The Chinese Medicine Approach to Insomnia

Identifying the pattern of your sleepless nights…

Having consistent, quality sleep each evening is something to be thankful for.

Sleep allows our body to regenerate, keeps inflammation and stress hormones down, improves our memory and concentration and regulates our overall mood. It is a fact that with proper sleep we are more productive, happy and healthy.

Statistically speaking, one in every four Americans struggle with acute insomnia per year, 75% of which have some degree of chronic insomnia to follow. If your having trouble fully settling into a sweet dream each evening, your not alone, and there are solutions to help you enjoy a good night sleep once again.

Insomnia can occur alone or secondary to other conditions such as PTSD, menopause, hormonal imbalance, headache disorders, or many other disorders involving stress. Identifying the root cause of insomnia is important in reversing and bringing the body/mind and spirit into balance to have peaceful sleep.

In traditional Chinese medicine, there are several patterns that relate to sleeplessness. To name a few:

Blood Deficient Type of Insomnia- Feeling exhausted but cannot seem to fall asleep, also related to symptoms of irregular menstruation in women, floaters in the vision, dizziness, and overall fatigue

Yin Deficient Type of Insomnia- Waking up several times a night and having difficulty falling back to sleep. Can accompany menopause, symptoms of dryness, low back pain, fatigue and stress.

Excessive Heat and Fire Type of Insomnia- Difficulty initiating sleep with a restless body and mind. Nightmares or other forms of sleep disturbance. May also include symptoms of inflammation and heat in the body such as mouth ulcers, headaches, acid reflux, and upper shoulder/back pain.

Having regular acupuncture treatments, using natural herbal medicine, adjusting lifestyle, and practicing mind body integration techniques such as meditation and qi gong can set the tone for healthy sleep habits for long term healing.

Together we can create a treatment plan that will give you ease and allow you the rest you need to succeed.

Contact Heart Based Health today to schedule an appointment.