Insomnia

Insomnia

Everyone has experienced a sleepless night at least occasionally, but sometimes it becomes a regular problem and turns into insomnia. 

Insomnia can mean either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or both. Some people need more or less sleep than others, so insomnia must affect your daytime levels of energy and ability to function. 

You can develop insomnia directly from long-term stress or poor sleeping habits, or as a secondary problem from another condition. Hormonal conditions such as menopause or an overactive thyroid are common causes of secondary insomnia, so these may need separate treatment, too. 

Can Acupuncture Help with Sleep Problems?

Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for sleep problems with a wide range of causes. 

Instead of Western clinical disease labels, however, Chinese medicine often describes issues such as insomnia by their underlying imbalance. The most common patterns of insomnia are Deficiency of the Heart and Spleen, Liver Qi Stagnation Turning into Fire, and Hyperactivity of Fire Due to Yin Deficiency. 

All of these patterns involve additional symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, and excessive sweating. This means you may find relief from other complaints while enjoying improved sleep. 

What to Expect During Treatment

Acupuncture for insomnia and sleep apnea is highly individualized. Instead of immediately starting with a standardized treatment, Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, DACM will ask detailed questions on your sleep patterns and overall health to find the underlying causes. There may also be some examination such as your pulse and the appearance of your tongue. 

Afterward, you will be given a “prescription” of acupuncture points that best fit your symptoms and their causes. Each acupuncture session may last around 30 minutes, or perhaps longer depending on your needs. It is not painful but may slightly tingle soon after needle insertion. You may need several weeks or months of regular acupuncture, and your treatments are spaced out as your condition improves. 

Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Insomnia

Acupuncture may be an effective treatment for your case of insomnia. 

One trial showed that average insomnia scores dropped from 17.1 to 9.6 after acupuncture treatment, for example. This is an improvement from “moderate” insomnia to the lower end of the “mild” category. Sleep efficiency rose from an average score of 74% to around 89%. 

But what if insomnia is the result of another issue? A second study found similar improvements in peri-menopausal women. Here, their insomnia scores halved from around 22 to 11. These results demonstrate how versatile acupuncture can be across a range of underlying causes. 

Licensed Acupuncturist Dr. Dekhtyar

If you’re searching “acupuncture for sleep near me” you have come to the right place. 

Dr. Vadim Dekhtyar, DACM brings 33 years of experience to patients in Glenview, IL, who are seeking acupuncture treatment for insomnia and sleep apnea. As a professor of neuroscience and extensive education on how acupuncture can benefit the nervous system, you can find some of the highest-quality Chinese medicine care for insomnia at Life Balance Clinic. 

To book an appointment or ask further questions, call us at 847-724-1777.