Do people really sleep?
We hear this a lot. For some, the idea of strangers sleeping in the same room together is exceptionally weird. But the answer is Yes, people do sleep here everyday, for three main reasons:
1) Most of us really need the rest, because most of us do not sleep enough. Too much screen time, urban stimulus, caffeine, kids, overwork … there are many things between us and a good night’s sleep. Some community acupuncturists call ourselves naptivists because we are so very serious about the importance of napping. Long-term sleep deprivation can weaken your immune system, wreak havoc on your endocrine system, and put you in a crappy mood, just for starters. An acunap, on the other hand, will put a smile on your face and smooth out your forehead where you’re all crinkled up from stress. Which leads us to #2 …
2) Acupuncture is relaxing. We put people to sleep who never nap, who arrive so stressed out that they’re almost in tears. Many of us have nervous systems that are out of balance – we spend too much time in fight or flight mode, and not enough time in rest + digest mode. Acupuncture is remarkably effective at putting a body into deep sleep (and our recliners are very comfortable.)
3) You can take the time you need here. One of the nice things about the community acupuncture model is that your practitioner won’t wake you up after only 20 minutes; you get to decide how long you want to stay. For many of us, it can take 10 or more minutes to fully relax with the needles. We think it would be a shame to turf you out shortly after you settle in, and we’ve noticed that the more people are sleeping in a room, the more people will sleep in the room. Acunaps are contagious that way.