoms of sleep deprivation happen for many reasons. For some, it comes about due to outside circumstances. This may include working long late-night shifts, enduring a noisy nighttime environment, or being a new mother who has to stay awake to care for their newborn. Other times, there may be pre-existing medical conditions that interfere with sleep. Insomnia and sleep apnea are two big culprits that fall into this category.
The good news is that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help in most cases. Located on the back of the head, near the earlobes, is an acupuncture point that specifically addresses sleep issues. This point is called An Mian and translates as Peaceful Sleep. The name describes it all. When this point is utilized by your practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, it induces restorative, peaceful sleep. Additionally, this point can relieve headaches and soothe an anxious mind. Its versatility allows it to be part of acupuncture treatment for many sufferers of sleep deprivation.
A mother who lacks sleep, because she must attend to her infant, may find it impossible to get a full night's rest. While acupuncture is not a substitute for a night of restorative sleep, it can relieve mom's anxiety, heart palpitations, and headaches. By selecting points that will calm the mind and relieve pain, including An Mian, the little bit of sleep mom can get may be of a better quality, and her ability to relax while awake may increase.
Jet lag is another instance when external conditions interfere with sleep. Long journeys on overnight buses or international flights can prove problematic to the sleep and wake cycles. Whether sleep deprivation is due to physical discomfort or nervousness, acupuncture can come to the rescue again. Before traveling, consider an appointment with your practitioner of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. There are many acupuncture points that can help one cope with upcoming travel plans or any other event that may involve physical and emotional stress.
One example of such a point is called Shen Men and is located on the outer ear. It is also known as Heavenly Gate because it permits 'heavenly' healing energy to flow through a patient's body. The idea is that with the influx of heavenly energy, a person mentally and emotionally enters a state of paradise, where stress and physical discomfort are nonexistent.
It is vitally important to refresh every night with good, solid sleep. Not doing so may increase the risk of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other medical conditions.
If you believe you suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation, contact us to learn how acupuncture can help you!
Even if we enter into May, it seems like patients still complain about allergies.
As some of you already tried, there are two main Chinese herbal formulas we use for allergies, which are called Bi Yan Pian and Pe Min Kan Wan. They are very effective for typical allergy symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, etc. Your practitioner will decide which will be better for your condition but if you would like to know more about these two formulas (we don't carry Cang Er Zi San) you can read it here (it can be too detailed for you because it is written for practitioners, though).
https://www.mayway.com/articles/3-spring-formulas
Yours in Health.
Caring Acupuncture
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In This Issue
- Acupuncture Can Help Treat Insomnia
- Nutrients to Ensure a Restful Night
- Acupuncture for Sleep Deprivation Relief
- Put Insomnia to Rest at Home
- Still allergy?!
Put Insomnia to Rest at Home
Society puts a premium on our waking hours and underestimates the importance of a full night's sleep.
The evening is a time to allow our minds and bodies to turn inward to our subconscious. Excessive lighting at night, evening shift work, evening computing, video games, television, and late-night eating all counteract the body's natural rhythms. It's no wonder people have trouble sleeping. Exposure to early morning light and dusk helps to regulate sleep hormones in the body. Rather than embrace nighttime, we tend to let our minds wander from one element of stress to another, keeping us up for hours or perhaps an entire evening. We are then forced to approach the new day without benefiting from nighttime's regenerative powers.
In Chinese medicine, sleep occurs when the yang energy of the day folds into Yin - nighttime. Yin energy of the body is cooling and restorative. It is the time of day when our bodies turn inward and regenerate. This is the time we dream and explore the caverns of our unconscious mind. Conversely, the daytime is yang, which is expansive. We expend the energy we have built up from the process of sleeping. Together, this is the cycle of yin and yang.
To apply the concept of yin and yang to your everyday life try eating your last meal at least three hours before going to bed. If you are a hot excess type, you can cool your body down by avoiding hot and spicy food and drink. Avoid alcohol, coffee, chocolate any other stimulants, especially late in the day.
Help circulate your body's energy by working out or by gentle exercising. Build your body's nutritive aspect by eating marrow-based soups and stews, dark-pigmented vegetables, and fruits. Avoid overworking or over rumination as well.
By implementing just a few of the following suggestions you should notice a great improvement in your sleep and how you function in the daylight hours.
- Maintain a routine sleep schedule.
- Keep it dark, cool, and quiet.
- Reduce nicotine, caffeine and alcohol use.
- Avoid rigorous exercise 3-5 hours prior to bedtime.
- Avoid heavy meals near bedtime.
- Position clock away from the bed.
- Limit television and computer use to early evening.
If you ever wake with a headache and feel exhausted even after sleeping all night or have ever had someone tell you that you sound like a freight train when you snore, call us to discuss your concerns and symptoms.
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