Improve Your Sleep with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

You’ve been lying awake for what feels like hours, staring at the ceiling, and praying for sleep. Though physically tired, your mind is racing, replaying the best and worst events from the day. You also can’t seem to stop thinking about tomorrow’s to-do list. Every time your thoughts begin to quiet down your limbs twitch and you’re wide awake again. Other nights you may fall asleep with ease, only to wake up several times throughout the night. You feel exhausted, frustrated, and desperate for a solid night’s rest.

Sleep issues are unfortunately a prevalent byproduct of today's fast-paced lifestyle, but the good news is that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are proven to be effective remedies for a variety of sleep issues. Whether you struggle with falling asleep, interrupted sleep, or find you're tired during the day and more alert at night, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can address the root cause of the imbalances you’re experiencing to promote better sleep.

How Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Treat Common Causes of Sleep Interruption

Using Chinese herbal medicine alongside acupuncture greatly increases its beneficial effects. Here are six examples of common issues that can be effectively treated:

• Stress: Acupuncture treatments are proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression caused by chronic and occasional stress. Acupuncture promotes feelings of relaxation, peace, and well-being. There are many herbal remedies that work in conjunction to help calm the mind, soothe your nerves, and restore your emotional equilibrium.
• Diet: Herbs and acupuncture treatments can counteract the effects of a poor diet, although achieving effective, lasting results will require a change in diet. Your acupuncturist will work with you to create a plan that encourages restful sleep such as decreasing or eliminating caffeine and replacing heavy night-time meals with lighter meals, which are easier to digest.
• Poor Sleep Hygiene: In addition to providing dietary changes, your acupuncturist will work with you to create sleep routines so you can change the unhealthy habits that have been contributing to your sleep issues. Suggestions might include eliminating screen time before bed, learning to pay attention to when you begin to feel tired in the evening, and creating relaxing rituals that encourage sleep.
• Menopause/hormone fluctuations: It's no secret that menopause and hormone imbalances impact sleep. Acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal remedies effectively treat the symptoms of menopause that can keep you up at night such as restlessness, night sweats, mood fluctuations, and increased anxiety. Overall, it restores your body's natural rhythms and helps you feel more balanced.
• Medical conditions: Patients with medical issues such as GERD, for example, often report sleep disruptions as a result of unpleasant symptoms associated with the condition. Combining regular acupuncture treatments with Chinese herbal medicine effectively reduces the acid reflux, bloating, nausea, and heartburn symptoms that patients struggle with. Using both modalities together address the underlying dietary and emotional triggers that impact proper digestion and provides positive, lasting outcomes. Because herbal medicine remedies given by your acupuncturist will be taken throughout the day, this provides ongoing relief and builds upon the treatments initiated during your acupuncture sessions.
• Chronic pain/tension: Whether you're dealing with back pain or tension headaches, combining acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine will not only reduce the severity and frequency of pain flare-ups, but also address inflammation. The decrease in pain is thanks to the flood of endorphins that are released as the acupuncture needles stimulate your body's natural healing response. The best part is, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treats pain and sleeplessness and you won’t experience any of the troubling side effects caused by over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids and pain relievers.

If you have been struggling with sleep issues, consider exploring the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. You'll find that you’ll improve the quality of your sleep, fall asleep faster, experience fewer sleep interruptions, and enjoy a reduction in your overall stress levels. Imagine waking up feeling well rested, restored, and ready to handle whatever may happen in your day.

If you are ready to experience the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, then contact NJ Natural Family Health. Dr. Shannon DiCarlo RN LAc DAOM is a Registered Nurse and an integrative medicine practitioner offering acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nutritional counseling. Her practice features an on-site herbal pharmacy which she utilizes to provide her patients with formulas that focus on managing symptoms and addressing any underlying causes. Dr. DiCarlo is dedicated to helping her patients enjoy a long, happy, and healthy life.