Recent research shows we should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to stay healthy, focused and productive. But more than just quantity, quality counts, too. Even if you’re in bed for your nightly “eight hours,” the symptoms of a sleep disorder may be preventing you from getting your best rest.
For the 40 million Americans each year living with long-term sleep disorders, the effects of chronic sleep deprivation can result in diminished memory, risky behavior, slowed reaction time, emotional problems, and serious health conditions like heart disease. By knowing the signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder, you can work quickly with your acupuncturist to get an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.
Sleep Disorder Symptoms
Everyone has a bad night every once in a while, but if you experience any of these sleep disorder symptoms regularly, discuss them with your acupuncturist:
Trouble falling asleep
Trouble staying asleep
Waking up tired
Feeling tired throughout the day
Depending on caffeine to stay alert
Sleep disorders can appear in many forms, and they all affect your quality of life. The right treatment can help you get back to getting good sleep.
Common Sleep Disorders
There are approximately 80 types of sleep disorders. Different types have specific symptoms.
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. It affects approximately 30% of women and 40% of men at some time in their lives. For short-term insomnia, your acupuncturist may provide acupuncture treatment singly. For long-term insomnia or combined with some other complicated symptoms, your acupuncturist may recommend a combination of acupuncture and herbal therapy.
How Acupuncture Treats Sleep Disorders
Your acupuncturist will talk with you to understand your problem sleeping and may also recommend tests to identify underlying medical conditions as a root cause. Clinical studies shown acupuncture has a calming effect on the nervous system and significantly improve sleeping quality.
It clears obstructions in the muscle and nerve channels, facilitates the flow of oxygen enriched energy and relaxes the system. Common noted benefits of acupuncture include deeper breathing, improved digestive abilities, better sleeping patterns, decrease in various pains and a general sense of wellbeing, which are all excellent treatments for insomnia.
General acupuncture protocol for the treatment of insomnia includes 15 initial treatments at two treatments per week, followed by a four to six weeks observational period and possibly one treatment per week (individuals treatment plan may varies).
Sleep is too important to our mental, emotional and physical health to “soldier on” through restless nights. Talk with our acupuncture specialist about improving your sleep for better well-being around the clock.