Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsInsomniaBenefitsHistoryWhat to ExpectAcupuncturistsAlternativesFAQs
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Insomnia
Benefits
History
What to Expect
Acupuncturists
Alternatives
FAQs
Acupunctureis a type of holistic medicine that began as an ancient traditional Chinese medicine practice. The practice involves inserting extremely thin needles into the skin at strategic points in the body. These specific areas are known as acupoints. Each needle is inserted into a different area to stimulate symptom relief of various conditions, such aschronic painandnausea.
Some recent research has looked into acupuncture forinsomniaand found that it may be an effective alternative to medications.This article discusses how acupuncture works, its uses for sleep disorders, and any side effects that may occur.
Jon Feingersh Photography Inc / Getty Images
Insomnia Quick Facts
Insomnia causes a person to have trouble falling or staying asleep. People who have insomnia may also wake up much earlier than they intend to in the morning and have difficulties going back to sleep once they are awake.
The sleep disorder is quite common: roughly 10% of people grapple with it at some point in their lives.
Health Consequences of InsomniaInsomnia can bring on many other issues because ofhow important adequate sleep isfor overall health. Someone with insomnia can develop mood changes, irritability,fatigue, and issues with memory, impulse control, and concentration.Insomnia has also been shown to increase the risk ofheart failure,heart attack, and other chronic health conditions.
Health Consequences of Insomnia
Insomnia can bring on many other issues because ofhow important adequate sleep isfor overall health. Someone with insomnia can develop mood changes, irritability,fatigue, and issues with memory, impulse control, and concentration.Insomnia has also been shown to increase the risk ofheart failure,heart attack, and other chronic health conditions.
Factors That Lead to Insomnia and Poor Sleep
Possible Benefits of Acupuncture for Insomnia
While acupuncture is most notably used to help stave off chronic pain, it has been researched widely in regard to other conditions, such as insomnia. Studies looking to prove or disprove the use of acupuncture for insomnia have concluded that it may be able to improve sleep because of the way it influences certainneurotransmitters(chemical messengers in the brain).
The review did mention that more research is needed to confirm these findings and the benefits of acupuncture for insomnia.
How Else Can Acupuncture Help Sleep?Certain conditions can contribute to insomnia, such as mood disorders, chronic pain, or other sleep disorders. Acupuncture may help lower the effects of those disorders, which helps drive away insomnia.
How Else Can Acupuncture Help Sleep?
Certain conditions can contribute to insomnia, such as mood disorders, chronic pain, or other sleep disorders. Acupuncture may help lower the effects of those disorders, which helps drive away insomnia.
Pain
Because of the way acupuncture affects certain chemicals within the body, it is also a proven complementary treatment for pain.
In acupuncture, the needles enhance chemicals, such asdynorphins,endorphins, andencephalins. Acupuncture can also releasecorticosteroids, which arestresshormones. Each of these chemicals plays a role in pain. Thus, tweaking their levels within the body can reduce pain.
Anxiety
Studies have found that people withanxietycould alsobenefit from acupunctureto help reduce symptoms. However, the studies do have limitations, and more research is needed to determine whether or not it can be used as first-line treatment over other remedies, such as medication or psychotherapy.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apneais a type of sleep-breathing disorder that causes a person to temporarily stop breathing during the night.
Very limited, observational literature suggests that acupuncture may affect theapnea-hypopneaindex, which is the number of times a person stops and starts breathing throughout the night while they are asleep.
How Does Acupuncture Help Sleep Apnea?Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the nose, nasal cavity, mouth, or throat become too relaxed. Acupuncture helps stimulate those muscles and prevent that over-relaxation, thus, preventing apneas throughout the night.
How Does Acupuncture Help Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the nose, nasal cavity, mouth, or throat become too relaxed. Acupuncture helps stimulate those muscles and prevent that over-relaxation, thus, preventing apneas throughout the night.
History of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a 3,000-year-old method of treatment that originated in China.
By the 19thcentury, the healing technique was adopted throughout Europe and America. Since then, research has continued to determine what type of acupoints and energy pathways throughout the body (meridians) can be stimulated to reduce symptoms of various health disorders.
Although modern neuroscience views acupuncture as a way to release chemicals along with muscle stimulation, it wasn’t always the case. Ancient practices focused heavily on energy regulation. The needles used were thought to unblock meridians and release energy that causes ailments or disorders to develop.
While research continues, there is still much to learn about how acupuncture evokes biological and physiological responses within the body that lead to healing.
The FDA and AcupunctureThe use of acupuncture in medical settings in the United States is relatively new. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) didn’t recognize acupuncture needles as medical tools until 1997.
The FDA and Acupuncture
The use of acupuncture in medical settings in the United States is relatively new. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) didn’t recognize acupuncture needles as medical tools until 1997.
What Happens During an Acupuncture Session?
During an acupuncture session, you will first have to discuss your disorders, diseases, or ailments with the licensed acupuncturist. They will then determine what points should be used when inserting the needles for optimal results.
Once the session begins, needles will be inserted into specific points while you lay on a table, face up or down, depending on your complaint and what points need to be accessed.
Typically, there is very little pain when the needle is inserted into the skin. People often experience feelings of pressure where the needle is.The session, with needles inserted in your body, lasts up to half hour.
Communicating With Your AcupuncturistAs mentioned, you should not feel pain during acupuncture—just a small amount of pressure in the area. If you are feeling pain, it could be because the needles are not inserted into the right spot. It’s essential that you tell your acupuncturist that you are feeling pain because that means that it’s not being performed correctly.
Communicating With Your Acupuncturist
As mentioned, you should not feel pain during acupuncture—just a small amount of pressure in the area. If you are feeling pain, it could be because the needles are not inserted into the right spot. It’s essential that you tell your acupuncturist that you are feeling pain because that means that it’s not being performed correctly.
Side Effects
While not everyone who has acupuncture will experience side effects, there is always a possibility that they will occur. Some side effects of the treatment include:
Rare But Serious Side EffectsAlthough acupuncture is relatively safe, it can lead to rare but serious side effects. In extremely rare cases,aphasia, which is a disorder that causes issues with speaking and communicating, has been found to develop following acupuncture.Other rare but serious effects include injuries to other areas of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, nerves, blood vessels, and organs.
Rare But Serious Side Effects
Although acupuncture is relatively safe, it can lead to rare but serious side effects. In extremely rare cases,aphasia, which is a disorder that causes issues with speaking and communicating, has been found to develop following acupuncture.Other rare but serious effects include injuries to other areas of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, nerves, blood vessels, and organs.
How to Find Licensed Acupuncturist
Prior to getting acupuncture, you should speak to your healthcare provider. They can advise you on how it could help and any side effects that may occur due to your health circumstances. Once you’ve done that, they may be able to recommend a licensed acupuncturist.
Other resources to find a licensed acupuncturist near you include The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine andThe American Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
Acupuncture Alternatives for Insomnia
Aside from acupuncture, there are other natural methods that can be used to treat insomnia. They include:
CBD and InsomniaAlthough CBD shows promise in helping people with insomnia, long-term data is scarce. That is why more research is needed to examine how long-term use of CBD can affect sleep patterns in people with sleep disorders.
CBD and Insomnia
Although CBD shows promise in helping people with insomnia, long-term data is scarce. That is why more research is needed to examine how long-term use of CBD can affect sleep patterns in people with sleep disorders.
14 Natural Remedies to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Summary
Acupuncture involves the use of thin needles inserted into specific points known as acupoints on the body. It can be used as a complementary therapy for specific health conditions, like chronic pain. Some studies have found that it may be beneficial for insomnia, although there are some research limitations.
Studies have also examined how acupuncture affects other disorders that may drive the onset of insomnia, such as anxiety and chronic pain, and found that it can be effective at reducing symptoms in both of those conditions. Thus, it could be beneficial for people who experience insomnia due to another condition.
Before getting acupuncture, you will want to speak with your healthcare provider and find a reputable licensed acupuncturist. Although the practice is relatively safe, it may come with some side effects.
A Word From Verywell
Insomnia can feel unmanageable because of how it affects your brain and body. Sleep is so important, and when you can’t or don’t get enough, it can negatively impact your daily functioning in a major way. That is why seeking treatment for insomnia is so important.
If you feel as though you’re stuck in a harmful sleep pattern, contact your healthcare provider about an insomnia diagnosis and treatment options. Acupuncture may be a viable option for you, but it can only be explored in discussion with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
The type of insomnia you have will determine how long you should go to acupuncture therapy. For people with acute insomnia, less than 10 sessions may do the job. However, those with chronic insomnia may need ongoing treatment that involves more than one course.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acupuncture.Zhang M, Zhao J, Li X, et al.Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: protocol for a systematic review.Medicine.2019;98(45):e17842. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017842Krystal AD, Prather AA, Ashbrook LH.The assessment and management of insomnia: an update.World Psychiatry.2019;18(3):337-352. doi:10.1002/wps.20674Zhao K.Acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:217-234. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00011-0Patil S, Sen S, Bral M, et al.The role of acupuncture in pain management.Curr Pain Headache Rep.2016;20(4):22. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0552-1Li M, Xing X, Yao L, et al.Acupuncture for treatment of anxiety, an overview of systematic reviews.Complement Ther Med.2019;43:247-252. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.013Wang L, Xu J, Zhan Y, Pei J.Acupuncture for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Biomed Res Int.2020;2020:6972327. doi:10.1155/2020/6972327Zhuang Y, Xing JJ, Li J, Zeng BY, Liang FR.History of acupuncture research.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:1-23. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00001-8Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H.Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey.Complement Ther Med.2003;11(2):93-97. doi:10.1016/s0965-2299(03)00004-9Chan MWC, Wu XY, Wu JCY, Wong SYS, Chung VCH.Safety of acupuncture: overview of systematic reviews.Sci Rep.2017;7(1):3369. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03272-0Romero K, Goparaju B, Russo K, Westover MB, Bianchi MT.Alternative remedies for insomnia: a proposed method for personalized therapeutic trials.Nat Sci Sleep.2017;9:97-108. doi:10.2147/NSS.S128095Gong H, Ni CX, Liu YZ, et al.Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Psychosom Res.2016;89:1-6. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.016Kuhathasan N, Dufort A, MacKillop J, Gottschalk R, Minuzzi L, Frey BN.The use of cannabinoids for sleep: a critical review on clinical trials.Exp Clin Psychopharmacol.2019;27(4):383-401. doi:10.1037/pha0000285Becker PM.Hypnosis in the management of sleep disorders.Sleep Med Clin.2015;10(1):85-92. doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.11.003Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?.Clinics. 2012;67(6):653-660. doi:10.6061/clinics/2012(06)17Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, et al.Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-133. doi:10.7326/M15-2175
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acupuncture.Zhang M, Zhao J, Li X, et al.Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: protocol for a systematic review.Medicine.2019;98(45):e17842. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017842Krystal AD, Prather AA, Ashbrook LH.The assessment and management of insomnia: an update.World Psychiatry.2019;18(3):337-352. doi:10.1002/wps.20674Zhao K.Acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:217-234. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00011-0Patil S, Sen S, Bral M, et al.The role of acupuncture in pain management.Curr Pain Headache Rep.2016;20(4):22. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0552-1Li M, Xing X, Yao L, et al.Acupuncture for treatment of anxiety, an overview of systematic reviews.Complement Ther Med.2019;43:247-252. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.013Wang L, Xu J, Zhan Y, Pei J.Acupuncture for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Biomed Res Int.2020;2020:6972327. doi:10.1155/2020/6972327Zhuang Y, Xing JJ, Li J, Zeng BY, Liang FR.History of acupuncture research.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:1-23. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00001-8Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H.Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey.Complement Ther Med.2003;11(2):93-97. doi:10.1016/s0965-2299(03)00004-9Chan MWC, Wu XY, Wu JCY, Wong SYS, Chung VCH.Safety of acupuncture: overview of systematic reviews.Sci Rep.2017;7(1):3369. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03272-0Romero K, Goparaju B, Russo K, Westover MB, Bianchi MT.Alternative remedies for insomnia: a proposed method for personalized therapeutic trials.Nat Sci Sleep.2017;9:97-108. doi:10.2147/NSS.S128095Gong H, Ni CX, Liu YZ, et al.Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Psychosom Res.2016;89:1-6. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.016Kuhathasan N, Dufort A, MacKillop J, Gottschalk R, Minuzzi L, Frey BN.The use of cannabinoids for sleep: a critical review on clinical trials.Exp Clin Psychopharmacol.2019;27(4):383-401. doi:10.1037/pha0000285Becker PM.Hypnosis in the management of sleep disorders.Sleep Med Clin.2015;10(1):85-92. doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.11.003Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?.Clinics. 2012;67(6):653-660. doi:10.6061/clinics/2012(06)17Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, et al.Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-133. doi:10.7326/M15-2175
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acupuncture.Zhang M, Zhao J, Li X, et al.Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: protocol for a systematic review.Medicine.2019;98(45):e17842. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017842Krystal AD, Prather AA, Ashbrook LH.The assessment and management of insomnia: an update.World Psychiatry.2019;18(3):337-352. doi:10.1002/wps.20674Zhao K.Acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:217-234. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00011-0Patil S, Sen S, Bral M, et al.The role of acupuncture in pain management.Curr Pain Headache Rep.2016;20(4):22. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0552-1Li M, Xing X, Yao L, et al.Acupuncture for treatment of anxiety, an overview of systematic reviews.Complement Ther Med.2019;43:247-252. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.013Wang L, Xu J, Zhan Y, Pei J.Acupuncture for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Biomed Res Int.2020;2020:6972327. doi:10.1155/2020/6972327Zhuang Y, Xing JJ, Li J, Zeng BY, Liang FR.History of acupuncture research.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:1-23. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00001-8Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H.Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey.Complement Ther Med.2003;11(2):93-97. doi:10.1016/s0965-2299(03)00004-9Chan MWC, Wu XY, Wu JCY, Wong SYS, Chung VCH.Safety of acupuncture: overview of systematic reviews.Sci Rep.2017;7(1):3369. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03272-0Romero K, Goparaju B, Russo K, Westover MB, Bianchi MT.Alternative remedies for insomnia: a proposed method for personalized therapeutic trials.Nat Sci Sleep.2017;9:97-108. doi:10.2147/NSS.S128095Gong H, Ni CX, Liu YZ, et al.Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Psychosom Res.2016;89:1-6. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.016Kuhathasan N, Dufort A, MacKillop J, Gottschalk R, Minuzzi L, Frey BN.The use of cannabinoids for sleep: a critical review on clinical trials.Exp Clin Psychopharmacol.2019;27(4):383-401. doi:10.1037/pha0000285Becker PM.Hypnosis in the management of sleep disorders.Sleep Med Clin.2015;10(1):85-92. doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.11.003Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?.Clinics. 2012;67(6):653-660. doi:10.6061/clinics/2012(06)17Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, et al.Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-133. doi:10.7326/M15-2175
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acupuncture.
Zhang M, Zhao J, Li X, et al.Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: protocol for a systematic review.Medicine.2019;98(45):e17842. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017842
Krystal AD, Prather AA, Ashbrook LH.The assessment and management of insomnia: an update.World Psychiatry.2019;18(3):337-352. doi:10.1002/wps.20674
Zhao K.Acupuncture for the treatment of insomnia.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:217-234. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00011-0
Patil S, Sen S, Bral M, et al.The role of acupuncture in pain management.Curr Pain Headache Rep.2016;20(4):22. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0552-1
Li M, Xing X, Yao L, et al.Acupuncture for treatment of anxiety, an overview of systematic reviews.Complement Ther Med.2019;43:247-252. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.013
Wang L, Xu J, Zhan Y, Pei J.Acupuncture for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Biomed Res Int.2020;2020:6972327. doi:10.1155/2020/6972327
Zhuang Y, Xing JJ, Li J, Zeng BY, Liang FR.History of acupuncture research.Int Rev Neurobiol.2013;111:1-23. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-411545-3.00001-8
Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H.Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey.Complement Ther Med.2003;11(2):93-97. doi:10.1016/s0965-2299(03)00004-9
Chan MWC, Wu XY, Wu JCY, Wong SYS, Chung VCH.Safety of acupuncture: overview of systematic reviews.Sci Rep.2017;7(1):3369. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-03272-0
Romero K, Goparaju B, Russo K, Westover MB, Bianchi MT.Alternative remedies for insomnia: a proposed method for personalized therapeutic trials.Nat Sci Sleep.2017;9:97-108. doi:10.2147/NSS.S128095
Gong H, Ni CX, Liu YZ, et al.Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Psychosom Res.2016;89:1-6. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.016
Kuhathasan N, Dufort A, MacKillop J, Gottschalk R, Minuzzi L, Frey BN.The use of cannabinoids for sleep: a critical review on clinical trials.Exp Clin Psychopharmacol.2019;27(4):383-401. doi:10.1037/pha0000285
Becker PM.Hypnosis in the management of sleep disorders.Sleep Med Clin.2015;10(1):85-92. doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2014.11.003
Passos GS, Poyares DL, Santana MG, Tufik S, Mello MT.Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?.Clinics. 2012;67(6):653-660. doi:10.6061/clinics/2012(06)17
Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, et al.Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-133. doi:10.7326/M15-2175
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