Insomnia

Natural Insomnia Treatment with Acupuncture

Treat-Insomnia-with-Acupuncture-300x199Looking for natural treatment for insomnia? Acupuncture is a natural alternative to sleep medication. Research has demonstrated acupuncture’s effectiveness as an alternative solution to insomnia that should be considered for those seeking to avoid medication or for whom medication has been ineffective.

When was the last time you slept like a baby? A week, a month, never? Maybe you have insomnia. Insomnia is characterized by:

  • Difficulty falling and/or staying asleep
  • Waking up often or waking up and having difficulty falling back to sleep
  • Waking up too early and Feeling tired upon waking

Occasional insomnia affects everyone at some time in their lives. But for some – insomnia can become chronic. Chronic insomnia is defined as having difficulty sleeping at least three nights per week for a month or longer. Lack of sleep results in difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, and daytime sleepiness.

Alternative Treatment for Insomnia With NO Side Effects!

Acupuncture to the rescue! Acupuncture does treat insomnia, often in just a few weeks. Unlike sleeping pills which are effective treatment for insomnia in the near term but may leave you drowsy the next day – a few weeks of acupuncture treatment helps your sleep cycle regulate itself. Once the sleep system is regulated, sleep becomes easier. You wake up refreshed and ready to go. The addition of our new Neuro Acupuncture is very exciting! Using just a few scalp needles, most of my patients report a feeling of relaxation and sleepiness right on the table. With continued treatment, most insomnia symptoms are relieved and patients report more nights of sound sleep.

Chinese medicine theorizes that the energy system responsible for regulating sleep may become disturbed due to factors such as stress, poor diet, or lack of exercise. Addressing lifestyle choices affecting your insomnia in addition to a course of acupuncture treatment provides a powerful combination to get you a good night’s sleep!

Insomnia Research Studies

Acupuncture Natural Treatment Alternative for Insomnia Relief

Researchers have found acupuncture to be significantly more effective than sleep aids, like drugs, benzodiazepines, no treatment, or sham acupuncture and could be considered as one of the therapeutic options for insomnia.

Acupuncture is believed to influence the central nervous system positively affecting chemicals in the brain thus promoting physical and emotional well-being. “Stimulation of certain acupuncture points has been shown to 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”.

Coming Soon

Acupuncture Has 90% Success Rate for the Treatment of Insomnia

Acupuncture has almost a 90% success rate for the treatment of insomnia.  This may be because acupuncture increases the amount of certain vital chemicals in the brain – such as serotonin – which promote relaxation and sleep.

Coming Soon

Patient Reviews for Insomnia Relief

“My symptoms prior to acupuncture were high cholesterol, slightly elevated blood sugar, not sleeping well through the night (frequent wake-ups). I had been hospitalized for an infection prior. This was my second time trying acupuncture, but it was six years prior that I’d gone and only for two treatments. The office staff was friendly and helpful and the practitioner was caring and my treatment was timely. After two treatments I began sleeping better three or four days in the week. After recent blood tests done for insurance purposes, all my numbers are normal! Now I am sleeping with only one wake-up through the night. I am now totally off of cholesterol medication.”

“I began having sleep issues in September 2012 with a few nights of little to no sleep which steamrolled into 4-5 weeks with about 3-4 hrs of sleep a night and occasionally less than that but rarely more. After trying the traditional melatonin, valerian root, sleepy time tea etc I went to my primary care physician, got blood work which showed no issues. He prescribed Lunesta which really had no effect so in a following visit 2 weeks later he bumped me up to 10 mg of Ambien. This didn’t get me any sleep even though online reviews said it worked wonders for people- not me. Around early November I came across Margaret via Groupon and had nothing to lose as I was exhausted, sleepless, and getting progressively worse.

Margaret went over the treatment at my intake session and explained this is not a one visit fix and would take several sessions etc- I was desperate so was up for anything. She asked that I stop ambien entirely (as well as melatonin, etc) which wasn’t working anyway and actually made my sleep deprivation headaches worse.

After 2-3 treatments I began getting about 5 hrs of sleep- not great but better. By the 5th treatment I was sleeping about 6 hrs a night occasionally waking up but mostly able to fall back asleep. By week 4 we were around 6.5-7 hrs of sleep many of which were straight through the night.

As I write this its late February 2013 and we are working on my maintenance routine to ensure I am getting decent sleep most nights (one night of poor I can handle but 15-20 in a row is overwhelming). Don’t be confused that this allows you to sleep no matter what- Margaret will go over trigger foods, etc. and use common sense with caffeine, meal times etc. You have to be actively involved as well. As someone who drinks no caffeine, works out regularly and eats fairly well, I was frustrated that my primary care doctor and my healthy lifestyle could not restore my sleep cycle. In turns out two of my siblings had similar sleep issues when they turned 40- both turning to pills short term and they still have issues with sleep. I still have some challenges on occasion but Margaret’s treatment and knowledge of alternative treatments have made the occasional bad night of sleep the exception rather than the norm. Thank you Margaret.”