We all understand the importance of a good night’s sleep, but for some of us, it can be hard to achieve. This is something we treat a lot at the Yinova Center and we’re very fortunate to have a big bag of tricks for this troubling issue.
When someone comes in with difficulty sleeping, we first figure out which Chinese medicine ‘type’ they are, then we get to work. Here’s a brief description of the different sleepless types we see. You may recognize yourself in one (or more) of these categories. Take heart, help is on the way.
The first insomnia type is Spleen and Kidney insufficiency. If you’re in this category, you’ll have a hard time falling asleep, sometimes spending a bit of time thinking obsessively before sleep does arrive. Once you are asleep you may experience lots of dreams. When you are awake, you might have a hard time remembering things, find yourself easily fatigued, and may even experience a diminished appetite or a tendency toward loose stools.
The second type we see a lot of is Heart and Kidney ‘not-communicating’. In this category, the ‘cooling’ kidneys (water element) and the ‘hot’ heart (fire element) are disconnected. If this is you, you might toss and turn all night, rarely falling into a deep calm sleep. Your sleep is fitful and you’re likely to perspire throughout the night. Sometimes you may have flushed cheeks and warm, sweaty hands.
The third type is qi stagnation insomnia. If this is you, you may feel easily irritated throughout the day and at bedtime and have a hard time quieting the mind down enough to fall asleep. Once asleep, it’s rarely a deep settled sleep. During the day, it may be hard to get a good, full deep breath, often feeling physical constraint in the throat or chest, letting out lots of sighs. You may also notice you have cold hands and feet during the day and at night.
As many of our patients can testify acupuncture combined with a Chinese herbal formula can really help you get a good night’s sleep. Come on in and see us for a weekly treatment (preferably in the evening). We usually find that 6 acupuncture treatments do the trick. We’ll also give you some herbs that suit your particular sleep type.
Here is the advice we give out Yinova Patients
- Turn off your computer, tv, and phone at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Reduce your body’s fat intake.
- Exercise regularly, (but not late in the day).
- Reduce or eliminate caffeine, especially late in the day.
- Establish a bedtime routine, including downtime before getting into bed.
- Try acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
Now, if it’s after 10 pm and you’re reading this on your computer, turn it off and get ready for a good night’s sleep!
