| Insomnia is defined as the chronic inability to sleep | | | | overall decreased ability to function throughout |
| or remain asleep throughout the night that lasts | | | | daytime activities |
| more than one month in duration. According to | | | | Additionally, there may be other conditions that |
| the Mayo Clinic, approximately 10-15% of adults | | | | prevent someone from sleeping peacefully, such |
| report chronic insomnia. It is recommended that | | | | as (but not limited to): |
| adults receive at least 7-9 hours of sleep per | | | | chronic pain |
| night. Quality and sufficient sleep is an essential | | | | recent surgery and its side effects |
| part of a healthy lifestyle and going without it | | | | stress from work, school, relationships |
| may have negative long term effects on your | | | | digestive disorders such as irritable bowel |
| body. | | | | syndrome |
| Sleep has many effects on the body, including: | | | | seasonal allergies |
| Assisting the body in maintaining effective | | | | fibromyalgia syndrome |
| metabolism and efficient digestion | | | | In Chinese medicine, insomnia usually involves |
| Promoting clear thinking, memory, and overall | | | | either the heart channel, kidney channel, liver |
| cognitive ability | | | | channel, spleen channel, or any a combination of |
| helps you to maintain a healthy outlook and | | | | these channels. When one of these meridians |
| stabilize your mood | | | | becomes unbalanced, it can have a dramatic |
| aids in both the physical and mental recovery | | | | effect on sleep. Furthermore, each one of these |
| of the body at the end of the day | | | | meridians has a specific function in the body's |
| helps the body's immune system to stay | | | | ability to maintain a consistent mood, have a clear |
| strong and healthy | | | | mind and clear thinking, maintain efficient digestion, |
| Without sleep, a person may experience: | | | | and have enough energy to carry out daily |
| mood changes | | | | activities. Using specific acupuncture points and |
| increased agitation | | | | Chinese herbs, all of these channels and your |
| increased anxiety or worry | | | | body may become balanced, allowing you to sleep |
| lack of mental clarity and difficulty with | | | | a restful and peaceful night. |
| memory | | | | Since acupuncture and Chinese medicine have a |
| worsening of chronic pain or chronic conditions | | | | holistic approach to medicine, balancing sleep can |
| poor digestion, leading to excessive weight | | | | easily be figured into each treatment. This allows |
| gain | | | | other conditions to be treated while balancing |
| decreased will power and/or the energy to | | | | sleep if necessary or sleep can be treated |
| start new tasks | | | | directly. |
| an increased frequency of illness and sickness | | | | |