Acupuncture for Insomnia
•Acupuncture for Insomnia
•Acupuncture and Insomnia Research
•Acupuncture Points for Insomnia and Depression
Insomnia, Anxiety, and Acupuncture
Insomnia, anxiety, and most sleep disorders are considered to evolve from "disturbed shen" meaning disturbed spirit. This is where the spirit, residing in the heart, is uncomfortable due to thoughts and emotions. Therefore, acupuncture treatment for insomnia focuses on the chest rather than the brain.
Acupuncture for insomnia is adapted to the pattern of each individual. Points are most often selected on the heart or pericardium channels, as sleep conditions usually reflect disturbances in these organ systems. This in no way implies heart disease in conventional Western medicine.
Many people who have experienced acupuncture for any problem are familiar with its sleep inducing properties, finding it difficult to stay awake during treatment, or sleeping profoundly well the night after treatment.
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Acupuncture and Insomnia research
Effects of acupuncture therapy on insomnia.
Sok SR, Erlen JA, Kim KB.
Postdoctoral Student, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
BACKGROUND: Acupuncture therapy, commonly used in clinical practice in oriental cultures, has the potential to produce a positive effect with patients experiencing insomnia.
AIM: The purposes of this systematic review were: (1) to assess the trends across intervention studies using acupuncture for insomnia from 1975 to 2002, (2) to examine dependent variables, and (3) to evaluate the effects of acupuncture therapy on insomnia in older people.
METHOD: ...A wide range of electronic databases was searched using the keywords 'insomnia', 'acupuncture' and 'experimental design'. ... Eleven reports met these criteria.
FINDINGS: The findings showed that the first author was usually a Chinese medical doctor...employed in a traditional department of medicine. Most of the papers were published in two journals: International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The main method used to assess outcomes was questionnaire. All the studies reported statistically significant positive results.
CONCLUSION: The results of this review suggest that acupuncture may be an effective intervention for the relief of insomnia. Further research, using a randomized clinical trial design, are necessary to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture. More work is also needed to promote the long-term therapeutic effects of acupuncture and to compare it with other therapies for insomnia.
Selected Acupuncture Points for Insomnia
HE7 • Shen Men • Heart 7 Spirit Gate. Shu Stream Point on the Heart Channel. Yuan Source Point on the Heart Channel.
Location: On the transverse wrist crease, in the small depression between the pisiform and ulna bones.
Calms The Spirit
Regulates And Tonifies The Heart
CV17 • Shan Zhong • Conception Vessel 17 Chest Center. Front Mu of the Pericardium
Location: On the sternal midline, level with the fourth intercostal space, between the nipples.
Regulates Qi
Lowers Rebellious Lung And Stomach Qi
Benefits The Breasts
Promotes Lactation
Unbinds The Chest
Facilitates Respiration
PC6 • Nei Guan • Pericardium 6 Inner Pass. Luo Connecting Point on the Pericardium Channel.
Location: On the anterior forearm, 2 cun superior to the transverse wrist crease, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis muscles.
Unbinds The Chest
Regulates The Heart
Harmonizes The Stomach
Calms The Spirit
Alleviates Nausea
