Being the expert on it that I am (I am no expert!) I thought that it
would be interesting to share with you the effects that acupuncture
might have on your body. While it seems that stabbing needles into
your skin may not be the best idea - and can be very daunting for
some - to help somebody cope with stress, you might be surprised by
the results.
How it works:
In the east, where Yin and Yang originated, it is believed that
the body must achieve inner peace and that this peace is created
by a balance in a person's energy (or even life force, if you will.)
This energy runs through your body like water, through your blood,
through you heart and soul, traveling like a river and released upon
the external world and also the internal workings of one's mind and
body. When this energy is stumped, acupuncture needles are placed in
the areas of energy resistance and relieves the flow of these energy
obstructions.
In the west, acupuncture is used to target and stimulate the
central nervous system to release hormones and neurotransmitters that
will boost one's immune system and other natural body functions. It
can dull the feelings of stress and pain that can build up and cause
body tension.
Now on to the point: How can acupuncture stimulate sleep?!?
This is where - wait for it - melatonin comes into play once more.
What happens in patients with high stress and anxiety is that when
acupuncture needles perforate the skin they stimulate pressure points
that increase nighttime melatonin production. While the exact cause of
this is still unsure and the field requires more study it is worth a
try. No harm, no foul, right?
A few other things that this method can stimulate, or regulate, are
chronic pain and HIV related sleep problems. In many cases
acupuncture seems to be the fastest working pain reliever - this is
not to say that it can cure the cause of your pain. Also, and this
one goes hand and hand with sleep deprivation, acupuncture will help
to alleviate stress. So go on and find a practiced acupuncturist and
get started today, it may help in more ways than one.
