Acupuncture As A Cure For Insomnia

Acupuncture is believed to have been practised for about 4-5000 years. The first documented record of it being used is more than 3000 years old. In China it still is regarded as normal, whilst in the West it is still regarded as “alternative” medicine. Here I’ll give you an overview of what acupuncture can do for you if you have a sleep disorder. The main attractions of acupuncture compared to sleeping pills or other medication is that it doesn’t have any side effects, it has a high success rate and it is considered a holistic treatment. That said, any treatment for insomnia needs to approach the condition in a cautious manner. Insomnia is not an illness in itself – with some very few exceptions – but rather a manifestation of some underlying problem. A sleep disorder can have many causes, for example depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement or emotional upset. Thus insomnia cures take time, there’s no such thing as a “quick fix”! Both patient and practitioner need patience … Acupuncture seems to work best with short term insomnia, defined as shorter than about 6 weeks, not as well with people suffering from chronic insomnia. This is probably caused by the fact that long term insomnia is associated with clinical depression or life style problems. If you suffer from this you will also realise that it sort of takes on a life of its own, and you will probably need professional help to address the emotional issues buried in your mind. It also seems to be a common observation that if you’ve been on sleeping tablets for a long time acupuncture will not work so well. This is probably due to the fact that sleeping pills actually make you dependant on the chemicals present, so you suffer “withdrawal” symptoms if you stop taking them. There is a physiological change in your body on top of the subconscious problems

The treatment is usually administered during fairly short sessions, about half an hour each, once a week, about 6-10 times. After that it is quite common to switch to fortnightly treatment sessions. Be warned that like some, if not most, alternative medicines, acupuncture will work its magic fairly slowly. How does it work, then? Well, according to the ancient theory energy – “chi” – flows along lines in your body, called meridians. The fine needles used are inserted at specific points along these meridians to channel or divert or block the flow of energy. Western medicine has not found any support for these “lines of energy”, but have instead tried to explain the working of acupuncture by talking about “gate-control” and “neuro-hormonal” effects. In other words, nobody really knows! But it does seem to work for many people. If you suffer from a sleep disorder and are looking for a natural cure for insomnia, it might be worth giving it a try. After all, there are no side effects and you are not introducing any medication into your body. And if you hate the thought of needles be reassured – they are VERY fine, they are sterile and you can hardly feel them!

Good Luck!

About the Author

A former insomniac, who now has learned a lot about sleep and insomnia! I have also been treated with acupunture, which seemed to help a fair bit …. and didn’t hurt! I now publish a newsletter about sleep, insomnia and related matters: www.SleepSecretsNewsLetteer.com