Treating Insomnia with Acupuncture
Insomnia is one of the most common conditions that keep millions of Americans awake each night. Insomnia occurs when a person experiences difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when the possibility of sleeping is present.
When people are deprived of sleep due to insomnia, they often experience symptoms that include fatigue, low energy levels, trouble concentrating, decreased performance during daily activities, and mood disturbances. Because these symptoms can hinder daily activities and make it difficult to perform even simple tasks, people with insomnia can become frustrated and dissatisfied.
If you suffer from insomnia, whether acute or chronic insomnia, and you prefer to avoid traditional treatments such as sleeping pills, it’s time to visit an acupuncture clinic. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we provide acupuncture in Gainesville, FL, to help those who suffer from insomnia.
How Acupuncture Can Relieve Insomnia Symptoms
Acupuncture has the ability to improve sleep duration and sleep latency, or the time it takes to transition from full wakefulness to restful sleep. It can also reduce sleep disturbances, decrease daytime dysfunction, and improve sleep efficiency.
But how does acupuncture work? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, our body has energy called qi that flows through a series of channels. When complications arise in the body, it creates blockages that prevent qi from flowing through the body and reaching its designated points. Different points affected will result in different symptoms. An acupuncture specialist uses thin, sterile needles to release blockages and allow for the qi to flow freely. Once the body’s qi is balanced again, the symptoms dissipate.
Acupuncture has been proven to improve circulation and stimulate the production of certain hormones. Acupuncture can affect a number of neurotransmitters and hormonal factors related to sleep, such as melatonin, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Prompting the body to create a balance between these hormones helps people suffering from insomnia to fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
Benefits of Natural Acupuncture Treatments
The most common method of treatment for people who suffer from insomnia is prescribed medication. But taking pills can have adverse effects on the body. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is completely natural and uses the body’s own healing properties to relieve symptoms. Because of this, it also avoids dangerous side effects that many people can experience from taking medications, such as needing larger doses in order to feel the effects. Many sleeping medications cause dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, and headaches. Not only does acupuncture not carry such side effects, but since it is holistic medicine, it can actually relieve these symptoms when balancing the body as a whole.
Healthy Sleeping Tips
If you are having trouble sleeping, here are some healthy sleeping aides that you can try:
- Eating foods such as whole grain oats, brown rice, corn, or quinoa to obtain higher quantities of tryptophan and serotonin, which can aid with sleep. (Make sure to choose organic, non-GMO foods)
- Using essential oils such as lavender oil or bergamot oil.
- Exercising on a regular basis, but not right before going to bed as doing so can increase levels of adrenaline.
- Drinking chamomile tea for its relaxing properties.
- Sticking to a sleeping schedule.
Gainesville Acupuncture
for Insomnia
If you have been battling insomnia and you’re getting tired of not being able to sleep, try a safe and natural treatment that may be able to relieve your symptoms and finally help you get some much-needed rest. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we provide acupuncture Gainesville, FL, residents can rely on. Schedule an appointment today.