Insomnia takes several forms. It is most commonly associated with the failure to fall asleep. It can also relate to waking up while asleep and being unable to go back to sleep. Insomnia describes any type of sleep disorder that prevents you from getting a restful sleep period. If you wake up tired, you have insomnia.
Sleep is essential to human life. If you have ever tried staying awake for an extended period, like 24 hours, you know how difficult it is and how your mental faculties deteriorate over time. Insomnia is a condition that demands treatment.
Drugs are a common remedy for insomnia. There is an alternative. It is the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture. Let’s take a look at the various ways in which this treatment can impact your sleep, or lack thereof. It starts with identifying the underlying causes of insomnia.
CAUSES
There are many documented explanations for insomnia. The following is a partial list of conditions that are known to trigger insomnia.
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Pain
- Unknown
Stress and anxiety are related. Another way to describe the condition is the simple or complex act of worry. You lie down and cannot sleep. Your brain constantly conjures up scenarios in your daily existence that lead to stress and anxiety. Your worry about problems at work or at home. The next thing you know you have been lying in bed for over an hour without any sleep.
Of course, if you continue down that path it will lead to depression. Then sleep will become all too difficult. You will need some special treatment to break the cycle. That is where acupuncture comes into play.
All of these causes are interrelated. If you suffer pain, it will naturally lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. You hurt constantly. You cannot shut the pain out of your brain. It makes sense that will not be able to go to sleep.
The word “unknown” on the above list may seem strange. It refers to people with insomnia who have no known cause. They just cannot go to sleep or stay asleep. Their problem is just as real as the worker who is stressed or worried about their employment.
If you fall under this category, acupuncture is still worth considering. It has benefits beyond insomnia. It just might make an impact on your life that results in good sleep along with other positive results.
SCIENCE
While some people may scoff at the idea that sticking needles in your body will help alleviate insomnia, there is evidence that supports acupuncture.
If you are not familiar with acupuncture, you may have been surprised at the word “needles.” Yes, that is the basis of the art. We will discuss this further later on down the page.
If some treatment works for you, it is not necessary to have long documented studies to back up the results. You know that acupuncture helps with your sleep patterns. In addition, there are physicians who believe that needles soothe the mental processes that haunt you and prevent sleep.
Do not let the lack of scientific evidence stop you from pursuing alternative treatments. As we will discuss later, there is little risk and many benefits from avoiding drug treatments for insomnia.
TREATMENT
You may be wondering what is involved in acupuncture treatment. The Chinese believed that there are certain points in the human body that control what could be described as your personal well-being. Anxiety, stress, and worry certainly qualify as impediments to a good feeling and restful body.
The ability to sleep soundly certainly qualifies under the general topic of good health. A certified practitioner of acupuncture will know where to insert the needles to get the best results with insomnia. It is all about controlling the flow of life throughout the body. That may sound strange, but it has been used for centuries. If there was no benefit, it is doubtful acupuncture would still be around today.
The needles are regulated and controlled. You can know that these thin needles are safe. In some cases, a certified practitioner may use pressure or heat to accomplish the same effect as needles. In any event, you will look for the same result.
Do not let the unknown of the treatment deter you from seeking relief. Many people who suffer from insomnia will try anything to get a good night’s sleep.
Just remember treatment of the underlying causes of insomnia is the basis of dealing with insomnia. Removal of stress, anxiety, and worry lead to good sleep. IF your mind and body are in a good place, you will sleep soundly.
RISKS
The best part of acupuncture that you should know about is the limited risk. There are no side effects like drugs produce. No fear that you will become addicted. You take a drug, you sleep well, and then your mind believes that only by taking the medicine can you sleep.
The worst result from acupuncture is a slight pain from the needles. You are more likely to experience a calming feeling. That is due to the release of certain chemicals in your body. They produce a feeling of relief. Stress and anxiety fade away. You can now fall asleep as your body intended.
The whole concept of acupuncture is to calm the body. If you could meditate and relax, then you would not need this treatment. However, stress, worry, and anxiety prevent you from relaxing. That is why you need the needles striking the right points in your body.
BENEFITS
The whole point of sleep treatment is to produce a good night’s sleep. That is the ultimate benefit of acupuncture. It puts you in a mental state that is conducive to sleeping. You become relaxed. Worries dissipate. Your unknown concerns no longer surface. You wonder how you ever existed without needles sticking in your acupuncture points.
You will leave the treatment with a different feeling about life and yourself. You will look forward to sleep rather than dreading it.
SKEPTICISM
Here are some reasons that could cause you to be a skeptic. Let’s take a look at each one and how it should not deter you from acupuncture treatment for insomnia.
- Needles?
- Ancient Practice
- Points on the Body
- Off the Grid
- Not Modern Medicine
- Pills Are The Answer
There are many reasons listed above that would make you skeptical about acupuncture. First and foremost is the fear of needles. You probably do not connect putting needles in your body with pleasure. Do not worry. Most people experience very little pain which is quickly overcome with the resulting good feelings.
Many people dismiss ancient practices as being out of date. That is not necessarily true. Acupuncture has been proven over the centuries to be effective. The fact that modern man is now rediscovering it should not be an impediment to its use.
The idea that there are points on your body that control your well-being may sound strange and hard to comprehend. However, these points were discovered over a period of time and found to be the basis for treatment.
You will be going away from modern medicine and exploring an ancient means of treatment. It involves taking a leap of faith. You are not entering an unknown realm. Acupuncture has been proven over the centuries.
Finally, you need to let go of the idea that there is a pill for every ailment. In the distant past before pills, humans needed to find other paths to treat medical problems. Acupuncture is just one discovery that stills resonates today.
This post is all about using acupuncture as a viable treatment for insomnia. It is clear that it can and does work. You need to seek out an experienced practitioner. You need to believe that it will work. The next step is seeking treatment and letting your mind and body relax. You can then have the feeling your mind and body were meant to experience.
There is nothing better than sleeping soundly and waking up ready to face the world free of the fear of worry, stress, and anxiety. Acupuncture offers that path. You just need to take the steps down the road to good sleep.
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