Acupuncture for Focus

One of the best ways to improve focus is by quieting distractions, and that applies to our bodies as well as our minds. When our bodies are struggling to function their best or find balance, or when we’re dealing with pain, our brains are understandably distracted. Not to mention, we’re busy paying attention to the most pressing need at the moment. 

Regular acupuncture can help quiet those distractions—but it gets even better than that. The Journal of Neural Regeneration Research recently published a study showing that acupuncture can improve cognitive function and neural plasticity. Two fancy ways of saying it improves memory and focus—and improves overall brain function. 

But why? Two common acupuncture points come to mind, and we’ve talked about both of them before: Du 20 and Yin Tang. Du 20, also called Governing Vessel, is the spot right on the top of your head. It regulates all the yang energy in your body and is used to enhance memory and boost mental clarity and awareness. Yin Tang, located between your eyebrows, also improves memory, but it also helps with concentration and clears your mind. 

Here are some of the more common ways acupuncture helps with focus and brain health. 

Lower anxiety and stress
We know acupuncture helps restore balance, and that includes things that affect your levels of anxiety and stress. Acupuncture releases your body’s natural endorphins, promotes relaxation and naturally reduces inflammation, which may contribute to chronic stress. 

Better sleep
Simply lowering anxiety and stress can lead to better sleep, but acupuncture also can be used to treat insomnia. A 2018 study by Zhejiang Chinese Medical University found that acupuncture is more effective than certain drugs prescribed to treat insomnia, and another study found that acupuncture is more effective than benzodiazepine medications. 

Pain management
One of acupuncture’s most common uses has always been to manage or prevent pain, and its effects—especially on chronic pain—have been proven through brain-imaging studies of patients. Researchers have also confirmed that pain can impair memory and focus, with chronic pain causing a significant disruption. 

Fewer headaches
Specifically migraines. A 2012 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed that acupuncture helps reduce days with migraines and may have lasting effects. 500 adults were treated with either real TCM acupuncture or a sham treatment where needles were inserted into random points instead of acupuncture points. Those who received real acupuncture reported fewer migraines in the months following their treatments. 

This time of year is certainly full of distractions. Regular acupuncture can help clear your mind and find the focus you need. 

In health and wellness,
Julie