Insomnia and Sleep Regulation

Insomnia may include difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night, early waking, restless sleep, vivid dreams, or waking unrefreshed. From a Western medicine perspective, sleep can be affected by stress, hormones, pain, stimulants, medication, mental health, breathing issues, digestive discomfort, and nervous system arousal.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, insomnia is often understood through patterns such as Heart Shen disturbance, Liver Qi stagnation, Heart Blood deficiency, Yin deficiency with empty heat, Phlegm-Heat, food stagnation, or disharmony between the Heart and Kidney. The assessment may consider sleep timing, dreams, thirst, temperature, digestion, mood, menstrual cycle, pulse, and tongue.

Acupuncture can support sleep regulation by calming the nervous system, reducing tension, and supporting the body's natural sleep rhythm. Research suggests acupuncture may improve subjective sleep quality in some people with chronic insomnia, although evidence quality varies and treatment response is individual.

A treatment plan may include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, lifestyle advice, evening routine support, breathing practices, and stress regulation strategies.