Complementary Medicine: How Biofeedback Can Help You Resolve Insomnia

As many as two out of three people experience symptoms of insomnia occasionally. However, not everyone who experiences the symptoms ends up with a diagnosis of insomnia; even the occasional bout of sleeplessness can disrupt your life. Chronic sleeplessness can lead to serious health issues. 

At A Woman’s Wellspring, Stephanie Taylor, MD, PhD, works to help each patient attain and enjoy optimal health, including a healthy sleep schedule. Dr. Taylor offers some complementary medicine services and coordinates with other providers for some services, including biofeedback. Biofeedback has been effective in treating insomnia for some people. 

Biofeedback explained

Biofeedback helps you become more aware of your body's involuntary functions, such as your heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, muscle activity, and even skin temperature. These functions change when you’re experiencing stress, and when you’re aware of those changes, you can work to relax and calm down. 

During a biofeedback session, small electrodes or sensors are placed on your skin or fingers. The sensors are attached to a monitor, and the signals they send appear on the monitor as a flash of light, image, or sound. 

Since you can see the representation of your involuntary stress response on the screen, you can attempt to modify it and see whether your adjustment is effective. For example, if you notice your breathing rate changing, you can begin to take slower, deeper breaths to slow it back down. 

Your provider helps you work through relaxation and meditation exercises as you watch the monitor. 

Insomnia risk and treatments

Although the majority of people will have symptoms of insomnia sometimes, some people are more likely than others to have trouble sleeping. Researchers don’t know the exact cause of insomnia, but they do know that certain factors make it more likely to develop. Some risk factors for insomnia include: 

• Being female
• Older age
• Lower socioeconomic status
• Having a chronic health condition like arthritis or diabetes
• Another sleep disorder, like sleep apnea
• Mental health issues like depression or anxiety
• A family history of insomnia

Having risk factors doesn’t guarantee that you’ll develop insomnia. However, if you have several, being aware of these risks and maintaining a good sleep routine can be beneficial. 

One of the things that researchers know about insomnia is that unwanted arousal is part of the problem. If you’re trying to relax and go to sleep, you don’t want a higher heart rate. If you’re settling in for the night, tense muscles don’t help. 

This is how biofeedback can help. If you learn to notice when your heart is beating faster and you’re sweating a little, you can take steps to consciously help your body relax. 

Other treatments for insomnia include sleep medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other homeopathic remedies. Dr. Taylor is happy to discuss a plan based on your unique circumstances. 

If you’ve noticed that you’re not sleeping well, schedule an appointment at A Woman’s Wellspring to learn if biofeedback could help.