Insomnia

Acupuncture for Insomnia

Insomnia can be caused by a number of different factors including stress, major life changes, overstimulation from electronics or caffeine, or medications. If these sleep problems persist for long periods of time, they can cause major physical problems down the road from impaired memory to compromised immune function. Acupuncture has been clinically shown to be very effective in treating insomnia and works to help you sleep better in a variety of ways. One thing acupuncture does is to strengthen your parasympathetic nervous system, the part that helps you relax, relative to your sympathetic nervous system, the part that keeps your body awake and alert. In addition, insomnia acupuncture improves your digestive system, allowing your body to absorb nutrients more effectively. Not having enough of certain vitamins and minerals may interfere with your sleep. Unlike most medications, acupuncture helps your body sleep naturally and does not create lifelong dependancies.



Our Approach to Treating Insomnia


Boston Chinese Acupuncture has seen tremendous success in the treatment of insomnia in part because of Dr. Li Zheng’s own struggles with insomnia. Through her experiences and experimentations, she has developed a comprehensive approach to treating insomnia that combines acupuncture with lifestyle changes. By discussing your sleep habits during the initial consultation, she can frequently pinpoint certain problems that you may not have realized would affect your sleep. By providing simple, intuitive advice such as moving dinner time a few hours earlier or not exercising so late at night in addition to insomnia acupuncture, she has helped patients dramatically increase their sleep time and quality.

Causes of Insomnia

Insomnia can be brought on in a number of ways, including:

  • Stress
  • Life changes
  • Irregular work schedules
  • Too much coffee or tea intake
  • Medical issues such as pain, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism
  • Mental disorders such as depression or anxiety
  • Elderly people who need less sleep
  • Over-the-counter drugs that contain stimulants