When you’re stressed and anxious, that’s a sign that your hormones are out of balance. Acupuncture is an amazing natural option for reducing stress and anxiety. Like exercise, it affects your physiology, emotions, hormones, and neurotransmitters. During the process, trained practitioners insert tiny needles into specific parts of the body to stimulate nerves.
Acupuncture regulates hormones through the bloodstream and neurotransmitters through the nervous system. In addition to its most common use, treating pain and soreness, this natural medicine has been used for thousands of years to treat everything from digestive issues to improving mental health. Today, we’ll show you how acupuncture is used to help with not only pain but also stress and anxiety.
How Acupuncture Can Relieve Stress
Now, it’s safe to say we’re all familiar with the word stress. This word was coined in the English language from Old French estrece, which means “oppression.” Over time, it evolved to describe the pressures and challenges we face in daily life. Today, it’s used to describe anything that causes the body to react in a manner other than its normal state of balance. A balance which is called homeostasis.
But how is it possible to achieve homeostasis through acupuncture?
In Chinese medicine, the pathways that allow the smooth flow of Qi (vital energy) are called meridians. Over time, chronic stress or intense emotions can block these pathways, disrupting energy flow and creating disharmony in the body.
Acupuncture restores this balance by stimulating specific points along the meridians. These points act as gateways to release energy blockages, ensuring that Qi flows freely throughout the body. By doing so, acupuncture not only reduces stress but also enhances overall well-being.
Imagine a river or a creek: when water flows freely, the ecosystem thrives. Similarly, acupuncture ensures the flow of Qi within your body is smooth and balanced, reducing the physical and emotional strain of chronic stress.
The Science Behind Acupuncture and Stress Relief
Your body is naturally equipped to handle stress. When stress arises, the autonomic nervous system activates, triggering the release of cortisol—the stress hormone. This prepares your body for a “fight or flight” response. However, when stress becomes chronic, this system stays in overdrive, leading to imbalances in your body and mind.
Acupuncture counters these effects by calming the nervous system, offering a natural and holistic approach to managing stress. By addressing both the physical and emotional components of stress, it provides numerous benefits, including:
● Reduces Cortisol Levels: Acupuncture lowers the body’s stress hormone levels, helping you feel calmer and more balanced.
● Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System: Known as the “rest and digest” system, this activation allows your body to relax and recover from the stress response.
● Improves Blood Circulation: By enhancing blood flow, acupuncture supports better oxygenation of tissues and overall energy levels.
● Promotes Endorphin Release: These natural “feel-good” chemicals alleviate pain, reduce anxiety, and encourage a sense of well-being.
● Balances Qi Flow: Acupuncture clears blockages in your meridians, restoring the smooth flow of energy to maintain harmony in your body and mind.
● Supports Better Sleep: Acupuncture helps improve sleep quality and combat insomnia caused by stress by calming the nervous system.
● Relieves Tension: It relaxes tight muscles, reducing physical symptoms of stress such as headaches or back pain.
Consider Acupuncture Today
Chronic stress has become an epidemic in the 21st century. We are constantly under stress, with increasingly high cortisol levels and a parasympathetic nervous system that is always under attack.
What does chronic stress do to us? Our nervous system is in constant overdrive. Our body is tired but wired, our sleep is constantly disrupted, our digestive system shuts down, and our mind is constantly making lists that are never-ending. As a result, we get increasingly anxious and potentially depressed.
Here at Calgary Integrative Medicine, we’ve seen hundreds of people with high-stress levels over the years. But with our combined expertise in natural medicine, we can help you break this perpetual cycle of low energy and stress.
Meet Dr. Adriano Silva – Your Acupuncturist at Calgary Integrative Medicine
At Calgary Integrative Medicine, we are proud to have Dr. Adriano Silva, a highly experienced acupuncturist dedicated to helping patients manage stress and improve overall well-being.
Dr. Silva has been practicing acupuncture since 2003, starting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before moving to Calgary in 2009. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy, specializing in Sports Medicine and Postural Correction, and has completed extensive training in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in both Brazil and Canada. His expertise includes women’s health, general wellness, and movement/postural disorders.
Believing that physical and mental health go hand in hand, Dr. Silva combines acupuncture, diet, and lifestyle coaching to help patients achieve balance. When not at the clinic, he is the owner and master instructor at ADirection Pilates and enjoys cycling, rock climbing, and Pilates training.
If you’re looking for a natural way to relieve stress, book an appointment today and experience the benefits of acupuncture with Dr. Silva.
