Sleep is a hugely important time for your mind and body to relax, replenish and regenerate. A perfect night of sleep involves easily falling asleep shortly after you go to bed, sleeping peacefully all night and waking replenished and energized in the morning. Unfortunately, many people have difficulties falling asleep, suffer from restless nights, dream-disturbed sleep, wake often and feel just as tired in the morning!
How can Acupuncture help with Sleep?
In TCM your mind is like a balloon, full of thoughts and yang energy. This ‘balloon’ is tied to a bucket of water, full of nutrition and yin energy representing your physical body. When you are awake, your balloon floats upwards and remains safely anchored to your bucket for nutrition and support; you have enough energy for your mind to function clearly, to feel alert and have enough energy for the day ahead. At the end of day, when night comes and you are ready to settle, your balloon tucks neatly into your bucket and you are able to rest peacefully at night; your yang rests within yin.
If your bucket is too small, your mind cannot rest safely and comfortably inside so it becomes restless and unsettled. If your bucket doesn’t have enough water it cannot adequately anchor your thoughts and it is very hard to stop your balloon from floating away. If your balloon is too full, perhaps it has expanded temporarily due to too much heat (heat may be generated by stress, anxiety, medication, illness etc), then it becomes too strong for the yin to hold.
In order to enjoy a restful night of sleep and a productive energetic day, your bucket and your balloon must match; your yin and yang must be in balance. TCM aims to return your buck et and balloon to balance whether your bucket is too small to hold your yang (common in young children or elderly), your bucket is too empty to anchor your yang or your yang is too hot for your yin to contain. Your practitioner will help you identify what might be causing this imbalance and suggest lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise as well as acupuncture and herbal medicine that can promote wellbeing and restore peaceful sleep.
Top tips to try yourself
1. Develop a night-time ritual for deep sleep and stick to it
The body and mind like routine and predictability. Set yourself a target bedtime and commit to it every night. Set a realistic expectation of yourself; breaking habits and establishing new ones takes 4-6 weeks of regular practice.
2. Make your bedroom your sanctuary; a beautiful place for you to rest
- Spend some time decluttering your bedroom; it should be minimalist without stimulus like work papers, laundry, to do lists etc;
- Remove any technology that emits emfs; there should be no charging devices near your head, turn off your phone at night time and leave it downstairs (invest in an old fashioned alarm clock), turn off your wifi router at night;
- Use clean 100% cotton bedding and make sure you have a pillow that you really like;
- Your bedroom should be warm and comfortable with good airflow -consider opening a window or buying some plants to help purify the air night.
3. Begin your routine by winding down an hour before sleep
Make this an enjoyable experience where your mind can start to relax.
- Try taking a bath or soaking your feet in a basin of warm water. Adding sea salt or magnesium salts can be beneficial especially if you have muscle pain;
- Choose a particular warm drink that you enjoy (there are lots of ‘sleepy’ herbal teas available in the supermarket that you can try);
- Massage your feet with oil, add any calming essential oils of your choosing;
- Turn off the TV and all digital devices: avoid politics, social media, stimulating audio/visual devices, dim the lights;
- Try to clear your mind – consider playing some relaxing music or listening to a guided sleep meditation;
- Practice deep breathing; slowly breathing in all the way to your belly and slowly breathing out a sigh of relief and letting go;
- Start a gratitude practice; every night note down 3 things you are grateful for that day;
- Try aromatherapy: a pillow spray or roll-on with any calming oils you like. Popular sleep-inducing oils include saffron, lavender, lemon balm, neroli, patchouli, clary sage, cedarwood, valerian and sweet orange;
- You may find sensory deprivation beneficial by trying a silk eye mask and earplugs.
4. Be mindful of what your body needs during the day
Spent time in nature -your body and mind need plenty of fresh air and grounding in nature. It reminds us of the bigger picture; it takes us out of ourselves and allows us to reconnect with the world around.
- Try to get at least 20 mins exposure to adequate sunlight a day -this helps our body to regulate the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle;
- Move your body during the day! Exercise is good for our physical and mental health;
- Take off your shoes and stand barefoot on the earth. Research shows that ‘earthing’ can reduce stress, reduce inflammation and improve sleep. If walking barefoot on the earth or at the beach is difficult for you, consider investing in a grounding mat for your home;
- Try not to nap during the day – it’s OK to practice relaxing, but try not to fall asleep, this will confuse our sleep-wake cycle;
- Eat well; make sure your body has all the essential nutrients it needs and you are adequately hydrated throughout the day;
- Avoid alcohol. It might help you fall asleep but the quality of your sleep will be compromised, you will likely wake earlier and feel more tired the next day;
- Avoid heavy meals, especially late at night;
- Avoid caffeine and energy drinks, especially after midday;
- Think about what might be contributing to your poor sleep; do you have any pain or stiffness? Do you have restless legs or hot flushes in the evening? Is your poor digestion keep you up at night? Perhaps you need to address these underlying issues so your body is more comfortable and ready for sleep.
Establishing a good routine is vital but sometimes you may need a little extra support. There are some natural supplements you can try to help you sleep.
- Flower Essences: safe and gentle to try, these essences help to calm your mind for sleep. Try Bach Rescue Night drops;
- Tart Cherry Juice: rich in antioxidants and natural melatonin, taken an hour before bed it is thought to help support sleep;
- Supplements like valerian, magnesium, melatonin, 5-HTP and L-tryptophan may also help, check with your healthcare provider before taking these;
- Classes on mindfulness, stress reduction, yoga nidra, sound healing and meditation may all help;
- Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help to relax your mind, relieve any underlying concerns and restore balance to the body to support sleep.
