The Brain During Acupuncture

“I wasn’t asleep, but I wasn’t awake. I always feel better after Acupuncture.”

I hear a version of this many times a day from my patients. So what is happening to your brain during Acupuncture?

Let’s start by reviewing the 4 brainwave patterns:

– Delta Waves: associated with deep sleep and the release of human growth hormone

– Theta Waves: associated with REM sleep(dreaming), the production of catecholamines hormones release during stress, and increased creativity.

– Beta Waves: associated with concentration, arousal, mental sharpness and anxiety

– Alpha Waves: related to relaxation, wakefulness, the production of Serotonin.

Today’s brain is highly stimulated and many times stressed. This causes an unhealthy pattern of fluctuation between Beta (high stim.) and Delta (exhausted sleep), sound familiar?

During Acupuncture the brain starts oscillating between Alpha and Theta (relaxation and meditation). The best part is these benefits remain long after the treatment.

Try Acupuncture once a week for 3-4 weeks. You should feel more relaxed and calm during the day AND sleep better at night.