Insomnia is one of the most common complaints I hear from patients and often times it's something really simple in their routine that needs changing. Even people who have suffered for years can have amazing results with a knowledgeable tip from their acupuncturist (plus a treatment or two ;) ). A common culprit is that glass of wine after dinner-- many people enjoy their 1-2 glasses of vino at night to help them wind-down from a hard day and get into sleepy mode. This is great for some people, but for others it can create sleeping trouble
Although the alcohol may make you feel sleepy and calm, alcohol use to induce sleep can be a cause of insomnia. Think of it this way- alcohol is viewed by the body as something that needs to be removed asap. (Similar to a poison, but let’s not go that far... we all love a good glass of wine.) This is why we experience the increased need to urinate, higher body temp, increased thirst, etc. when drinking. The body is working really hard to remove the alcohol. As a result, less attention is paid to other important processes like maintaining a healthy blood-glucose level. This can cause a spike in blood sugar or a drop, depending on how insulin is being affected. When alcohol is no longer being consumed, the body plays catch-up and tries to replace your blood sugar stores. This is often what causes you to wake up in the middle of the night when you’ve been drinking. Your body is saying “FEED ME”. Another cause of alcohol-related insomnia is glutamine, a natural stimulant in our bodies. When you stop drinking, the body then overproduces glutamine since the alcohol was inhibiting its production. The increase in glutamine levels stimulates the brain while the drinker is trying to sleep, keeping him/her from reaching the deepest levels of sleep.
Long story short, if you are experiencing insomnia, alcohol could be a contributing factor and is definitely NOT a cure. If you think alcohol consumption may be the culprit but don’t want to give up your glass of wine, consider drinking it with lunch or at least 2 hours before bed so the alcohol has time to be digested before sleep.
Insomnia has many causes, so it is always best to seek the advice of your healthcare provider if it is a consistent problem. TCM has many customized treatments for this issue, so be sure to be wholly open with your practitioner so she can properly diagnose your special case.
10 Sleep Tips Inspired By Chinese Medicine
Lack of sleep leads to a whole host of possible health problems - such as heart disease, obesity, depression, and ulcers. It also reduces how productive we are at work. Here's ten simple tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine to enjoy better quality sleep.
1. Drink green tea instead of coffee in the morning.
Drinking green tea on a daily basis is a lot better for your overall health than coffee. Green tea is very high in antioxidants. It has less then half the amount of caffeine then coffee has, so it wont keep you up all night.
2. Go to sleep every night at 10:30 P.M.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed that 10:30 P.M. is the best time for a full cycle of sleep. Because at 11:00 the Qi in the liver regenerates itself, in Chinese medical theory the liver controls a lot of our emotions.
3. Do NOT drink very cold water.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine your body has to work extra hard to heat up the cold water you are drinking. So if you drink really cold water at night, your body is working on overdrive and it over-stimulates your body causing you to stay awake.
4. Walk around barefoot.
Walking around barefoot naturally balances the energy in the body. Being barefoot helps to clear your mind and naturally reconnect with yourself. In Chinese Medicine, it is believed that it massages the meridian points in the feet which are correlated with sleep
5. Get acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat insomnia in China. In China, it is one of the first treatments given to a patient to improve the quality of their sleep.
6. Self massage your feet.
According to Chinese medicine basic foot massages open up your meridian pathways and help you become more relaxed and calm.
7. Drink Chrysanthemum tea.
Chrysanthemum is a light yellowish flower that has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine for insomnia. In China, they drink it on a daily basis to help maintain a healthy liver.
8. Avoid over-stimulating food.
Hot peppers, alcohol, and coffee overstimulate the nervous system causing an imbalance in the liver, which will disrupt your sleep.
9. Block out all the light in your room.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, if you place your hand twelve inches in front of your face and you can clearly see it, then your room is not dark enough. Try to remove any electronics in your room that have bright lights, to make the room darker.
10. Meditate.
If you're tossing and turning in your bed, try to get up and meditate. You can even practice meditation while lying in bed by bringing awareness to your breathing. Focus on breathing from your abdomen, it will help bring your attention away from anxious thoughts.
By Robert Piper
Published May 21, 2012 at 1:30 PM
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