Trauma can be emotional or physical and carries a weight with it for those who suffer from a traumatic event and the longer post-traumatic stress that can come from it. Fortunately, we live in a time where help is available. Since acupuncture subscribes to the whole mind/body/spirit healing approach to balancing energy and achieving complete wellness, it makes sense that acupuncture could be a helpful tool to treating various forms of trauma and its impact on both the mind and body.

A paper from Boston University by Danielle Rousseau explained it well: “The way acupuncture can aid in trauma recovery is by alleviating the symptoms either directly or residually caused by the event. For example, after a car accident, an individual might suffer pain in their neck and experience anxiety whenever they are in a car again. Acupuncture can help to relieve the neck pain that both hinders quality of life and acts as a constant reminder of the accident. Chronic pain is also a common side effect of adverse childhood experiences. When an adult comes in for therapy with a long history of repeat traumas, alleviating physical pain is a great starting point to begin recovery. This allows for a greater sense of control in one’s own body and opens doors for further therapeutic practices like yoga and exercise that would not have been possible with chronic pain. Acupuncture may not be the cure-all that therapists and researchers are looking for to help their patients overcome past traumas but its longstanding history and overwhelming success rate for non-trauma related pain demands more research be conducted on the practice’s effects on trauma.”

With its whole-body approach, acupuncture is a holistic option to treat both the physical symptoms that can come from experiencing trauma as well as the processing of emotions that follows. And the research is backing this up. A 2007 randomized controlled pilot trial found that, “acupuncture may be an efficacious and acceptable non exposure treatment option for PTSD.”

A 2019 study from Italy found that acupuncture improved both the mental and physical symptoms associated with PTSD. Researchers looked at the effects of acupuncture on survivors of a major earthquake in Italy that caused 300 deaths and left 30,000 people homeless. Researchers found that prior to treatment, approximately 70% of the study subjects reported symptoms associated with PTSD. They also found that after the third acupuncture treatment both the physical symptoms like musculoskeletal pain and mental symptoms like anxiety and depression from the trauma significantly improved with 60% of the patients in the study.

Contact me if you’re suffering from the effects of trauma. I will complete a comprehensive health history to not only address your symptoms but help you address the underlying mental and emotional impacts as well. Acupuncture’s goal is always to restore balance to the whole body. Make an appointment today and begin your mind/body healing journey.  

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You might think breathing is second nature…you’re doing it right now as you are reading this. Did you know, however, that there are different kinds of breathing and that what is called ‘deep breathing’ can have important health benefits?

Read on to learn three of the most important reasons you should add deep breathing to your daily routine.

Manage Anxiety and Depression

Deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is also known as the “rest and digest” system. The job of the parasympathetic nervous system is to conserve energy that is then used for bodily functions like digestion and urination. Deep breathing helps to activate the vagus nerve which oversees mood, digestion, and even heart rate. 

Improve Focus and Reduce Stress

As part of my lifestyle recommendations, I always suggest taking a minute to check in with oneself throughout the day, especially in times of stress or when you feel like you can’t focus; it’s a great way to incorporate deep breathing.

Here’s how: 

Your diaphragm is the small muscle just below your lungs. If you breathe correctly, it contracts and moves downward so your lungs expand to take in fresh air. When you exhale, the opposite occurs, and your diaphragm relaxes and slides further up your chest cavity. 

First, put one hand over your heart and one hand on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air to fill your belly. Notice how the hand on your stomach moves while the hand on your heart doesn’t. Draw your navel toward your spine as you exhale. If it helps, pretend you are blowing out the candles on your birthday cake. Notice how the hand on your stomach slides back to its original position. Repeat these steps three to five times to start paying particular attention to how you feel after each breath.

This process will improve your focus and lower your stress levels the more you incorporate it into your day. Maybe set an alarm on your phone to stop once in the morning, once during lunch and once in the evening to practice deep breathing. 

Improves Sleep

If you find yourself in high stress situations and suffering from anxiety or depression, then you probably aren’t sleeping very well either. Use these steps to slow yourself down before bed to clear your mind and slow your heart rate. Keep a journal once you begin deep breathing regularly and you may notice that the more you do it the better you find yourself sleeping. 

And just like almost everything in life, there is an app for that! There are several apps available to help you manage your breathing. If you own an Apple Watch, you already have access to a breathing app, perfectly named Breathe. The app will check in with you, prompting you to take one-minute breathing breaks and guiding you when to exhale and inhale. There are other apps available so a quick search in your app store will help you find the one that is right for you. 

The best part about incorporating deep breathing into your daily routine is that you can do it anywhere and nobody even realizes that’s what you are doing. When you know you are going to head into a situation that is stressful or gives you anxiety, practice deep breathing ahead of time and during the event. 

Deep breathing is a fantastic tool for your mental health toolbox so take the time to incorporate it into your daily routine and pay attention to how you feel before and after. Adjust how often and what time of day you might practice deep breathing and watch your body and your mind adapt to that increase in oxygen throughout the day.

The post Three Reasons to Add Deep Breathing to Your Daily Routine appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

The teens I see who start acupuncture treatment while still in high school, transition into college life easier…they’re able to keep up with the demands and are less likely to fall ill even when they’re run down from all the new activities.

Generally, tune-ups are enough for maintenance; they’ll come in for treatment when home for the holidays, and during their summer breaks.

Contact me for more information!

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