Chinese Medicine and Stress

It’s official. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 80% of Americans are stressed about the economy, 60% are angry about it, and 52% are having trouble sleeping.

It’s not news that most of us are stressed out about the economic situation. But these numbers suggest a serious health concern. In the West, we tend to take stress for granted. We are used to being under pressure, and we often think about stress as a kind of unimportant background noise, or as something that is inevitable and therefore acceptable. Or worse, we may see it as a sign of our virtue or importance. It’s quite common to hear people actually brag about how busy and stressed out they are.

Chinese medicine views stress as a very important health issue. The physical and mental tension that accompanies stress inhibits the flow of qi, or energy, causing body systems not to work properly. Stress in Chinese medicine is considered to be the source of many diseases, and to complicate and aggravate any existing imbalance or poor health.

The American Institute of Stress has estimated that 75-90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems. In my opinion, Chinese medicine’s success as a preventative medicine is largely due to its effectiveness in reducing stress and its impact on the body.

Of course there is always stress in life. If you are participating in the world, and stretching your limits at all, there will be some stress, and that’s a good thing. But if it’s affecting sleep, appetite, mood, relationships, pain level, or the frequency or severity of symptoms like headaches, asthma attacks, or digestive problems, then it’s not just unpleasant, it’s important to address. See below for a few suggestions!

First Aid for Stress

Here are some suggestions from Chinese medicine to help reduce your stress level and maintain balance.

1. Get regular acupuncture treatments, especially if you feel stress affecting you mentally or physically.  It’s easier (and takes fewer treatments) to prevent stress-related health problems than to wait until they really take hold. And, it will make you feel more relaxed and balanced throughout the week.
   
2. Do acupressure on yourself, or with a friend.  Your acupuncturist can show you some pressure points to do at home to help extend the effects of your treatment (there are also many books available on this subject).  One good point for stress is Liver 3.  For instructions on using this point, look on this blog under “emotional health and sleep” for a post entitled Acupressure for Stress.
3. Chinese herbal medicine can also be a good support.  There are some great formulas for reducing stress, depending on your constitution and how stress affects you.  The most famous is named Xiao Yao Wan, or “the Free and Easy Wanderer”, because it releases your spirit from tension and allows you to roam happily through the world.  Most of these formulas are available in pill form, so they are easy to take and inexpensive. Ask your practitioner for suggestions.
4. Exercise. I know, I say this all the time.  But it’s one of the best things you can do to blow off steam, promote relaxation, and help your body and mind stay balanced.  Often exercise is the thing we cut out when our schedule gets tight.  Make it a priority, even if it’s just fitting in a short walk or dancing around the kitchen!
5. Maintain some kind of balance between action and allowing.  It’s tempting to think we should eliminate our stress by fixing whatever it is we’re stressed out about.  I’m all for constructive action, but it needs to be balanced with relaxation and self-care, or it becomes yet another source of pressure.  Some things we can’t fix by ourselves (the economy, for example), and other things take quite a bit of time to change even with our good efforts.  In the meantime, it’s actually more important to accept how things are at the moment and be kind to ourselves in the midst of it.
6. Do things that make you happy. Anything you enjoy will help get your energy flowing.  Spend time with people you love; eat your favorite foods; go dancing or hiking; get a massage; see a funny move; you get the idea!

Acupuncture for Insomnia

Everyone, at some point, has experienced a period of not getting enough sleep, whether from insomnia, sleep disruption (kids and pets are famous for this), or simply not having enough time to sleep. And, the effect of sleep deprivation on mood, energy, focus, and overall quality of life can be profound.

Insomnia can take many forms, including trouble falling asleep, frequent or early waking, difficulty falling back to sleep, and restless or unrefreshing sleep. In Chinese medicine, the specific pattern of sleep disruption points to the underlying imbalance, and to the correct treatment. Unlike most Western treatment for insomnia, the main idea of Chinese medical treatment is to balance the body and mind so that good sleep begins to occur naturally and regularly.

There are many underlying “patterns of disharmony” that can cause insomnia. For example:

• Insomnia with restless sleep, night sweats, hot flashes, and dry eyes may be due to Kidney yin deficiency.
• A person who lies awake worrying and has sweet cravings, sensitive digestion, and fatigue may have underlying Spleen qi deficiency.
• Feeling restless, tense, irritable or agitated when trying to fall asleep may indicate Liver qi stagnation; there may also be chronic pain, PMS, irregular periods, irritability, or chest pain.
• Someone who sleeps lightly and wakes early, and has anxiety, heart palpitations, and dizziness, may have Heart blood deficiency.

Most people, of course, exhibit a combination of patterns, and acupuncture treatments and herbal formulas are adjusted to your particular situation. Acupuncture and herbs can help calm the nervous system and interrupt the cycle of disordered sleep, without the grogginess and potential for dependence that come with pharmaceutical sleep aids. More importantly, acupuncture and herbs can correct many of the actual causes of sleep disturbance, so that healthy sleep patterns continue long after stopping treatment.

Sleep can also be disrupted by physical symptoms, such as pain, digestive problems, or frequent night urination. In these cases, treating those health problems is often the key to improving sleep. And, the body heals much better when it is getting adequate rest, so sleep is also often the key to making progress with other health issues.

In addition to treating insomnia with acupuncture and herbs, there are many things you can do on your own to improve the quality of your sleep and address insomnia. See the article below for suggestions.

Suggestions for Restful Sleep

Sleep is a habitual activity: patterns of sleep disruption can take on a life of their own and, by the same token, good sleep habits can be extremely regulating.  Here are some suggestions to encourage sleep and get you back into a good rhythm.

1. Fix your sleep environment. Where you sleep makes a big difference in how you sleep.  Make sure your bed is comfortable and supportive (investing in a new one, when needed, can be literally life-changing); install room-darkening shades; keep your room at a comfortable temperature (cooler is usually better); and, as much as possible, minimize noises and interruptions.
2. Try going to bed earlier, especially if you relate to the “Liver” type of insomnia described above.  The Liver organ system is most active between 11 PM and 3 AM, making this the hardest time to fall asleep for many people.
3. Place a hot water bottle near your feet in bed. This helps bring energy down from your head to your feet, calming the mind.  It also helps to take a warm foot bath before bed, massage your feet, or just move them back and forth in bed (like windshield wipers) before you go to sleep.
4. Make space to attend to your feelings and worries during the day. Sometimes, when the heart needs attention, it will claim some time of its own in the middle of the night.  This may be the culprit if you fall asleep fine, but wake a few hours later feeling upset or preoccupied.
5. Regulate your schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day.  Getting some exposure sunlight early in the day also helps regulate the body’s internal clock.  And, make sure you wind down for a while before going to bed, avoiding stimulating activities such as television, internet, or distressing conversation.
6. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol. For those who are sensitive, caffeine can stay in the system for up to 24 hours and act as a stimulant when you are trying to sleep.  And alcohol, though it initially makes people sleepy, tends to cause restlessness and frequent waking later in the night.
7. Get exercise during the day. This helps regulate the day/night cycle, as well as providing a healthy kind of tiredness that helps sleep.
8. Be judicious about using over-the-counter herbal sleep remedies. Many of these work well for some types of insomnia and are contraindicated for others.  Valerian, for example, is a warming herb and may actually make things worse if your insomnia is related to internal heat.  If you do experiment, pay close attention to whether what you’re taking is actually helpful.

Making some of these changes should help stabilize sleep patterns.  Your acupuncturist can give you more suggestions related to your specific type of insomnia, or prescribe herbal sleep remedies that are appropriate to your situation.

Worrying, Studying, Sugar, and your “Spleen”

Apparently, they had stressed-out students in ancient China, too.  Chinese medical theory devotes a good amount of attention to how learning and thinking affect the function of organ systems, and vice versa.  The organ system most affected by academic activities is the Spleen (in ancient texts, thinking was not really attributed to the brain; in fact, the brain was considered a “curious organ” and not given much credit at all for doing anything!).

Physically, the Chinese Spleen is primarily connected with digestion; mentally, it is associated with the emotions of sympathy and “pensiveness” (which I never thought of as an “emotion” before studying Chinese medicine!).  Pensiveness encompasses a range of mental activites, including brooding, worrying, and even studying. Intense thinking and learning draw heavily on Spleen energy, as does prolonged worrying.

It also works the other way: excessive worrying, and repetitive or obsessive thinking, are common symptoms of a depleted Spleen. Insomnia can also result, especially the kind where you can’t stop thinking long enough to fall asleep. If you find yourself in these patterns, first of all don’t take it personally; it’s just a sign that you need to take care of yourself. At the same time, do make an effort not to add fuel to the fire (it’s remarkably easy to worry about worrying!).

Other signs that the Spleen needs attention include digestive issues, especially bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. Spleen depletion can also cause fatigue, typcially with a foggy-headed feeling and/or a heavy feeling in the legs and arms. And, sugar cravings are a dead giveaway of Spleen imbalance. Any of these signs are a reminder to take good care of your Spleen!  Try some of the suggestions below.

Here are some suggestions to keep your Spleen healthy and in balance:

Take time to eat in a relaxed manner. This can be hard when you’re preoccupied and/or pressed for time, but it’s especially important at those times. It truly is amazing how much better you can feel just by setting time aside to nourish your body without distraction. Chinese texts specifically recommend the following:

• sit down to eat: don’t eat while standing up or moving around (this includes eating while driving)
• relax at mealtimes: don’t eat when very upset or stressed
• don’t read or study while eating (efficient though this may seem)

For sugar cravings, add some naturally sweet foods into your diet. Sweet vegetables such as winter squash, sweet potato, carrot, onion, and parsnip help nourish the spleen and balance blood sugar. A limited amount of fruit is also fine (whole fruit is much better than juice, since the fiber helps the body absorb the sugars more slowly and evenly).

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Research shows that these can actually increase sugar cravings; the sweet taste signals the body to get ready for sugars, and when they don’t come the body continues to expect them. It’s better to eat small amounts of sugar and slowly taper off than to substitute “diet” drinks or snacks.

Gentle exercise helps: it relaxes the Liver and harmonizes the close relationship between Liver and Spleen. This can increase energy, clear fogginess, regulate the appetite and digestion, and calm the mind.

Acupuncture and herbs can help restore balance and resolve symptoms including insomnia, fatigue, poor digestion, sugar cravings, and anxiety. If you need support beyond these self-care tips, consider coming in for some treatment.

If you have signs of dampness, see the posting on humidity and digestion: Signs of dampness include sinus congetsion or phlegm production; bloating, loose stool, or nausea; water retention and edema; and feelings of lethargy, heaviness, or grogginess.

Chinese Medicine for Stress

Whatever your lifestyle or personal challenges, stress is something all of us experience!  And, as we all know, it is something that affects our health and happiness in many different ways.

Chinese medicine excels in understanding and relieving stress and its effects on the body. We may think of stress as a modern issue; but classical Chinese medical texts frequently list emotional strain or upset as a cause of disease. Optimum health depends on the smooth flow of energy, or qi, through the body’s systems. And stress, tension, and unhappiness of all kinds can block that flow. If you’ve ever noticed what your body feels like at the end of a busy, lonely, or high-pressured day, you know what I’m talking about.

According to the American Institute of Stress, between 75 and 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems. Examples might include digestive problems, insomnia, depression, menstrual symptoms, infertility, headaches, back and neck pain, fatigue, anxiety, and chronic pain syndromes – all of which are aggravated by stress. (Not surprisingly, this reads like a list of conditions that respond well to acupuncture and herbal medicine.) Taking care of your stress level is one of the best ways to take care of your health.

Here are some suggestions:

1. As much as possible, eat well. Keep sugar and caffeine intake under control, and try to eat meals at regular times to keep your blood sugar and energy level steady. Everything is easier to deal with when we are well-nourished!
2. Exercise!  Stress causes tension in the body, which impedes the smooth flow of energy, causing more physical and mental tension. Exercise of any kind gets the qi moving again. Try a 20-30 minute walk daily (if you dress warmly enough, it feels good to be outside!), yoga, or your favorite gym routine.
3. Have an acupuncture treatment. (You knew I’d say that!) Anyone who has dozed off on the treatment table can attest to the fact that acupuncture is very relaxing. In addition to relieving symptoms, acupuncture has a soothing and balancing effect on the nervous system.  This can help you get out of the stress cycle and approach your week in a more centered way.
4. Spend some time with your closest, most comfortable people. Our lives can be busy, and sometimes full of people we might not choose to spend time with; don’t forget to recharge yourself with some easy, nourishing connections.
5. Do some self-massage, using the acupressure point Liver 3 (see the next post, Acupressure for Stress). Or, if you can talk someone into giving you a foot massage, even better!

Acupressure for Stress

Liver 3

Liver 3 is on the top of the foot, about two finger widths above the web between the big toe and second toe.  Find the soft area between the two bones where they come together to form a “V”. Gently massaging this point with the tip of your finger for 30-60 seconds (or longer) can help relieve stress and improve energy flow.This point is also helpful for headaches, irritability, insomnia, depression, and eye problems. 

Healing Seasonal Depression with Chinese Medicine

While it is normal to feel less energetic and active during the winter months, depression is another story entirely.  If you are experiencing a lot of emotional distress, or fatigue that makes it difficult to function, you need some extra support!

Some people notice increased fatigue and depression every year during the darker months.  This may indicate seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which often responds very well to light therapy.  For more information, go to www.cet.org, the website of the Center for Environmental Therapeutics.

Whether depression is seasonal or not, Chinese Medicine can be very helpful in easing both the symptoms and their underlying causes. If this is a harder time of year for you, you might consider having more regular acupuncture for a while, or adding a Chinese herbal formula to your self-care plan. The combination of acupuncture and herbs is usually most effective, bringing faster and more sustained relief than either alone.

Herbal formulas for depression are individually tailored to the type of symptoms you are experiencing, as well as your overall constitution. They can be safely used along with pharmaceutical antidepressants, since they target the underlying pattern rather than the symptom of depression itself. And, since Chinese medicine helps balance the system as a whole, people often find that physical symptoms, such as digestive problems or headaches, also improve.

I can also provide you with diet, lifestyle, and self-massage suggestions to support your acupuncture and herbal treatment. See the post on nurturing yourself through the winter for some suggestions to start with!