Many Chinese medical treatments including acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, tuina massage, acupressure and qigong are effective at curing insomnia and improving sleep, suggests a recent article in The Huffington Post.

The article, written by Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald, a licensed acupuncturist, says that Chinese Medicine practitioners look for the emotional state of a person suffering from insomnia to identify a treatment plan.

Fitzgerald says that when it comes to Chinese herbal formulas, a licensed practitioner chooses a formula for each person based on their symptoms and medical history. These formulas include herbs such as Suan Zao Ren (Sour Date Seed), Bai Zi Ren (Arborvitae Seed), Fu Shen (Poria Paradicis), and Wu Wei Zi (Schizandra Fruit) to help regulate sleep.

Chinese nutritional therapy recommends not eating within two or three hours of bedtime and avoiding greasy and sweet foods as well as cold drinks to improve sleep. According to the article, Chinese medicine places a strong emphasis on the connection between digestion and sleep.

Another Chinese treatment, qigong “is a practice that uses movement, breathing, visualization, and meditation to reduce stress, improve flexibility, and enhance overall health,” states the article. Practicing qigong can reduce stress that often inhibits restful sleep.

The article also explains the benefits of acupressure (the Chinese massage therapy consisting of applying pressure to specific points on the body), and tuina (techniques such as kneading, rolling, and pressing) in improving the quality of sleep.

A study, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, reviewed 46 randomized studies and concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment for insomnia.

A study of acupressure and tuina in the treatment of 32 insomnia patients found that the treatments cured 25 cases, and a study of insomnia in cancer patients also showed that acupuncture treatment improved sleep quality among cancer patients suffering from insomnia.