Stress & sleep
Acupuncture for Restlessness & Overstimulation
When you become overstimulated easily, sound, crowds and impressions can quickly become too much. Your mind feels full, you feel restless and it takes effort to come back to yourself. Acupuncture and laser acupuncture can be used to support the body in rediscovering calm and balance.
How do restlessness and overstimulation show up?
Overstimulation occurs when more impressions come in than you can process at that moment. These can be sensory stimuli such as sound, light and crowds, but also conversations, information, screen use and emotions.
Common signals include a full or busy mind, difficulty concentrating, becoming irritated or emotional quickly, a driven feeling and the need to withdraw. Physically, it may show up as tension, headaches, palpitations, fatigue and difficulty falling asleep.
Restlessness and overstimulation are common with prolonged stress, during or after burnout, in periods of hormonal change, or in people who are naturally more sensitive to stimuli. As your capacity decreases, the threshold for overstimulation becomes lower.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Restlessness and overstimulation from a TCM perspective
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, restlessness is associated with the Shen, the mind, which should be anchored in the Heart. When the Shen is insufficiently anchored or nourished, or when there is too much tension or Heat, the mind can become restless and more sensitive to stimuli.
Disturbed Shen
Shen Bu AnWhen the Shen is disturbed, this may show up as a crowded mind, being easily startled, palpitations, emotional restlessness and difficulty settling down.
Yin deficiency
Yin XuWithin TCM, Yin represents the nourishing, cooling and calming aspect of the body. With a deficiency of Yin, an underlying restlessness can develop, which often increases with fatigue and in the evening.
Ascending Liver Yang
Gan Yang Shang KangWhen tension builds up, TCM describes energy rising upwards. This may be accompanied by a driven feeling, irritability, headaches and increased sensitivity to noise and crowds.
How can acupuncture and laser acupuncture help with restlessness and overstimulation?
Treatment is tailored to how restlessness shows up for you and what plays a role in it. The treatment environment is calm and the session is kept as low-stimulus as possible. Depending on the symptoms, acupuncture, laser acupuncture, laser ear acupuncture or a combination may be used.
- 01Targeted acupuncture: very fine needles are used on acupuncture points that are applied within TCM to calm the mind and support the body.
- 02Laser ear acupuncture: points on the ear are always treated with the laser, without needles. This makes it a low-stimulus way to treat points that are often used for restlessness and tension.
- 03Low-stimulus treatment: during the session you lie in a quiet room, giving your body time to settle.
- 04Capacity and recovery: attention is also given to factors that influence your capacity, such as sleep, rhythm and moments of rest during the day.
Prefer no needles?
Every treatment can also be carried out completely needle-free with laser acupuncture, in which the same points are treated with therapeutic laser light. Ear acupuncture is always carried out with the laser. Acupressure, which also uses no needles, can be used as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can acupuncture help with overstimulation?
Acupuncture can be used to support the body in rediscovering calm. Many people experience the treatment itself as a moment in which the mind becomes quiet for a while.
What are signs of overstimulation?
Common signs include a full mind, difficulty concentrating, becoming irritated or emotional quickly, sensitivity to sound and light, fatigue, headaches and the need to withdraw.
I am very sensitive to stimuli. Is acupuncture suitable for me?
Treatment is adapted to your sensitivity. It can start with only a few points, and laser acupuncture is a completely needle-free option that sensitive people often find comfortable.
Can laser acupuncture be used for restlessness?
Yes. With laser acupuncture you feel little to nothing, so the treatment itself adds hardly any stimuli. That often makes it a comfortable choice for overstimulation, on its own or combined with needle acupuncture.
Is overstimulation related to stress or burnout?
Often, yes. With prolonged stress or during recovery from burnout, your capacity decreases, making you more easily overstimulated. Hormonal changes can also influence sensitivity to stimuli.
How many treatments are needed?
This varies per person and depends on how long the complaints have existed and what the underlying factors are. After the first treatments, we review together how you respond and what a suitable follow-up would be.
Related
Related complaints & patterns
Stress & tension
Constantly feeling "on", internal tension, and difficulty letting go.
Sleep problems
Trouble falling asleep, restless sleep, waking frequently, or waking up unrefreshed.
Anxiety & panic
Persistent worry, feelings of panic, palpitations, or a tight feeling in the chest.
Personal Treatment Plan
Easily overstimulated or a mind that won’t settle?
During a treatment, we look at how restlessness shows up for you and which form of acupuncture suits you best.