Conquer Insomnia with 5 Acupressure Points

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A good night’s sleep is incredibly essential for the normal functioning of any human body. Poor sleepers are prone to many health risks. Many studies have found that insomnia can lead to many adverse health consequences like chronic ailments and heart diseases. It also affects your metabolism and poses a risk for type 2 diabetes. it’s extremely important that you conquer your insomnia to stay healthy.

Many sleep disorders can impede the duration and quality of your sleep. Some of the major ones are chronic fatigue syndrome, parasomnia, sleep apnea, jet lag, circadian rhythm disorder, etc. Insomnia out of the many diseases is the most common type of sleep disorder affecting many adults and even children.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is one of the many sleep disorders, characterized by difficulty in falling or staying asleep. Insomnia not only hurts your energy levels and mood, but it also hampers your health, productivity at work and the overall quality of life. To know the best possible approach to address this problem, you must be able to identify what kind of insomnia you are enduring.

2 Types of Insomnia

1. Primary v/s Secondary insomnia

Primary insomnia is the general lack of sleep that is not a result of any medical condition or problem. While, secondary insomnia has a direct correlation with a health condition such as depression, arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular issues or heartburn.

2. Acute v/s Chronic insomnia

Insomnia can also vary as per the duration for which it lasts. Acute insomnia is short-term and can last from a single night to a few weeks. Whereas chronic insomnia is when a person has trouble sleeping for more than three weeks in a month or so.

Symptoms of Insomnia

Insomnia is commonly characterized by:

  • Trouble in falling asleep at night
  • Waking in the middle of the night or waking too early
  • Fatigue or restlessness throughout the day
  • Feeling sleepy throughout the day
  • Lack of concentration at work
  • Tiredness
  • Anxiety or irritability

What causes Insomnia?

Insomnia can occur due to many reasons. Some of them include:

  • Medical Conditions: There are a few medical problems that give rise to insomnia. Such conditions include arthritis, chronic pain, brain diseases like Parkinson’s, back pain, asthma, gastrointestinal reflux, and sinus allergies.
  • Depression: Psychiatric conditions like depression also lead to insomnia. Studies have also revealed that insomnia can trigger or worsen cases of depression.
  • Lifestyle: An unhealthy lifestyle like maintaining a poor work-life balance, sleeping for long during afternoons, late bedtime hours can also trigger insomnia. Cognitive behavioral techniques can cure sleep compromised due to these reasons.
  • Food and Other Substances: Keep a check on what you consume as certain lifestyle habits along with consumption of some substances also cause insomnia. Caffeine is a stimulant which when consumed in moderation during day hours is fine for most people. But drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks close to the bedtime can lead to insomnia. Some other food substances to avoid before going to bed include nicotine, alcohol, spicy foods, and heavy meals.

5 Acupressure Pressure Points to Conquer Insomnia

Acupressure is a practice of using certain pressure points in your body to treat ailments, joint pains, and other medical conditions. Scientific studies have revealed that acupressure can help in effectively conquering insomnia. Here is the list of pressure points to conquer insomnia:

1. Pericardium 6 or Inner Gate Point

This pressure point is precisely three fingers below your wrist. Applying pressure to the point can help in insomnia, anxiety, and nausea. This pressure point can also help a person suffering from motion sickness.

Steps to apply acupressure at this point are as follows:

  • Turn one hand so that your palm faces up.
  • Measure three fingers below your wrist. You will find this point in the hollow between tendons.
  • Massage the point using your index finger for 5 to 6 seconds.

2. Yin Tang, or The Third Eye

This point lies between your eyebrows. More precisely, it falls right in the middle of your forehead and the nose bridge. Stimulating this point can relieve you from the symptoms of insomnia. It can also help you focus better and alleviate anxiety.

Steps to apply acupressure at this point are as follows:

  • Close your eyes and blank your mind from any diverting thoughts
  • Touch this point with your index and middle fingers
  • Start applying gentle and steady pressure to the point
  • Breathe deeply and feel negative emotions dispersing from your mind.

3. Wind Pool

This point lies at the back of your neck. Feel the mastoid bone behind your neck and find this point where your neck muscles join your skull. Applying pressure to this point helps in conquering sleep disorders, and reduces respiratory problems.

Steps to apply acupressure at this point include:

  • Blank your mind from any diverting thoughts
  • Apply steady pressure using your thumbs at the wind pool point in circular motions
  • Massage for 4 to 5 seconds
  • Breathe in and out deeply while you massage the area

4. Three Yin Intersection

This point exists just above your ankle. In addition to providing relief with insomnia, applying pressure at this point also helps with period cramps and pelvic disorders.

Steps to apply acupressure at this point include:

  • Find this pressure point at a distance of 4 finger-widths above your ankle.
  • Apply firm pressure with up-and-down movements and in circular motions.
  • Massage for 4 to 5 seconds
  • Breathe in and out deeply while you massage the area for optimum results.

5. Spirit Gate

The spirit gate pressure point lies below your pinky finger at the hollow space of the crease of your wrist. Stimulating this point helps in soothing your mind, inducing you to sleep.

Steps to apply acupressure at this point include:

  • Find this pressure point and apply steady pressure with up-and-down movements and in circular motions.
  • Massage for 2 to 3 seconds
  • Repeat the same process for your other wrist
  • Breathe in and out deeply while you massage the area to feel more relaxed.

Warning

Acupressure has a proven record of helping patients conquer insomnia and other sleep disorders. But it may not necessarily alleviate the underlying symptoms of chronic insomnia. When there is little or no improvement in your medical condition even after undergoing months of acupressure, you need to contact a healthcare specialist as soon as possible.