Treating insomnia naturally…

Acupuncture is a non-addictive, natural treatment for all kinds of issues, including insomnia, chronic pain and anxiety, that has been found to work in dozens of studies.

It has been found to help improve sleep, something that more than 35 percent of people in the United States could use help with. People also found that after a few treatments, they were sleeping for longer periods of time at once, which is helpful in improving the quality of their sleep. A 2013 study from the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine found that by focusing on the meridian and anmian acupoints, 93 percent of patients slept longer and had higher quality sleep than they did before the treatment.

One of the ways that acupuncture does this is by helping to reduce the physical effects of stress, which are often the cause of other significant problems in your life. Doctors estimate that between 80 and 90 percent of visits have stress at their root. When you are stressed, you are more likely to become more stressed easily by even the most minor of stressors during the day.

Acupuncture releases melatonin

Acupuncture has been found to decrease stress in rats, as well as improve the amount of melatonin that is released in anxious patients, simply by strategically sticking you with needles. By reducing your stress and helping you to sleep better, you are more likely to see improvements in your mental health, whether those are caused by PTSD, substance abuse issues, or depression.

If you struggle with chronic pain, acupuncture has been found to relieve pain by 50 percent for those struggling with it in their back, neck and shoulders, as well as those diagnosed with osteoarthritis and chronic migraines. It has also been found to help with chronic nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease, all of which also disrupt your sleep.

In addition to acupuncture, you should make sure that your sleep environment is comfortable enough for you to actually sleep in. This might mean replacing your mattress with one that is better for your health needs. Mattresses are only as supportive as they can be for 6 to 10 years, at which point they start to either sag or stiffen in ways that can harm your muscles. Another, less expensive option would be to add something like blackout curtains or a white noise machine to your bedroom.

It will also mean talking to your doctor to make sure that there aren’t any other underlying causes that could be causing your increased stress and sleep struggles. Acupuncture and natural remedies can be incredibly effective, but they are at their most effective when both the patient and the practitioner know exactly what they are treating.

There are very few side effects to acupuncture and none that are longer lasting than a bruise. If you are struggling with this, talk to a doctor to see if acupuncture is right for you