Insomnia is one of the most common medical complaints, according to the Mayo Clinic website, and it can seriously impact your life. If you have trouble sleeping, you may have tried all kinds of techniques to get some Z's. Instead of counting sheep, consider acupressure treatments. Like acupuncture without the needles, acupressure has been used for thousands of years in Asia to treat a variety of disorders. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor and ask her about acupressure for your insomnia.
Insomnia Basics
According to sleepmed.md, over 70 million Americans have sleep disorders and problems with wakefulness. The Mayo Clinic website says that insomnia signs and symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, waking up too early, not feeling rested after sleeping, fatigue during the day, and more. The site suggests that an inability to sleep can have many causes. Stress and anxiety are common, as are overuse of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Certain medications, medical conditions, or poor sleep habits can also contribute.
Research
Some studies focusing on acupuncture's effects on insomnia have been conducted. The "Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine" featured an article in March 2010 based on a study done in China on 90 insomnia patients. The patients were divided into two groups, those receiving acupuncture and those in a control group. The researchers found that 98 percent of patients who received acupuncture found relief from their insomnia symptoms. If you are needle shy, acupressure is just as effective as acupuncture.
Heart Channel
In Chinese medicine theory, the heart channel is responsible for housing the spirit, states "A Manual of Acupuncture." When the spirit is disrupted, insomnia and anxiety can result. Heart point seven can be used for insomnia, as it is helpful in calming the spirit. Yinyanghouse.com states that it is located on the inner part of the wrist, on the thumb-side. Your practitioner will find it on the wrist crease, just left of the tendon.
Liver Channel
While you may think of the liver only in terms of detoxifying the body, in Chinese medicine it also stores the blood and is responsible for emotions, according to Peter Deadman's book "A Manual of Acupuncture." Some liver points can help calm emotions and promote sleep. Liver points two and three may be chosen by your practitioner to help with your insomnia. They are both located on the top of the foot, in between the first and second toes, says the book. Liver two is on the webbing between the toes, and liver three is farther up, in the depression between the foot bones.
Extra Points
Extra points do not lie along an energy channel. Anmian, Sishencong, and Yintang are all indicated for insomnia. Yinyanghouse.com says that Anmian is located near the depression just behind the ear lobe. Sishencong, according to "A Manual of Acupuncture," is actually a collection of four points on the top of the head. Located around the center of the head, these points lie one inch in front of, behind, and to either side. Yintang is also helpful for promoting sleep, and it can be found directly in between the eyebrows, states the book.
References
- The Mayo Clinic: Insomnia
- SleepMed Inc: Insomnia Statistics
- "Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine"; Clinical observation on acupuncture treatment of intractable insomnia; Li, LF and Lu, JH; March 2010
- Yinyanghouse.com: Heart 7
- "A Manual of Acupuncture"; Deadman, P and Al-Khafaji, M; 2001
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