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Sleeping disorder refers to a medical disorder of a person’s sleeping pattern. Common symptoms include inadequate sleeping time, insufficient sleeping depth, inability to relieve fatigue and rejuvenate after a night’s sleep.

Inadequate sleeping time is often the result of difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night and having difficulty getting back to sleep. For more serious case, the person may stay awake throughout the night.

People who suffers from insufficient sleeping depth often can fall asleep but fails to sleep soundly, or have a very active mind with many dreams during sleep.

Sleeping disorder can cause a lot of distress, and with inequacy sleeping time and sleeping depth, it may lead to headache, dizziness, palpitation, constantly feeling exhausted, inability to concentrate during daytime, and a greater risk of accidents.

Sleeping disorder is more common in women and elderly people, however it may affects all age group. Those who are under tremendous stress are also more prone to having sleeping disorder.

Conventional therapeutic approach include lifestyle changes such as engaging in exercises, reducing caffeinated drinks and avoiding taking daytime naps. Western doctor may prescribe sleeping pills to help restore a normal sleep pattern, however, they should not be taken on a long term basis due to risk of dependence.

From TCM’s perspective, sleeping disorder is due to the imbalances of the internal organs. The disease location is the Heart. In TCM, the Heart governs the mental activities, and an impaired nourishment of the Heart can result in sleeping disorder. Such impaired nourishment could be because of stagnation of Liver Qi due to emotional distress;retention of fluid and phlegm in the stomach due to excessive consumption of greasy, oily food, or excessive drinking of alcohol; deficiency in the kidney qi due to aging or indulgence in sexual activities.

TCM has various methods, such as acupuncture and tuina therapy, to help treat sleeping disorders, and they are natural, safe and effective. Acupuncture clears blockage within the meridians and strengthens the flow of Qi and Blood; it restores the healthy balance of the internal organs. Tuina which is a form of massage therapy aims at moving the energy in the meridians and the muscles. Besides stimulating the acupoints, Tuina also improves blood circulations and helps calm the mind and body.

At Aegle Wellness, a sleeping disorder patient is often treated with Acupuncture, Tuina and Chinese herbs powderto move the stagnated Liver Qi, clear the fluid and phlegm retention in the stomach, or nourish the Qi of the Kidney and Heart, depending on each individual’s condition. A combination of the TCM treatments prescribed based on syndrome differentiation often helps those with sleeping disorders to sleep more deeply and to achieve restful sleep throughout the night.

Aegle Wellness Recommended Treatment Plan

• Consultation x 1 session (20 mins)
• Acupuncture x 6 sessions (20 mins)
• Therapeutic Tuina x 6 sessions (20 mins)
• Chinese medicine depending on individual condition
• Treatment to be done twice a week, and tapered off to once a week when the therapy shows signs of improvement

Kong Swee Siew
TCM Physician
Aegle Wellness