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Insomnia? Acupuncture Provides Relief to Those in Need of Restful Sleep
Restful sleep is naturally one of mankind’s most basic needs. Without it, life isn’t much fun. A tired person may be more prone to illness. Known causes of insomnia include physical illness, anxiety, use of caffeine or certain medications, jet lag, suddenly stopping medications such as sedatives, alcohol or drug use, aging and physical discomfort.
The insomnia remedy the medical profession has relied on for years has been the benzodiazepine class of drug. These drugs are sold under the brands names Xanax, Librium®, Klonapin, Valium, Ativan and many others. In medical trials, those taking benzodiazepines did go to sleep faster and sleep longer, but benzodiazepines have been associated with unpleasant side effects such as daytime drowsiness, dizziness and memory impairment. They are also drugs of abuse and addiction.
There’s a newer class of “non-benzodiazepine” drugs, but trials for these drugs only lasted four weeks at most. There have been no studies of what happens when a person suffers from chronic insomnia and takes one of these drugs for months. As well, side effects of these drugs include headaches and dizziness. One of the drugs also caused an increased chance of hip fracture in older women taking it.
The National Institutes of Health points out that over-the-counter sleep aids that contain antihistamines may make the problem worse, not better, and may result in feeling “hung over” in the morning.
The first address to insomnia should always be the least invasive method. Common sense methods include avoiding upset, stress, alcohol or caffeine late in the day, relaxing before going to bed and exercising regularly.
If these don’t work, consider Acupuncture as a solution. In 2007, an analysis was made of several studies that used Acupuncture to help people who were having sleep problems. Those doing the analysis stated that, “Acupuncture and Acupressure may help to improve sleep quality when compared to a placebo.”
Another study measured how well Acupuncture treatment could help those suffering from HIV. Sleep disturbance often appears early in HIV disease and contributes to decrease the quality of life during the course of the disease. The study found that sleep activity and sleep quality significantly improved after five weeks of Acupuncture treatment.
Source: PubMed, “Acupuncture for insomnia,” University of Hong Kong, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China, July 2007, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17636800, PubMed, “Effects of individualized acupuncture on sleep quality in HIV disease,” Department of Administrative and Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, January 2001, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11211670, Medline Plus, “Sleep disorders,” http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000800.htm, Medline Plus, “Sleeping difficulty,” http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003210.htm, PubMed: Clinical Q & A, “Comparing Newer Drugs for Insomnia,” Laura Dean, MD, National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI), November 2007, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=ebm∂=hypnotics
