Insomnia/Poor Sleep

Having Trouble Sleeping?

Insomnia is inability to have a restful sleep, this can include difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking during the night with inability to return to sleep, a restless state, inability to enter a deep sleep, having nightmares, dream-disturbed sleep. Additional symptoms with sleeplessness may include headaches, dizziness, poor memory and palpitations.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the amount and quality of sleep is dependent on your state of the mind. Are you feeling stressed? overworked? agitated? This is rooted in the heart and is nourished by the heart blood and heart yin. Common causes are emotional stress, which causes the mind to overthink, further damaging the heart blood, which fails to nourish your mind. Improper diet also plays an important role when it comes to your sleep. Are you overeating? Or eating overly rich, greasy, spicy foods? If so these can irritate the stomach and further cause complications. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and lifestyle modifications are a great way to control your sleepless nights and figure out what could be causing it.

Some ways to get better sleep and to help calm the mind:

1. Avoid caffeine in the evenings

2. Avoid screen time in the evenings

3. Keep hydrated throughout the day

4. Play relaxing music/ meditate

5. Stretch/focus on your breath

6. Grab a book and read in bed (not on your Ipad)

7. Have some lavender essential oils diffusing in your room

8. Chamomile tea 2 hours before going to bed

9. Have a note pad by your bed in case your mind starts unraveling to jot down so you don’t over think about it

10. Start your bedtime routine at the same time every evening

If you have any further questions about insomnia and poor sleep please feel free to contact your health practitioner or reach out to us at Unplug Hour as acupuncture can help the mind and body unwind!