New research confirms that acupuncture enhances slow wave sleep (SWS). Slow wave sleep, commonly referred to as deep sleep, is both the third and fourth stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep. Delta brain waves are dominant during SWS and deep sleep occurs in longer periods in the first three hours of sleep. Children tend to have longer periods of deep sleep while the elderly often experience nights without deep sleep.
The research findings confirm that 100 Hz electro-acupuncture applied to acupoint Anmian (N-HN-54) increases deep sleep but does not affect rapid eye movement sleep (REM). Experimental models used in the deep sleep study demonstrated that k-opiod receptors mediate 100 Hz electro-acupuncture and u-opioid receptors mediate 10 Hz electro-acupuncture. These findings demonstrate that differing electro-acupuncture frequencies activate distinct opiod r
Read more here:
http://www.healthcmi.com