Transcript TCM for Insomnia - INSTITUTE OF CHINESE MEDICINE

Sleeping Well, Make It Easy
Dr Fei Wang, PhD,
Acupuncturist
Knowledge about sleep
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It is observed in all mammals, all birds, and
many reptiles, amphibians, and fish. In
humans, other mammals, and a substantial
majority of other animals that have been
studied (such as some species of fish, birds,
ants, and fruit flies), regular sleep is essential
for survival.
Knowledge about sleep
Sleep is divided into two broad types:
 Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM or nonREM) sleep, 70-120mins,then
 Rapid Eye Movement (REM),5-15mins.
REM sleep accounts for 20-25% of total
sleep time in most human adults.
Age and condition
Average amount of sleep
per day
Newborn
up to 18 hours
1–12 Months
14-18 hours
1-3 years
12-15 hours
3-5 years
11-13 hours
5-12 years
9-11 hours
Adolescents
9–10 hours[28]
Adults, including elderly
7–8 (+) hours
Pregnant women
8 (+) hours
There are many everyday reasons for
not sleeping well:
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the bedroom may be too noisy, too hot or too cold
the bed may be uncomfortable or too small
you don't have a regular sleep routine
you partner has a different pattern of sleep from you
you aren't getting enough exercise
you eat too late - and find it hard to get off to sleep
you go to bed hungry - and wake up too early
cigarettes, alcohol and drinks containing caffeine,
such as tea and coffee
More serious reasons include:
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emotional problems
difficulties at work
anxiety and worry
depression - you wake very early and
can't get back to sleep
thinking over and over about problems.
illness, pain or a high temperature
Definition
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Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterised
by persistent difficulty in falling asleep or
staying asleep
It is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis
or a disease.
By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating
or maintaining sleep, or both".
Numbers and facts
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It is estimated that a third of people in the UK
have bouts of insomnia.
According to the United States Department of
Health and Human Services in the year 2007,
approximately 64 million Americans regularly
suffer from insomnia each year, while its
population in 2007 was 306 million.
Interestingly insomnia is 1.4 times more
common in women than in men.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
perspective, insomnia is strongly
related the Heart and Shen
Three main meridian systems
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There are three main meridian systems which often
contribute to the disruption of heart and shen
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the liver system can be disrupted by excessive stress and/or anger,
fatty food, and alcohol
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the spleen system can be disrupted by poor diet, late-night eating and
excessive worry and over-thinking
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the kidney system can be disrupted by anxiety, fear, overworking, poor
sleep itself and excessive sexual activity.
What if I don't sleep?
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you are tired all the time
you drop off during the day
you find it difficult to concentrate
you find it hard to make decisions
you start to feel depressed.
you more likely to get high blood pressure,
diabetes and be overweight.
Helping yourself
Do's
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Make sure that your bed and bedroom are comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, not too
noisy.
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Make sure that your mattress supports you properly. If it's too firm, your hips and shoulders
are under pressure. If it's too soft, your body sags, which is bad for your back. Generally,
you should replace your mattress every 10 years to get the best support and comfort.
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Get some exercise. Don't overdo it, but try some regular swimming or walking. The best
time to exercise is in the daytime - particularly late afternoon or early evening. Later than
this can disturb your sleep.
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Take some time to relax properly before going to bed. Some people find aromatherapy
helpful.
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If something is troubling you and there is nothing you can do about it right away, try writing
it down before going to bed and then tell yourself to deal with it tomorrow.
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If you can't sleep, get up and do something relaxing. Read, watch television or listen to
quiet music. After a while you should feel tired enough to go to bed again.
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Have more tryptophan rich foods, such as milk,oats, beans,honey,bananas,eggs,
hazelnuts,peanuts etc.
Don'ts
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Don't go without sleep for a long time - go to bed when you are tired and stick
to a routine of getting up at the same time every day, whether you still feel tired
or not.
Caffeine hangs around in your body for many hours after your last drink of tea
or coffee. Stop drinking tea or coffee by mid-afternoon. If you want a hot drink
in the evening, try something milky or herbal (but check there's no caffeine in it).
Don't drink a lot of alcohol. It may help you fall asleep, but you will almost
certainly wake up during the night.
Don't eat or drink a lot late at night. Try to have your supper early in the evening
rather than late.
If you've had a bad night, don't sleep in the next day - it will make it harder to
get off to sleep the following night.
Don't use slimming tablets - many of these will tend to keep you awake.
Don't use street drugs like Ecstasy, cocaine and amphetamines - they are
stimulants, and like caffeine, will tend to keep you awake.
Acupuncture & Chinese medicine
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Both acupuncture and traditional Chinese
herbal medicine provide natural treatments to
insomnia, and can be used jointly in most
cases for the best result.
It is quite safe and virtually free of side
effects.
It has been scientifically demonstrated
that acupuncture can have an effect on
the body's central nervous system, and
can increase levels of several
neurotransmitters, including serotonin.
 Acupuncture promotes natural sleeping
patterns, and doesn’t have the
hangover effect that most sleeping pills
do.
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Other alternatives
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Head or full-body massage
Reflexology
Hypnotherapy
Meditation
Music therapy
Aromatherapy