Does your child struggle to get sufficient high quality sleep? Are they wired at night and cranky in the mornings?
Here’s a tip — acupuncture and herbal medicine can help support healthy, deep sleep for children!
How Acupuncture and Herbs Work for Sleep
Acupuncture and herbal medicine help support children’s healthy deep sleep
Acupuncture is an effective way to move from a state of stress and tension to a relaxed and calm state. Many adults receive acupuncture to help manage stress, anxiety, busy lifestyles, and overwork.
Acupuncture and acupressure are also very effective tools for children! Children can receive the same benefits without using needles since children need less stimulation to achieve the same result.
Herbal medicine can also support healthy sleep! Children can safely take herbal medicines that:
- Relax the nervous system, helping children deal with stress;
- Provide a light sedative response, helping kids settle more easily into sleep; and
- Promote digestion, so that indigestion isn’t causing poor sleep.
How Does Acupuncture Feel for Kids?
When we treat children at Inspire Family Acupuncture we use a Japanese style of acupressure called shonishin. This approach feels great for kids while effectively treating common child health conditions.
Shonishin feels like a full body massage. We lightly brush, tap, and press on areas of the legs, arms, and back, sometimes also including the chest, belly, and head. Many children soon feel calmer and often yawn or almost nap during the treatment.
For adventurous and curious children we are happy to use acupuncture needles when it’s appropriate.
What Ages Is It Used For?
We can do acupressure for kids of any age — even just days old! In fact, acupressure is one of the best tools for kids under two since many medications are not safe or should not be used frequently for children of such a young age.
How Do I Know if My Child Needs Help Sleeping?
With some children it’s obvious if sleep is an issue. They wake cranky, struggle to stay awake in school, and are unusually moody throughout the day.
With other children, the need for better sleep may be more subtle or more intermittent. If your child struggles with emotional regulation and craves sweet foods, these may be signs that their sleep is insufficient.
And for other children, sleep problems only occur occasionally in the context of major life events, tests at school, excitement around birthdays and holidays, or obvious late nights or excess eating in the evening.
How Often Should My Child Receive Treatment?
Every child is different in the severity of their sleep issues and how quickly they respond to treatment. We typically like to see children at least once every month or two to support healthy sleep. When children are significantly struggling with sleep we recommend treatment every week or two for a period of 2-3 months before moving to monthly treatment.
If you’re wondering whether acupressure is right for your child, give us a call at Inspire Family Acupuncture for a free consultation. Here’s to your health!
