4 Ways to a Better Night’s Sleep
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, with a prevalence of 40% in adults. It is generally believed that 10%–15% of the adult population suffers from chronic insomnia, and an additional 25%–35% have transient or occasional insomnia.1 It’s no wonder Americans are so desperate for sleep!
Fortunately, there are number of resources out there for you to tackle your sleep woes.
Below is round-up of ideas you can use to start sleeping better today!
1. Meditation
I’m a big fan of the Calm app. While it has many terrific guided mediations, the designers have also included ‘sleep stories’ that you can listen too as a kind of hybrid meditation-bedtime story.
The app also offers modules on specific subjects like gratitude, focus, stress relief, and of course, sleep.
2. Acupuncture
A 2009 study published by the Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine reviewed Forty-six (46) randomized trials involving 3811 patients concluding that ‘while acupuncture appears to be effective in treatment of insomnia, further large, rigorous designed trials are warranted.’
I have created both custom and stock treatment protocols for sleep. Generally my patients need a combination of energy restoration and stress relief, so I employ acupuncture points that calm the mind, relieve stress, and support the adrenal glands. Ask your acupuncturist to try this protocol on you: H7, GB 40, SI 6, Lv 3, Si Shen Cong (don’t try and figure it out, just pass it on).
3. Aromatherapy
Say what you will about essential oils, aromatherapy is as popular as it’s ever been. In my office I use sprays from AuraCacia– lavender for my treatment rooms and eucalyptus for my desk- to enhance my environment.
As you can see, aromatherapy diffusers have come a long way too. A new company called GuruNanda has a host of diffusers and custom scents to take you wherever you need to go. Having used many cheap diffusers over the years, I can assure you that get what you pay for. Spend a bit more for a quality product.
4. White noise
In both of my treatment rooms I use Sound + Sleep machines to create of background of white noise. My favorite setting is ‘ocean’ which includes the occasional seal barking in the background. 🙂
Other settings include city, rainfall, brook, and a somewhat disconcerting ‘meditation’ setting with creepy chanting. Overall, it has been great a tool for helping my patients relax during acupuncture sessions.
If you’ve employed successful sleep strategies that you think others should try, let me know about them so I can share those tips in a future blog post!
To reach me directly, please call my office anytime at 650-564-9002.
