[lowercasebecky1952]

The other morning, I responded to a “Stephen”, who traces the beginning of his insomnia back a few years to a bad breakup. He stated that he tried accupuncture and found he didn't get the relief he had hoped for. Then someone told him to try melatonin and magneseum, which he says does give him some relief.

I responded to “Stephen” by saying that I have never met anyone who has had success with accupuncture for anything. I also added that some insomnia may be physiological, like mine, and some is psychological, as his seems to be. I recommended that he might want to seek therapy, just to be sure it is psychological, and that there isn't some underlying physical cause for his insomnia. Our minds and bodies can do some strange things to us.

I especially want to take a look at accupuncture. Does it help? Or, is it actually the physical catapult for power of suggestion? Most of us know that we can will ourselves to do many things. If we believe a thing can be done, then it usually can be done. I've always viewed accupuncture as a placebo (a pill made of inert ingredients, or as some say, a sugar pill). If you believe it will work, chances are, it will work. It's like a man or woman taking a pill to make them lose weight. Whether it's a placebo or not, if they believe it will work, it just might! I try never saying that I'm not going to sleep a wink, because it's in my mind I won't sleep. It sort of creates the basis for a self-fulfilling prophesy. I don't think I'll sleep, ergo, I won't sleep. Some people see accupunctue as a magic bullet. But what is the basis for this belief? Is it the practitioner who tells the patient thatit will work? Is it because they know first hand that someone they know has benefited from it? Several psychology classes in college has made me a skeptic about the “ancient art”. That doesn't make me right anymore than someone's belief that it does work makes them right. If any of you have had success with it, I am not going to stand up and say you're crazy to believe it. Relief is relief, whether it comes from a placebo, or not.

I hope this makes some sense. I'm tired and I'm going to bed (and to sleep).

becky

[Margaret]

Hi, Becky,

Like you I don't think accupuncture does anybody any good, but if you think it works then that is half the problem solved already. Maybe all of the problem depending on the cause of your insomnia.

My case is (was) definitely psychological based on a 10 year separation from my husband. Now that he is back and we have talked seriously and long about a few things I find my insomnia is enormously relieved to the point that I don't feel I should even be on the forum any more…other than to give testimony that for some people the condition can be relieved or even ended depending on the cause.

If the cause is pain related or if you can't find any way to heal the “inner demons” then my story won't help but it may help some of you.

Margaret

[lowercasebecky1952]

Thank you for your input, Margaret. I'd like to start by saying that you are the only person I've met who can top our five-year separation! Hope you can work things out.

My insomnia is caused by both physiological and psychological problems. The physiological problems started, originally with osteoarthritis, first diagnosed in my knees and later in my back. Now it's in nearly every joint in my body. The diagnosis was followed about two years later with a fall off my front porch down 4 feet to a concrete slab below. I landed on my right hip. I didn't break my hip, but I dislocated my sacro illiac (layman speak for sacrum and illium joint). The joint never healed. It remains dislocated. The dislocation caused a malalignment of my lumbar spine (1-5) and spinal stenosis. A more recent result of that fall is that I now have severe scoliosis. As you can imagine, It's difficult to find a good sleeping position. I usually do, once I'm medicated enough, but usually the quality of sleep is not so good. Four to six hours is about all I can do. Then I wake up in pain and can't go back to sleep, unless I take more meds. I can't do that, because my meds are counted and if I take more than I'm supposed to, I have to wait several days before I can get them refiled.

The psychological part of it is that I have something against sleeping in bed! Actually, I'd rather sleep in bed, but I take my meds and convince myself that I'm going to get into bed in a few minutes. Then I do one of two things. I either doze off in my wheelchair in front of the computer, or I find myself getting interested in something or begin talking with a friend who lives in India, and I forget about bed. When I fall asleep in my chair, I only sleep two hours at a time. In between naps, I am on the computer. My husband swears it's the computer that keeps me awake. But he is forgetting that we've only had the computer for about five years. I've had insomnia a lot longer than that! I think after midnight, tonight, I'm going to attempt to get into bed immediately after I take my meds and just watch tv until I'm sleepy enough to go to sleep.

As the saying goes: Herein lies the rub. I convince myself that I'm not going to be able to sleep. Therefore, I am not able to sleep. On the other hand, I get ready for bed, expecting to sleep well, and end up wide awake in front of the computer. Sometimes, this goes on for days. Usually by the third day I'm speaking in uninteligible phrases and I start out making sense and as I drift off for a few minute, I catch myself saying something totally different from the conversatin I was just having. I call it talking goon babble. It's one thing when I do it and fall asleep. But when I do it and wake up, that's something else. I have to laugh at myself, as my caregiver is laughing at me! I've almost started taking it lightly, as I know it's going to happen. But it isn't funny in the scope of things. 😐 I just no longer know what to do about it. In keeping with the vein of this discussion, accupuncture isn't the answer. I've tried self-hypnosis. I've tried positive thinking. I've tried giving myself pep talks. I've just about tried everything. I'd have to run the melatonin/magneseum thing past my doctor, because it may not be compatible with my other meds. I take enough to kill a horse, but I need every one of them.

Hopefully, having your husband home will be the cure for your insomnia. I certainly wish you well with you reconciliation. Sometimes they last, sometimes they don't. I hope yours lasts a lifetime. 🙂

Happy New Year!

Becky

[Martin Reed]

Thanks for your input, Becky. Hopefully some other members will chime in, too. I've written about acupuncture and acupressure a couple of times on the blog – I am sure it helps some people, but as with any 'cure' related to insomnia, it will work great for some and do nothing for others. Still, I'd say it's something worth trying.

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[caz]

Hi,

I was at my wits end March 2011. I had been to the doctors and was offered antidepressants. I cried all time and felt like I was drowning, and a lot of it was to do with bad sleep patterns / lack of sleep. I felt like I had reached rock bottom, physically and emotionally, then one of my customers who has since become a very good friend) suggested I go and see her acupuncturist, Brian. I was VERY sceptical, but I went along. 9 months later, hand on heart I feel like a different person. Everyones needs are different, but for me it worked. For me it was obvious that I was completely out of alignment with who I really was, but with the help of Brian I have sorted myself out. He gave me reading homework, which I did (and enjoyed) and meditation CDs to listen to. It talked a lot about The Law of Attraction – the more you pay attention to a problem the more the problem seems to get worse. At the time it was not sleep I was bothering about, it was work stresses. At first I thought it was a lot of hocus pocus but now I am convinced 100%. After I have the needle therepy I feel different, light and energised. But it's not all about needles, it's about your head as well. Talking to Brian helps me work out what I want and what I need. Its put me in a good place emotionally to help people around me better too. I have also noticed people around me changing their behaviour because I have changed. Its been quite empowering! I guess I am lucky to have found something that works for me. The last piece of the jigsaw is my sleep pattern. For example Friday night I got 4.5 hours broken but last night i got a whopping 10 hours of deep lovely slumber (right after having acupuncture – coincidence?)

I know all of my issues stem from a huge amount of external stress and medicine side effects. I can't do much about the latter but as for stress I find that acupuncture helps me enormously and there is (for me) a correlation between sleeping better and having acupuncture.

Thats my story, I hope it helps someone out there!

Caz x

[Martin Reed]

Caz

That's fantastic news – thank you so much for sharing. Do keep us updated!

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[lowercasebecky1952]

'caz' wrote on '07:

Hi,

I was at my wits end March 2011. I had been to the doctors and was offered antidepressants. I cried all time and felt like I was drowning, and a lot of it was to do with bad sleep patterns / lack of sleep. I felt like I had reached rock bottom, physically and emotionally, then one of my customers who has since become a very good friend) suggested I go and see her acupuncturist, Brian. I was VERY sceptical, but I went along. 9 months later, hand on heart I feel like a different person. Everyones needs are different, but for me it worked. For me it was obvious that I was completely out of alignment with who I really was, but with the help of Brian I have sorted myself out. He gave me reading homework, which I did (and enjoyed) and meditation CDs to listen to. It talked a lot about The Law of Attraction – the more you pay attention to a problem the more the problem seems to get worse. At the time it was not sleep I was bothering about, it was work stresses. At first I thought it was a lot of hocus pocus but now I am convinced 100%. After I have the needle therepy I feel different, light and energised. But it's not all about needles, it's about your head as well. Talking to Brian helps me work out what I want and what I need. Its put me in a good place emotionally to help people around me better too. I have also noticed people around me changing their behaviour because I have changed. Its been quite empowering! I guess I am lucky to have found something that works for me. The last piece of the jigsaw is my sleep pattern. For example Friday night I got 4.5 hours broken but last night i got a whopping 10 hours of deep lovely slumber (right after having acupuncture – coincidence?)

I know all of my issues stem from a huge amount of external stress and medicine side effects. I can't do much about the latter but as for stress I find that acupuncture helps me enormously and there is (for me) a correlation between sleeping better and having acupuncture.

Thats my story, I hope it helps someone out there!

Caz x

Hi, Caz!

I hope I haven't stepped on toes. You are literally the first peson I've spoken to who has given a glowing account of accupuncture helping with anything. Maybe I have just never met a success story. Now I have! And, I think it's wonderful you are having success with it. I may be a bit jealous, too. I am aware that even if twenty doctors were to write twenty prior authorizations for accupuncture, my insurance (which is through the medicaid/disability program in my state)will not pay for it. And that's where I have a real problem. I don't respond well to sleep aides, yet, I can't try any alternative, with the possible exception of psychotherapy (which I will be checking on this week). Insomnia, even though we know what a serious poblem it is, and what it can lead to, isn't given the weight of physical illness, which can be caused by, or is the cause of insomnia.

I'm afraid I've come off sounding negative about many things here, which I'm really not. I've been battling insomnia for nearly 13 years, maybe even longer, if I were to sit and really think about when it began. I'm starting at the point at which it became a problem. I think before that, it was an inconvenience, but nothing I coudn't manage. Then, a short three months ago, I found out how dangerous insomnia can be. I posted my story to the Writer's Corner. Every word of that narrative is the truth as I recall it. None of it is embellished, and is, if anythin, understated.

I should also be very careful about writing when I've not had sleep. I am writing this after having a grand total of four and a half hours of sleep since Friday morning. Other than that, it's been fifteen minutes here, and maybe a half hour to forty-five minutes there. I went through the motions of getting ready to get into bed no fewer than six times last night, but never quite made it. I'd doze off in my chair and wake with a start, look up at the clock, and the big hand had only moved a few minutes. I just never made it to the bed and comfortable sleep. It's times like that that I wish I could try other things. I can't afford to pay for any treatment out of pocket, or I certainly would try accupuncture. I use forms of accupressure for pain. It was taught to me by a physical therapist, after she showed me how to use a tool they have at the wellness center, which is a modified cane. I have canes! I use them to put pressure on the knots I get in my shoulders and back. It's wonderful. Thanks to what she taught me, I haven't had a stress headache in years and no burning shoulders!

So, I'm goin to do as Martin suggests and wait for more evidence that it can work. Then I'm going to trade my husband in for actual accupuncture! Ok, I wouldn't get many sessions for him, but it would be nice to try it for myself just once.

Becky

[caz]

Hiya,

Sounds like things are a lot different in the USA to here in the UK. I moan about the NHS over here but they do look after us.

I bought a CD of meditation. I've always thought they were a bit “hokey” you know, cheesey! LOL! But anyways you have got to listen to this!!!!! I downloaded it onto my iphone and put in the headphones, went to bed last night at 10.30pm listening to it, and apart from the dog waking me up at 12.45am for a pee (I got back to sleep within minutes by listeninhg to the meditation) anyways I WAS SHOCKED when I woke up at 6.30am this morning. Now to be honest I feel exhausted, it wasn't a brilliant sleep, but it was long, it was comfy and I am going to try it again tonight to see if I manage another night.

I'll let you know…and by the way, you made me howl laughing at your comment about selling your husband to buy accupuncture!

Caz x

[rusty rake]

How long does acupuncture take in your experience before it starts to improve your sleep? I want to work out a budget in my head for how much it will cost me before I decide whether or not to try it.

[lily]

I havent tried it but I know people that have and swear by it. Mainly for pain rather than insomnia. I had never thought that acupuncture may help us sleep though. Interesting.

[Author]

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