Green Point Acupuncture L.L.C.

Insomnia is a common condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. Most people are using medicines to control the chronic insomnia. The medicine treatment often develop into dependencies and can cause unwanted side-effects. But acupuncture is different.  It is a side-effect free, non-dependent, natural, and effective treatment for insomnia.

In Chinese medicine, the Yang energy circulates through the Yang areas of your body during the day keeping your mind active. At night, this Yang energy should move inward to be enfolded by Yin. If the Yang energy keeps staying in the Yang areas, these parts will continue to be energized and prevent you from falling asleep leading to insomnia.

The Heart is the most vital organ among the viscera. It is referred to as "the monarch of all organs".The physiological functions of the Heart are to control the blood circulation and govern the mental activities. The normal function of the Heart relate to the function of Lung, Liver, Spleen, and kidney. If one of these organs is in disharmony, the balance of Yang and Yin in the Heart will be disturbed. Some people will show clinical appearance of insomnia.

Insomnia often accompany with the following symptoms:

• Bad temper, irritability, headache, red face & eyes, bitter taste in   mouth, yellow urine, constipation.

• Dizziness, fullness in chest, mania, yellow urine, constipation.

• Feverish sensation over the palms and soles, dizziness, tinnitus, palpitation, poor memory, tidal fever, dry throat and mouth.

• Palpitation, poor memory, dizziness, tinnitus, poor appetite, sallow complexion.

• Nightmares, easily frightened, fullness in chest, anxiety, fatigue.

We will collect all information we need, find the root cause of insomnia, then design the individual treatment plan. In a typical acupuncture treatment of insomnia, fine stainless steel acupuncture needles will be inserted into specific points on the body followed by gentle manipulation of the needles. Moxibustion, a traditional heat treatment that involves gently burning medicinal herbs over the skin, will also be used in the treatment. To keep the effect of acupuncture we will put  herb seeds (Vaccaria plant seeds) on specific points in the ear with a small piece of adhesive tape till you come to receive another treatment.

Some patients will have good sleep after an acupuncture treatment. Most patients need several treatments to reduce the sleep aids doses till fully recover from chronic insomnia.

Some tips

1. If you have insomnia, avoid substances that make it worse, such as:

·        Caffeine, tobacco, and other stimulants taken too close to bedtime. Their effects can last as long as 8 hours.

·        Certain over-the-counter and prescription medicines that can disrupt sleep (for example, some cold and allergy medicines). Talk to your doctor about which medicines won't disrupt your sleep.

·        Alcohol. An alcoholic drink before bedtime may make it easier for you to fall asleep. However, alcohol triggers sleep that tends to be lighter than normal. This makes it more likely that you will wake up during the night.

2. Try to adopt good bedtime habits that make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Follow a routine that helps you wind down and relax before bed. For example, read a book, listen to soothing music, or take a hot bath.

3. Try to schedule your daily exercise at least 5 to 6 hours before going to bed. Don't eat heavy meals or drink a lot before bedtime.

4. Make your bedroom sleep-friendly. Avoid bright lighting while winding down. Try to limit possible distractions, such as a TV, computer, or pet. Make sure the temperature of your bedroom is cool and comfortable. Your bedroom also should be dark and quiet.

5. Go to sleep around the same time each night and wake up around the same time each morning, even on weekends. If you can, avoid night shifts, alternating schedules, or other things that may disrupt your sleep schedule.

Patients with insomnia will get traditional Chinese acupuncture treatment at Green Point Acupuncture L.L.C.. The mission of our acupuncturists is to improve the quality of a patient’s life by providing natural health care that focuses on the whole person. The patients will get healing benefits of acupuncture treatment from experienced Chinese acupuncturists at Green Point Acupuncture L.L.C..