How Acupuncture and TCM Can Help with Insomnia During COVID-19

 
kinga-cichewicz-FVRTLKgQ700-unsplash.jpg

Struggling with Insomnia During the Pandemic?

Acupuncture and TCM Can Aid with Sleep During COVID-19

If you’ve noticed you’ve been having trouble sleeping during the global pandemic, you’re not alone. With the sheer volume of information available each day (news updates, COVID-19 education, social media connections) people have a natural tendency to take one last peek at a phone or tablet before going to bed. But that blue light from your screen is more powerful than meets the eye, and it actually sends a signal to the brain telling it to stop producing the sleep hormone melatonin, which can lead to trouble falling asleep.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, there can be many underlying reasons behind sleep trouble. And while the root cause of insomnia varies from person to person, there are a few common underlying factors that we see contribute to difficulty falling and staying asleep.

Once we understand the root cause, we can effectively use acupuncture as a primary treatment approach. In this case, acupuncture works by stimulating receptors in the body, which send signals to your brain to release natural “feel good” chemicals that help you to feel more calm, happy, relaxed, centered and sleepy. These chemicals help to get your body from a state of survival mode (which we call fight or flight) to a state of relaxation mode (which we call rest and digest!)

But why is sleep so important, especially during a time of great stress? When we sleep, our bodies don’t have to do anything we would normally ask them to do during the day. Sleep is the body’s time to self-repair and heal. If we give the body more time to heal and rejuvenate, we will feel better the following day and the body will be able to function at a more optimal level when trying to achieve all we set out to do each day. But until you can get back to acupuncture for treatment to improve sleep function, there are a few very effective ways you can help to improve the quality of your sleep right from home. Below are our top 3 recommendations!

Top 3 Ways to Improve Sleep During Covid-19

Create the Perfect Environment in Advance

  • Avoid technology at least an hour before you go to bed. If it is absolutely essential to use your phone during this time, turn on the night vision setting and switch the brightness down as far as possible. This will help curb that blue-light melatonin disruption.

  • Instead of reaching for the nearest screen or falling asleep to the tv, opt to read a book or magazine, both of which can help to calm the mind and bring you to a state of relaxation.

  • If you live in a noisy or naturally bright location (street lights, neon signs, fire trucks, etc.) invest in some nighttime accessories! You’d be surprised at how much of a difference a good sleep mask, earplugs, or sound machine can make before bedtime. There are so many free sound machine apps available these days, you don’t even need to buy one.

Calm Your Mind

  • Meditate. Even if you can commit to 10 minutes, meditation can have a major impact on your state of mind before sleeping. If you’re just getting started and want an app to guide you, our favorite meditation app is called Headspace, but there are many others available with a wide range of sessions focused specifically on sleep. The best part? The screen goes dark, and you meditate with your eyes closed, so there will be no disruption to melatonin production!

  • Try a warm Epsom salt bath. It’s no coincidence that most spas incorporate warm water into their relaxation offerings. Warm baths are known to promote sleep and relaxation. A quick 10-15 minute bath before bed can act as a reset button for the body, signaling that it is time to close out the day and move into rejuvenation mode. Bath not possible? A hot shower with eucalyptus spray will have the same effect!

Prepare the Body

  • Avoid eating or drinking alcohol or caffeine at least 2 hours before bed. All of these things can have an adverse impact on your ability to fall and stay asleep. Instead, opt for a glass of water or a cup of tea. Chamomile or Sleepytime tea are two of our favorites containing herbs that promote rest and relaxation.

  • If you are suffering from physical pain as a cause of insomnia, be sure to begin with the right accessories and practices (a therapeutic pillow, physical stretching or other therapeutic exercises, etc.). The body is also more flexible following a warm bath or shower, so it can be an ideal time to incorporate a gentle stretch for sore muscles. Similarly, a great pain-relieving balm can have a lasting impact. Some of our favorites are Arnica and Tiger Balm.

If you’re struggling with insomnia or another sleep issue, we can help. At Herb + Ōhm, Chicago’s leading acupuncturists and TCM practitioners identify and treat the root cause of the issue in order to help you achieve long-term results. We provide acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities with specific protocols that are designed to treat sleep disorders. We’d love to see you for an appointment in The Loop when we reopen in June. You can book a consultation

 
Amy Wolf