How Acupuncture Can Help Insomnia

Acupuncture is known for promoting relaxation and limiting stress in the body. Did you know that it has sleep-inducing superpowers as well?

We all have those nights… we lay down to get some shut-eye and find ourselves tossing and turning for hours. Science shows that insomnia symptoms can occur in approximately 33% to 50% of American adults.

Lack of sleep and insomnia symptoms cause us to be more irritable, feel fatigued, have memory problems, and struggle at work, school or in relationships.

If you’re struggling with sleep, Acupuncture is here to help.

How Acupuncture Works

hispanic woman at home bedroom lying in bed late at night trying to sleep suffering insomnia

The practice itself involves the placement of very thin needles into the skin at various points throughout the body. The goal is to stimulate specific energetic and healing pathways that allow the body to restore its own natural balance. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these pathways are known as “meridians.” Blockages at different points along these meridians lead to illness, which can manifest in various internal organs or muscle groups. A skilled acupuncturist will have very specific placements for different ailments, and in many cases, will enable the patient to achieve natural and lasting results.

Better Sleep, Better Health

Acupuncture treatment helps our bodies naturally produce melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep and wake cycles. This in and of itself helps improve sleep.

Acupuncture also regulates our sympathetic nervous system, which puts our body into fight or flight responses. Controlling this promotes relaxation and improves sleep quality.

The practice of acupuncture also focuses on our overall wellbeing and the regulation of our body’s natural processes. Acupuncture can teach our body how to fall asleep by balancing our serotonin levels. This helps us stabilize our mood, reduce feelings of anxiety or stress, and create a healthy sleeping routine.

Better sleep, in general, leads to better overall health. The science behind sleep shows that it’s an essential body function that promotes brain function, allows for cellular repair, and is tied to positive mental health patterns.

How Does Acupuncture Help You Sleep?

Modern medicine has had difficulty explaining exactly what happens in the body during acupuncture. Acupuncture may increase melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Another theory is that acupuncture enhances blood flow to certain sleep-inducing regions of the brain, particularly when acupuncture is done on the scalp.

Chinese medicine explains why acupuncture helps to treat insomnia and other ailments differently. According to traditional Chinese medicine, our bodies are made up of thousands of acupoints which, when balanced, create “qi,” or vital energy. An imbalance blocks the flow of qi and acupuncture is said to rebalance the body’s flow and restore physiological functioning.

How Much Acupuncture is Needed?

Most people are able to see an improvement in their sleep as early as the first acupuncture session. However, after three to four sessions long-term sleep benefits begin to kick in.

Taking into account the severity of sleep issues can determine how frequently treatment is needed. Appointments can be every week, every other week or even once a month depending on your individual sleep goals.

Acupuncture creates a deep sense of calm in the body that makes patients feel more alert, focused, creative, and less stressed. You can’t go wrong!

We recommend working with an Acupuncturist to find the treatment cadence that is right for you and your body.

Are You Ready To Experience The Benefits Of Acupuncture?

If you’re in or near Ocean & Monmouth County areas in New Jersey, we recommend that you contact us by phone or via the appointment link on this website to schedule an appointment. There’s no reason to suffer from insomnia any longer. Come in for acupuncture today!