As an acupuncturist and herbalist, there are many reasons why people seek my help. From chronic pain to acute back injuries or migraines to boosting fertility, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can assist the body in returning to health, balance, and a pain-free state of well-being.
However, when it comes to health concerns, the number one reason people enter my office is due to lack of sleep. Yes, the tossing and turning before bed, the waking in the middle of the night, the constant sweating that makes them soaked in the morning. People everywhere are experiencing restless nights and bitter mornings.
Chinese Medicine To The Rescue
When it comes to health, Chinese medicine has been around for over 5,000 years; a leader in medicine with countless case studies and proven techniques. Within that time, the medicine has evolved into an array of modalities including acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, cupping therapy, meditation, and exercise.
Health is more than performing one technique every day, it’s the sum of your total lifestyle, from what you put in your mouth to the amount of stress you place on your body.
Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture may have gotten a bad rep in the past for being a new age woo-woo shot in the dark with no actual evidence supporting it, but that’s just not true. A report in 2004¹ found that acupuncture is able to increase nighttime melatonin production and total sleep time in patients with anxiety. The researchers concluded that, “Acupuncture treatment may be of value for some categories of anxious patients with insomnia.”
Other studies show that acupuncture works for healthy people too. A 1999 study² found that acupuncture improved sleep quality in “normal” people with insomnia. But who’s normal, anyway?
Chinese Medicine Sees You As A Whole,
Rather Than As Parts
Chinese medicine is able to treat the root of the disease rather than its symptoms.
While many people seek out pharmaceutical sleep aids or over-the-counter drugs, these options only cover up your symptoms rather than actually treating the root cause of the problem.
Plus, who wants to deal with the side-effects of these drugs? Some side-effects of popular sleep medications include dizziness, memory loss, constipation or diarrhoea, weakness, stomach pain, heartburn, headache or dry mouth. And those are just a sampling of the possible effects!
Acupuncture, on the other hand, may have side-effects such as better sleep, improved bowel movements, increased energy and an improved state of mind. Beware! You might feel like a better person!
Acupuncture is a safe and effective modality when performed by a licensed acupuncturist. If you have been experiencing loss of sleep, why not try something that’s been putting people to bed for longer than the Pyramids have existed? Who knows, you might start enjoying mornings again!
Michelle Polk
She’s passionate about preventative medicine, keeping people healthy with an assortment of herbal medicine, nutrition advice and of course, acupuncture.
She’s also passionate about plants and you can find her at House Plant Girl
