Acupuncturist Services

Acupuncture for Insomnia in Greenville, SC

Acupuncture for Insomnia at IHP Greenville. Dr. Hendry, DAOM — NCCAOM-certified, 25+ yrs experience, hospital-credentialed. Call (864) 365-6156.

Insomnia affects an estimated 30% of American adults and is one of the most common presenting complaints at Integrative Health Partners. Dr. Hendry treats insomnia with a root-cause approach that combines acupuncture's direct effects on melatonin production and autonomic regulation with Chinese herbal medicine and functional medicine investigation of the biological drivers of disrupted sleep — cortisol dysregulation, blood sugar instability, hormonal imbalance, and neurological factors.

How Acupuncture for Insomnia Works

Insomnia treatment sessions use acupoints that promote melatonin secretion, reduce nocturnal cortisol, calm the Heart Shen (the Chinese medicine concept of mental-emotional residence in the Heart), and nourish Yin (the cooling, calming, restorative aspect of physiology). Key points include HT7 (Spirit Gate), KD3 (Great Ravine), PC6 (Inner Pass), and Yin Tang (the "third eye" point with documented sedative effects). Auricular press needles are often retained between sessions for ongoing overnight regulation.

Conditions Treated with Acupuncture for Insomnia

Your First Appointment

Keep a simple sleep diary for the week before your first appointment: bedtime, wake time, number of night wakings, time of wakings, and any thoughts or physical sensations that accompany waking. This information is highly diagnostic for Dr. Hendry's Chinese medical and functional medicine assessment. Bring a list of all current supplements and medications, including sleep aids.

Why Dr. Hendry for Acupuncture for Insomnia

Dr. Hendry's research in HRV biofeedback (which measures sleep-related autonomic nervous system function) gives him a mechanistic understanding of sleep physiology that enhances his clinical acupuncture protocols for insomnia. His functional medicine training allows him to investigate hormonal, nutritional, and metabolic causes that pure acupuncture practice may miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acupuncture increases melatonin secretion, reduces nocturnal cortisol levels, promotes GABA activity (the brain's sleep-inducing neurotransmitter), and regulates the autonomic nervous system to promote parasympathetic dominance — the physiological state required for sleep onset and maintenance.
Most patients notice improved sleep quality within 3–4 sessions. Complete resolution of chronic insomnia typically requires 8–12 sessions, with ongoing maintenance as needed.
Acupuncture cannot mechanically open a collapsed airway, but it can address the sympathetic over-activation and inflammation that exacerbates sleep apnea, and the insomnia and sleep fragmentation that accompany it. Dr. Hendry recommends CPAP compliance for obstructive sleep apnea while using integrative therapies to address contributing factors.
Yes. Chinese herbal formulas for insomnia are among the most evidence-supported herbal interventions for sleep. Suan Zao Ren Tang (Zizyphus Combination) for heart blood deficiency insomnia and Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan for yin-deficient night sweating and restlessness are commonly prescribed.
Blood sugar stability is critical for uninterrupted sleep — night wakings at 2–3 AM often reflect hypoglycemic dips. Limiting alcohol (which disrupts REM sleep), avoiding caffeine after noon, and eating a small protein-containing snack before bed are evidence-based interventions Dr. Hendry discusses with every insomnia patient.
Integrative Health Partners, 319 Wade Hampton Blvd, Ste A, Greenville, SC 29609. Call (864) 365-6156.

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