Acupuncture and TCM Articles

Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Treating Insomnia With Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

By Lindsey Seigle,
Licensed Acupuncturist - Iatria Spa and Health Center

Insomnia is a sleep problem experienced by over 50 percent of Americans, according to the 2002 National Sleep Foundation´s Sleep in America poll. Problems reported include difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early and having trouble getting back to sleep, and waking with a feeling of not having rested. Insomnia can be short or long-term and may be due to stress, an underlying psychiatric problem such as depression, or poor sleep/health habits.[1]

The poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more: 39 percent get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities.[2]

Many people do not realize that insomnia may be related to hormonal imbalances and unstable blood sugar levels. The adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, secrete cortisol as well as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Cortisol is normally released during the day in order to maintain blood sugar levels between meals. At night, however, your cortisol level should be low. If your adrenal glands are overactive, you will not be able to sleep due to the continual release of cortisol at night. In contrast, if you fall asleep normally but have trouble staying asleep, then your adrenal glands may be under-active. This occurs as a result of years of stress and/or skipping meals, which destabilizes your blood glucose levels. Your body may be unable to tolerate an overnight fast. When your blood sugar level drops during the night, your adrenal glands will secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine in order to mobilize glucose, and this will cause you to awaken. Other symptoms could be irritability, low energy, tendency to crave sweets, and a need to have caffeine in order to get through the day.

Chinese medicine, which consists of primarily acupuncture and herbal medicine, can treat insomnia due to its effect on cortisol levels.[3] One distinction is whether you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, or both. Another distinction is whether the problem is worse in certain climates, or in certain stressful situations, and if any previous treatments, including medications, have been helpful to you. Other questions relate to how your body is working in general, such as digestion, breathing, temperature preference, and men and women's health matters. The answers to these questions will allow your acupuncturist to make an accurate diagnosis in terms of Chinese medical theory. Once the diagnosis is made, the acupuncturist will choose specific points in which to insert the needles, and will choose specific Chinese herbs to make your customized herbal formula.

Finding a qualified acupuncturist who can also recommend herbal medicine may help you achieve better sleep. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine administers examinations to acupuncture school graduates upon completion of their master´s degree. Upon passage of these exams, state licensing boards then scrutinize each applicant before awarding the acupuncture license.

Due to the high number of Americans who suffer from insomnia, people are looking for treatment. Since multiple treatments are available, it is important to find the one that works best for the patient. Acupuncture should be considered because of its proven success treating various sleep ailments, as well as its effectiveness at reducing related symptoms.