Get Your Z’s the Natural Way: Acupuncture for Insomnia
People are getting less and less sleep in the modern times we live in, yet quality sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health and well-being. It is part of the foundation of our health.
Modern medicine defines insomnia as a sleep disorder characterized by any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty initiating sleep
- Difficulty maintaining sleep
- Waking up too early
- Non-restorative or poor quality of sleep
Insomnia is incredibly prevalent, with some studies showing as many as 58% of adults report some symptoms of insomnia a few nights a week¹. It is estimated that insomnia costs the US economy $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity². We often use caffeine to combat the effects of poor sleep and sleep deprivation, but it’s not a long-term solution. I think of sleep as the glue that holds us together. If sleep suffers, we can start to fall apart either physically, mentally, or both. Poor sleep weakens our immune system and puts us at greater risk for everything from colds and flu to cancer and high blood pressure.
Modern allopathic treatment options often consist of medications that can be great for the occasional sleepless night, but often have accompanying side effects if used in the long term. They can become habit-forming—and more important—can prevent your brain from going through the natural cycle of stages of sleep, preventing you from achieving deep, quality sleep. This results in sleep that is not truly restful or restorative, and will leave you feeling groggy in the morning. Over time, lack of rest leads to more problems. Your body cannot sustain itself long-term without enough quality, deep sleep, so looking at different ways to get a good night’s sleep could be very beneficial.
