Acupuncture for Insomnia

Insomnia, or the chronic inability to fall asleep and stay asleep, is a sleep disorder that affects a large number of people - nearly 60 million Americans, in fact. Just about everyone has trouble sleeping at one point in their life, but when it lasts for more than a night or two, it could be an ongoing issue. There are two types of insomnia: primary and secondary. Primary insomnia means a patient is having sleep problems not directly associated with another health condition; secondary insomnia means the patient is experiencing sleep issues due to a secondary condition, which may be pain, asthma, medications, alcohol and other things.

While the causes of insomnia vary, as well as how long it lasts, insomnia is no laughing matter for those who suffer from it and sleeping pills won't work in a lot of cases. At best a sleeping pill is a temporary fix but the body builds up tolerance to the medication, just like it does with alcohol, and coming off sleeping pills can induce even stronger insomnia - it's called the rebound effect.

How Insomnia Affects Your Life

People with insomnia do not feel refreshed when morning arrives. They have often slept only a portion of the night and spent the rest of the time trying to fall asleep, worrying, or trying to analyze why they aren't asleep. 

The essential symptoms of insomnia include:

• Feeling sleepy during the day

• General tiredness and irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Trouble remembering things

Insomnia affects not only a person's day-to-day life, but their relationships and their health as well. People with insomnia often feel extremely desperate to find a solution. When your insomnia makes it hard for you to function during the day, because you are sleepy and tired, it can be tempting to turn to sleeping pills but over the counter pills often cause drowsiness when you are supposed to be awake and interfere with falling asleep when you should.

How Acupuncture treats Insomnia

Applying acupuncture to treat insomnia - acute or temporary - is an excellent way to avoid the side effects of sleeping medications and treat the root of the imbalance that is causing insomnia.  Acupuncture regulates the hormones and neurotransmitters - including melatonin, seratonin, endorphins, and others - that play a primary role in sleep. 

There may be no cure for insomnia, but through acupuncture your body can gradually find a restful balance that leads to good sleeping patterns. Patients who receive regular acupuncture fall asleep faster, are less easily aroused at night, and stayed asleep longer.