Insomnia

Beyond auto accidents, researchers have found an association between insomnia and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Poor sleep not only affects your relationships with friends and family but also decreases performance and concentration at work.

Healthy men deprived of even a single night’s sleep experience a 30 percent drop in the activity of their immune system’s tumor-fighting cells the next day.

Lack of sleep also results in reduced ability to repair worn-out tissue.

People who sleep poorly tend to experience a surge in blood pressure when they wake up in the morning. In some cases, that surge can lead to stroke or other heart problems.

Long-term sleep deprivation may increase the severity of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, chronic stress, chronic pain, inflammation, reduced immunity, and diabetes.

Sleep occurs in a series of cycles, each lasting between sixty and ninety minutes. On average, people have five or six sleep cycles during a normal night of sleep.

Each cycle has different stages: stage 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The stages are defined by the types and intensity of brain wave activity measured by EEG tracings, as well as by how easily the sleeping person can be aroused. Each stage has its own physiological functions. Poor sleepers tend to spend less time in deep sleep, particularly Stage 4, as well as less time in REM.

Sleeping pills help you fall asleep faster. Most sleeping pills induce sleep by depressing brain function as a whole. As a result, the quality of sleep they produce differs from normal sleep.

Most healthy people spend about a quarter of their total sleep time in REM sleep. When you take sleeping pills, REM can drop to as little as a tenth of total sleep time initially. As you continue taking the pills for a few weeks, the proportion of REM will gradually return to normal.

The proportion of deep sleep is also seriously affected by sleeping drugs. Some people who take sleeping pills spend as little as five percent of their total sleep time in deep sleep.

Side effects and dependency are also concerns for patients.

Insomnia can originate from a number of factors.

Mental health problems that may contribute to insomnia include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and learned insomnia.

Caffeine, nicotine, and ingredients in several nonprescription drugs for weight loss, asthma, and colds can interfere with sleep. Smokers may take longer to fall asleep than non-smokers. Lifestyle factors such as alcohol use, erratic hours, lack of physical activity, bedroom distractions, food intolerance, and eating excessively can all contribute to insomnia.

Many medical problems can disturb your sleep: angina, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, allergies, congestion, coughing, indigestion, reflux, ulcers, bladder problems, arthritis, chronic pain conditions, headaches, epilepsy, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes and hypoglycemia, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep apnea, obesity (particularly combined with lung problems from chronic smoking or heart disease), and periodic leg movements.

A significant number of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can disturb sleep through either stimulant or withdrawal effects.

Environmental factors such as ventilation, humidity, noise, light, stale air, or an uncomfortable mattress can cause insomnia or reduce the quality of sleep, even when they do not actually keep you awake.

Some common-sense remedies may improve sleep:

• Exercise daily in the late afternoon or early evening, but not right before bedtime.
• Go to bed only when you are sleepy. Get up at about the same time every morning, no matter when you go to bed.
• Do not go to bed until you feel sleepy.
• Have a light snack or read for 10 minutes before you turn out the light.
• Set an alarm clock and get out of bed at the same time every morning regardless of how you slept the night before. Once normal sleep patterns are reestablished, most people find they no longer need an alarm clock.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine after 5 pm or within 6 hours of bedtime.
• Do not read anything related to work just before going to bed.
• Avoid reading mysteries or other exciting books before going to sleep, as you may find it hard to put them down.
• Keep your bedroom quiet and dark with adequate ventilation and humidity.
• Reduce screen time, television, and Internet use just before bedtime. A quarter hour of quiet conversation, light reading, or soft music may make a big difference.
• Learn to put worries out of your mind.
• Spend some time in bright sunlight each morning for at least fifteen minutes to help set your biological clock.
• Create a break between daytime activities and the inactivity of night to encourage sleep. Review the activities of the day and prepare a plan for the following day.
• Take a warm bath before going to bed.
• Sex is a great aid to sleep if you have a willing partner.
• A bedtime massage can also help.
• Do not go to bed angry.

“Acupuncture appears to be a useful treatment approach for a common clinical problem. This is an area in patient care where acupuncture could be a beneficial addition to standard allopathic treatments.” Published in Medical Acupuncture by Judith R. Peterson, MD.

Using acupuncture to treat insomnia has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). It has helped many patients with sleep disorders and is a reasonable natural modality with the potential to help. “It works for many” does not guarantee that it works for you. As for you, there is only one way to find out.

$95/session, $45 consultation. 30-45 minute initial consultation.

Alberta Health Care does not cover acupuncture. Most company benefits cover acupuncture when treatment is provided through a Registered Acupuncturist. Contact your HR department or insurance company for coverage details.