An approach that can also aid in the quest for a good night’s sleep is that of Chinese Medicine. This ancient healing system has offered relief to the sleep challenged for thousands of years. While new to many, Chinese Medicine is mainstream in China, and it is used today for a wide range of conditions by an estimated one-fourth of the world’s population.

The Roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine is considered the oldest, most continuously practiced, professional, literate medicine in the world. Written records date back over 2000 years, although the medicine is believed to go back even further. Some experts believe Chinese Medicine is at least 5000 years old.

Chinese Medicine employs acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, tuina (pronounced “twee nah”) massage, acupressure, and qigong.

The Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) is considered the Bible of Chinese Medicine, emphasizing medical theory and acupuncture. Some scholars estimate that it dates back to the first century B.C. In addition, The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica Classic) details the medicinal uses of 365 herbs and is believed to have been compiled around 200 A.D. Many of the protocols mentioned in these ancient texts are still used today.

Chinese Medicine and the West

The development of East-West relations has promoted the use and interest of Chinese Medicine in the United States. During the past 30 years, the practice of Chinese Medicine has dramatically increased here. The National Institutes of Health (N.I.H.) has reported that visits to Chinese Medicine practitioners in the U.S. tripled from 1997 to 2007.

At the same time, the United States is seeing an increase in the practice of integrative medicine. University centers and hospitals are offering Chinese Medicine. Integration has been common in China, where Chinese Medicine is often practiced side-by-side with Western Medicine.

The Chinese Medicine Approach to Sleep

Insomnia comes in various forms, such as trouble falling sleep, difficulty staying asleep, and having dream-disturbed sleep. When a Chinese Medicine practitioner is gathering information to put together a treatment plan, the pattern of the sleep disturbance as well as health and lifestyle issues will be taken into consideration.

A Chinese Medicine practitioner might use the term “calm the shen” when describing a treatment principle. “Shen” is best translated as the spirit of the person in a nonreligious sense. When evaluating Shen, the Chinese Medicine practitioner is looking for the emotional state and presence (or lack) of radiance, calm, and balance. Often with sleep disturbances, the patient will be experiencing patterns of stress, anxiety, or agitation. Chinese Medicine would call this “disturbed shen.”

Treatment for insomnia from a Chinese Medicine practitioner could include one or more of the following therapies: acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional counseling, Chinese massage (acupressure/tuina), and qigong.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific points of the body to reduce pain, to promote relaxation, and to treat various health concerns. Insomnia and sleep disorders are common reasons why people visit an acupuncturist.

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) lists insomnia as a condition for which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown. Continuous research is underway to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for sleep issues. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a review of randomized controlled trials of acupuncture treatment for insomnia. After looking at 46 randomized trials, the conclusion was that acupuncture appears to be effective in the treatment of insomnia, and larger, rigorously designed trials are warranted.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

There are many traditional Chinese herbal formulas to help regulate the sleep pattern. A formula is chosen for each person based on their symptoms, constitution, and medical history. It is best to have a licensed medical practitioner select the proper formula. Some herbs that are used in these formulas include Suan Zao Ren (Sour Date Seed), Bai Zi Ren (Arborvitae Seed), Fu Shen (Poria Paradicis), and Wu Wei Zi (Schizandra Fruit).

Hyla Cass, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and integrative medicine expert, has reported great results with her sleep-challenged patients using a Chinese herbal compound Wulinshen. You can read more about this herbal approach in her blog on natural solutions to sleep.

Chinese Nutritional Therapy

Chinese Nutritional Therapy includes basic advice on healthy eating as well specific food recommendations for each patient. Some points emphasized in Chinese Medicine for better sleep include not eating for at least two to three hours before bedtime, as well as the avoidance of greasy or sweet foods. Chinese Medicine also recommends staying away from cold drinks. While Americans are big on ice-cold beverages, this is a huge no-no in Chinese Medicine. Also, when a patient seeks help from a Chinese Medicine practitioner for insomnia, a very detailed review will be made regarding the quality of their digestion. Chinese Medicine places a strong emphasis on the connection between digestion and sleep.

Chinese Massage Therapy (Acupressure/Tuina)

Chinese massage therapy consists of applying pressure to specific points on the body (acupressure) and techniques such as kneading, rolling, and pressing (tuina). Acupressure and tuina have demonstrated effectiveness for improving the quality of sleep. Research from China reported the effectiveness of acupressure and tuina in the treatment of insomnia patients. An Italian study reported improved sleep quality after acupressure stimulation for those suffering from sleep disorders, particularly in cancer patients experiencing insomnia.

Qigong

Qigong is a practice that uses movement, breathing, visualization, and meditation to reduce stress, improve flexibility, and enhance overall health. Like a physical therapist will prescribe specific exercises for the orthopedic patient, the Chinese Medicine/Qigong practitioner will often prescribe individualized qigong techniques for each patient. The regular practice of qigong is strongly associated with stress reduction and the encouragement of a deep, restful sleep.

Resources for Further Exploration

Understanding Chinese Medicine can be a bit daunting to the neophyte. Chinese Medicine has a different approach than Western Medicine, although some practitioners integrate both systems with a complementary approach. There is an explosion of interest in the West, and more is being written to bridge the gap between the Eastern and Western understanding.

If you are interested in Chinese Medicine, an excellent primer written for the layperson and novice is The Web That Has No Weaver by Dr. Ted J. Kaptchuk. Dr. Kaptchuk is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.

If you would like to further explore the Chinese Medicine approach to regulating sleep specifically, Curing Insomnia Naturally with Chinese Medicine by Dr. Bob Flaws is an excellent comprehensive guide.

For an even deeper look at Chinese herbal medicine, I’d recommend Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology by John and Tina Chen, experts in pharmacology and traditional Chinese Medicine. This 1,267 page guide details the traditional Chinese uses of herbs for insomnia and other conditions, the chemical composition, clinical studies and research, and herb-drug interaction information.

Dr Patricia Fitzgerald is a Wellness Editor, Licensed Acupuncturist, Cert. Clinical Nutritionist, Homeopath, Author

This article can be found:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-patricia-fitzgerald/calming-the-shen-a-chines_b_439771.html

When you change the way you look at things,
the things you look at change.
Dr Wayne Dyer

I have heard it said that everyone’s problem is a lack of awareness about what to do in a situation. But your dreams can give you the awareness you need.

The difficulties you encounter might be the very things you need to stimulate more of your creativity and enhance your ability to lead a charmed life. That is of course, if a charmed life is something you might wish to have. Recently, my dreams have been waking me up to some amazing insights about blocks I have been meeting.

Over the past few weeks of the Sleep Challenge 2010, I have begun to explore my dreams. Not in any too intense a way. And not every night. When recording my dreams has involved me bolting upright at 3.00 a.m. and writing down my impressions, only to find that I could not go back to sleep again, then it was time to take a break. So I have given myself a night off.

When I started the process of recording my dreams, I had been experiencing a loud and insistent heartbeat. I would wake up with my heart thumping noisily in my chest. But I felt perfectly well, and did not feel motivated to rush off to the doctor for help. Some mornings, my heart was “clanking” in my chest. Somewhat unnerving. Only when I observed my heartbeat, it calmed down.

As sometimes happens, I had been pushing on myself, trying to do too much and feeling overwhelmed. My heart was literally telling me to calm down. Which I did. I just have let go of some unnecessary demands and all is quiet again in my chest. This kind of awareness prompted a change of behaviour.

The secret I am finding with dream awareness is not to be looking for the perfect recording of every detail. Just an impression can work fine. When later in the day I read through what I have written, I am taken back toward the dream world I left when I woke up. It has a very different quality to my waking preoccupations — more reassuring.

Working with my dreams is empowering me to know what is true for me and to honour it. I am learning how to relate better with a valuable aspect of my consciousness that is giving me greater peace of mind and trust in the process of my life unfolding. Greater self-awareness is proving to be a great gift and a blessing.

Reading Russell Bishop’s recent post: Could Sleep Aid Your Contact With The Divine? gave me good ideas for dream recall.

Here are some of my own Guidelines for getting the most from your Dreams:

1. Put aside perfection

It is too tempting to feel that unless you record every detail of your dream, that you cannot get any value from it. A simple word or feeling that catches your attention may be useful. Jot down a note about it.

2. Be open and uncritical

As above, let go of preconceptions about how or what you receive in your dreams. Keep an open mind and willingness to receive the information or guidance that will best serve you.

3. Assume the positive intent within words, symbols or feelings that you receive

Entertain the possibility that within you is a loving spirit that is serving your best interests. If a dream has been disturbing, even frightening, maybe it is calling your attention to an issue you need to address. Interpret your dreams in the light of compassion and kindness towards yourself.

4. Allow yourself to receive further insights during your waking day

At quiet moments, waiting in line at the supermarket, walking in a park, or standing in the shower I become available to inspiration that may come “from out of the blue”.

5. Experiment

Explore new ways to improve your dream recall. Go to bed earlier so that you have enough time in the morning to write in your journal. Write on a five by three card: “I wonder how it is possible for me to… ” and write the question for which you are seeking guidance. Read it over last thing at night for a few nights in a row. If there is no answer for you right away, let it be ok. Answers have a way of finding us when we need them.

Dreams can offer you the wake up call to greater awareness. That greater awareness can be a guiding light, changing the way you see things. A change of outlook may make an extraordinary difference to how you experience your life, the good and the less good of it.

You can find this article here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-naylor/getting-the-most-out-of-y_b_438047.html

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Here are a few tips to getting a great reading.

1. Choose a caring reader that has expertise on your area of interest. There are some readers that are excellent in business, but might now focus on relationships. If you are trying to focus on a certain area, be sure to make sure the reader has experience and past success in that area.

2. Write down any questions that you have before you get into your psychic reading.
3. Before the reading clear your energy. Energy is such a big part of how the psychic reader picks up on you. Readers use different tools (clairvoyant, spirit guides, tarot, etc.) to pick up on your energy, it helps to have the clearest and best possible energy before speaking to the reader. You will want to have a routine. I personally like to get a cup of herbal tea (hot or iced depending on the season), light a white candle, and use my light blue sketch pad to take notes. I always take a few really deep breaths and clear my mind before picking up the phone to call the psychic reader. Good energy helps to get a great reading.

4. Go with your own intuition. If you feel the reader is off, hang up (politely) with them and call our office. Your gut feeling is one of your gifts that you bring to the reading. If you are not comfortable with the reader, call us back.

5. Let the reader use their gifts to read. I always like to listen to what the reader is picking up before asking any questions or giving too much information about my life.

6. If you have specific questions, ask them! Don’t be shy. The psychic reader reads because he or she love people and wants to help.

7. After the reading is finished, reflect on your notes. After about a week go back to your notes to remind yourself. Keep the notes so that in the future months and years you can look back at them to see what happened. It is always fun to see what comes true and what changed since your reading.

Does this sound familiar:

You arrive in the classroom and take your assigned seat. As you reach down to open your book the teacher says “Okay class, remember books away, it is time for the final exam!” Final exam, what is she talking about? Is that my boss sitting next to me? And where are my clothes? You wake in a cold sweat, still wondering where your clothes went.

One of the topics I get the most questions about is dreams. In my last post, we reviewed information about if we dream, why we dream, and one method for influencing our dreams (lucid dreaming). The content of most dreams seems to be dreamt once but many people can experience a repeat occurrence. Today I wanted to write about these recurrent dreams.

Recurrent dreams appear to fall into two main categories: stress related and full-on nightmares. Some of the more common dreams associated with anxiety and fear are:

• Dreams of being chased — Often you will feel like you are in slow motion (this may mean that you are having this dream while in REM sleep, when your body is paralyzed. This physiological experience occurs so that you do not act out your dreams).

• Dreams of falling — Some think that this may represent the transition from one sleep stage to another.

• Dreams of being in a haunted house — Some think that this could have something to do with your surroundings or sleep environment.

And most recurrent dreams are relevant to the person who is dreaming, according to Dr. Daniel Condron (Director and Dream Researcher at the School of Metaphysics). His theory is that the dream represents a question or message (often related to a limitation, habit, fear or doubt) to the dreamer. And he thinks that the dream will reach a conclusion (and may even stop repeating) once the dreamer understands the message and resolves to make a change.

There do appear to be some common themes in repetitive dreams for everyone:

(1) Being in school long after the dreamer has graduated.

(2) Being in houses that keep changing.

(3) Seeing a deceased person who is alive in the dream.

What these mean is still up for debate. You can interpret your dream and I can interpret your dream, and we could both be right or wrong — no one can know for sure.

However, remember that the dreams are about the dreamer, as are any symbols in them, so when looking at your dreams (after writing them down in your dream journal) it is important to personalize your interpretations of them. As an example let’s take a look at the three categories above and think about what a general interpretation could mean and then how to make it more specific to you.

In my opening dream report, the dreamer is back in school (one of the three most popular categories), what could that mean? It all will depend upon what school means to the dreamer:

• School may represent education to the dreamer, so maybe they have anxiety about a particular subject and need to learn something for work, home or with friends.

• School may represent a social scene to the dreamer, so maybe they feel anxious about an upcoming social event or party.

• School may represent a structured situation to the dreamer, so maybe the dream represents anxiety or stress about an upcoming training seminar or conference or time when they will need to take a test.

• School may represent a time of security to the dreamer, so maybe they feel anxious because they are in a situation which is currently dangerous.

Thus, an interpretation is best when the dreamer personalizes the content of the dream, by the theme, and then looks for things in the dream to help answer the question of why the dream occurs. Clues may include people, places or things that have meaning to the dreamer in particular. The higher the emotional attachment to the person, place or thing, the more likely it has a meaning regarding why the dreamer dreamt at all.

So in the above dream, the dreamer might have identified that they need to learn more about a subject that they fell inadequate about. Now for the Clues:

• In the dream they noticed that their boss was sitting next to them, so maybe this is a topic from work.

• Being naked is like being exposed, so maybe they are concerned that a colleague from work is going to find out that they need to learn more and expose it to their boss.

It is impossible to know if this is an exact and correct interpretation, but if the interpretation matches with the dreamer’s thoughts, then there is something to be gained. Hopefully there is some insight into the message, or problem, and hopefully some type of resolution.

One of the most famous accounts of a recurrent dream is from Abraham Lincoln. While discussing the war with General Grant during a cabinet meeting he told the general that there would be big news from the warfront. When Grant asked why he thought this he replied:

“I had a dream last night; and ever since this war began I have had the same dream just before every event of great national importance. It portends some important event that will happen very soon.”

That evening Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

What are your recurrent dreams? And what do you think that they might mean?

Follow Dr. Michael J. Breus on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesleepdoctor

You can find this article here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/recurring-dreams-and-thei_b_437633.html