Five Benefits of Acupuncture on Mental Health

By Becky Martin, BHSc Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, The Health Lodge, Byron Bay 

Mental health isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when considering the benefits of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. However, Acupuncture is a fantastic complementary therapy to assist with stress, anxiety, depression and PTSD. Here are five ways Acupuncture can be helpful for Mental Health.

  1. Boosts your mood

    Acupuncture is thought to encourage the body to release the four ‘feel good chemicals’, Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins, commonly known to improve mood, and create a feeling of relaxation and well-being. 

  2. Reduces stress and anxiety

    Acupuncture has the ability to access the body’s nervous system, creating a balance between the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and creating a balance with an over activated sympathetic nervous system response. As a result, you will feel calmer, happier, and less reactive. 

  3. Improves Sleep

    The balance that is created in the body following an acupuncture session can have a cascading effect on the circadian cycle, improving your quality and quantity of sleep. 

  4. Reduces pain and inflammation

    Acupuncture is thought to release endorphins, which are the body's own natural chemicals involved in pain relief and reducing inflammation. 

  5. A non-verbal treatment 

    Acupuncture is helpful as a non-verbal modality. While sessions do involve some talking therapy, they don’t have to. This is powerful because, though traditional talk therapy is highly beneficial for many, for some it is challenging to articulate emotions or experiences during times of high stress or trauma. 

Becky is available for acupuncture and chinese medicine consultations at The Health Lodge, Byron Bay, on Tuesdays.

mental health, acupuncture, anxiety, depression, stress

If you have private health insurance with extras you may be eligible for a rebate. A receipt will be provided for you to submit your own claim. Please contact your health insurance directly to check how much you are covered for.