ACUPUNCTURE FOR INSOMNIA

“The secret of good health lies in a good and restful sleep. One who sleeps well restores his energy, revitalises his inner system and tones up his muscles… Is not sleep the infallible miracle drug, not just a cure for one illness but for a hundred a cure that saves a thousand lives.”

So said a 17th century Chinese sage. And it holds just as true today. We know that a good night’s sleep usually leaves us feeling refreshed and raring to go whilst a night of tossing and turning can lead to a day of feeling ill and out of sorts. When we just have an occasional night of poor sleep, our bodies recover quickly. However, poor sleep over an extended period of time will affect our health adversely.

Insomnia is a very common problem, with 29% of adults reporting sleep problems. And it’s more common in women (34%) than in men (24%). Lifestyle advice to help encourage good sleep habits includes creating relaxing evening routines, avoiding stimulants and late night mobile phone use.

Acupuncture is also a successful treatment for many insomniacs and many trials have shown acupuncture to be significantly more effective than sleeping tablets. It is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemicals which promote physical and emotional well-being.It can also affect areas of the brain that are known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for insomnia and anxiety. And acupuncture is thought to increase the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that controls the body’s sleep cycle.

Acupuncture treatments start with a thorough consultation where we take details of your general health, as well as specific symptoms. We also have our own diagnostic tests that we use to find out what’s happening with the flow of Qi (energy) through the acupuncture channels, including pulse-taking and tongue-reading. This helps us to identify underlying imbalances that might be causing seemingly-unrelated symptoms and then to devise a treatment plan. Patients then come for a series of treatments, initially a week apart, and we monitor progress week by week.

If you’d like to know more about how acupuncture could help you with insomnia, please contact Fiona Bullock at Bramhall Osteopathic Clinic.