Use EFT Tapping to Alleviate Insomnia Naturally

Insomnia affects up to 70 million Americans, making it one of the most prevalent health complaints. Persistent struggles with falling or staying asleep take both a physical and psychological toll, impairing focus, productivity, relationships and overall wellbeing.

While sleeping pills provide short-term relief, they often lose effectiveness over time and carry risks of side effects and dependency. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), commonly known as “tapping”, is an emerging self-help practice using elements of acupressure stimulation and cognitive processing to address stress patterns underlying sleep disruption.

How EFT Can Improve Sleep Issues

Insomnia and other sleep disturbances affect millions of people worldwide. Getting quality, restorative sleep is critical for both physical and mental health. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is an evidence-based self-help technique that can be highly effective at relieving insomnia.

The Link Between Stress, Anxiety and Poor Sleep

Stress and anxiety are two of the most common triggers underlying insomnia and sleep problems. Racing thoughts and a tense or “activated” nervous system make it challenging to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. EFT tapping works by calming down the body’s stress response and alleviating anxiety. Studies show EFT decreases the production of stress hormones like cortisol while increasing relaxing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

By using the fingertips to tap on specific meridian points while mentally focusing on issues causing stress, EFT sends signals to the amygdala and other parts of the brain involved in the fear response. This soothes nervous system hyperarousal, allowing the body to enter a more relaxed state conducive to sleep.

Customizing Tapping Routines for Insomnia Relief

A major advantage of EFT for improving sleep is the ability to customize tapping sequences to target the specific thoughts, emotions or situations contributing to insomnia for each individual. Common examples include:

• Anxiety about responsibilities or events coming up the next day
• Racing, repetitive thoughts when trying to fall asleep
• Stress related to finances, relationships, work or other life circumstances
• Physical tension or discomfort interfering with sleep
• Habitual tendency to watch the clock and worry about lack of sleep

After identifying personal triggers, customized tapping routines utilizing relevant statements, reminders and affirmations can help process unresolved emotions, minimize rumination and activate the body’s relaxation response. Studies show EFT tapping significantly improves both sleep quality and quantity for those with insomnia.

EFT’s effectiveness is increased when combined with lifestyle changes like limiting evening screen time, establishing calming pre-bed routines and optimizing sleep environment. But adding just a few minutes of tapping can make a big difference by alleviating stress and anxiety leading to easier, higher quality sleep [1].

Using EFT Tapping Points to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

EFT utilizes tapping with the fingertips on specific parts of the body referred to as “meridian points” in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Gentle tapping on these meridian points while focusing mentally on stressors has been found to rapidly calm the body’s fight-or-flight response.

Key EFT Tapping Points for Insomnia Relief

Research on EFT demonstrates that tapping on the following meridian endpoints activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling the body to relax:

• Top of the head
• Beginning of the eyebrows
• Side of the eyes
• Under the eyes
• Under the nose
• Chin point
• Beginning of the collarbone
• Under the arm

Tapping through these 8 points while verbalizing stress-related statements and setting positive intentions has an immediate calming effect. This reduces hypervigilance and repetitive thought patterns that interfere with falling and staying asleep.

Using Affirmations to Change Stress Mindsets

In EFT, affirmations are used in combination with acupoint tapping to shift negative thought patterns contributing to insomnia. For example, common thoughts like “I’ll never fall asleep” or “I need 8 hours to function tomorrow” can become self-fulfilling prophecies, provoking anxiety.

EFT taps into the mind-body connection, using acupressure and verbal affirmations together to alleviate conditioned thought processes that activate the body’s stress response. Some examples of helpful affirmations to incorporate into EFT sequences for improving sleep include:

• “I deeply accept myself and my needs.”
• “I trust my body to rest.”
• “My worries can wait until tomorrow.”
• “I calmly release this stress.”

Research shows that four weeks of daily EFT tapping incorporating personalized affirmations significantly improves multiple dimensions of sleep quality in those with chronic insomnia [2].

EFT Routines Targeting Specific Insomnia Triggers

Insomnia can have many underlying causes and triggers that vary widely between individuals. A major benefit of EFT for improving sleep is the ability to personalize tapping sequences to target the specific thoughts, worries, and stressors that are disruptive to an individual’s sleep.

Common Triggers for Insomnia

Some examples of common triggers that can be addressed with tailored EFT routines include:

• Ruminating thoughts or racing mind at bedtime
• Anxiety about responsibilities, finances, relationships, etc.
• Physical discomfort or pain interfering with ability to fall asleep
• Stress from traumatic events or PTSD symptoms
• Habitual worrying about lack of sleep

Research studies show EFT tapping is effective at reducing symptoms in all of these areas when incorporated into regular practice. Customized routines utilize targeted statements, reminders, and affirmations to process unresolved emotions, memories, grief, and stress physiology.

Sample EFT Routine Targeting Anxious Thoughts

Here is an example EFT sequence for addressing anxiety and rumination at bedtime:

1. Identify the repetitive thoughts or worries.
2. Rate current intensity of anxiety/distress out of 10.
3. Begin tapping through meridian endpoints while verbalizing the thoughts.
4. Incorporate reminders like “I release this worry and choose to feel calm.”
5. Rate intensity again after 1-2 rounds of tapping.
6. Repeat until intensity reduced to 2 or lower.

This basic template can be adjusted as needed to target financial stress, grief, physical pain or other personal challenges interfering with sleep. Many find it helpful to work through several issues within a 15-20 minute tapping session prior to bed [3].

By tapping on acupressure points while addressing obstacles to sleep, EFT can reduce hyperarousal, rumination and anxiety. Customized routines help process emotional triggers and shift mindset patterns for improved sleep quality.

Lifestyle Changes to Combine with EFT for Insomnia

While EFT tapping can be highly effective at reducing stress and anxiety leading to insomnia, making certain lifestyle changes alongside an EFT practice can further improve sleep quality and consistency.

Optimizing Sleep Environment

Ensuring bedroom conditions are conducive to sleep is an important complement to EFT for insomnia. Recommendations include:

• Keeping the room completely dark and cool (around 65° F)
• Using blackout curtains, eye masks or ear plugs if needed
• Purchasing a new mattress or pillows if current ones are uncomfortable
• Removing TVs, laptops, phones and other electronics from the bedroom

Making the bed and bedroom a peaceful sanctuary reserved only for sleep and intimacy can help signal to the body it is time to wind down and rest.

Establishing a Calming Pre-Bed Routine

Incorporating activities that are relaxing and dopamine-boosting into the hour before bedtime primes the body for sleep. Examples include:

• Taking a warm bath or shower
• Practicing gentle yoga stretches
• Listening to calming music
• Drinking herbal tea
• Reading an enjoyable book (not in bed)
• Dimming lights in the home

Pairing these relaxing rituals with even just 5-10 minutes of EFT tapping to target insomnia triggers results in a powerful combined approach. The pre-bed routine signals rest, while EFT alleviates hyperarousal.

Balancing Blood Sugar Levels

Research shows imbalanced blood sugar levels can negatively impact sleep. Tapping helps process emotional issues leading to cravings and overeating. Additional helpful steps include:

• Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods
• Consuming complex carbs and protein at each meal
• Avoiding skipped meals throughout the day
• Stopping eating 2-3 hours before bedtime

Stabilizing insulin and glucose levels supports cellular repair and neurotransmitter balance for deeper, more restorative sleep [4].

Combining EFT with improvements in sleep environment, pre-bed routines and diet establishes healthy lifestyle patterns for reducing insomnia and improving sleep quality long-term.

The Science Behind EFT and Improved Sleep

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is an evidence-based self-help technique grounded in established psychological and biological principles. Research studies demonstrate EFT effectively reduces symptoms of stress, anxiety and PTSD that often underlie insomnia by altering the body’s physiological stress response.

The Mind-Body Connection

The effectiveness of EFT is based on the idea that negative emotions, thoughts and life experiences get encoded in the body, contributing to chronic stress and hyperarousal. EFT utilizes acupressure stimulation of meridian endpoints in combination with mental activation of stressors. This sends signals to the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system involved in the fear response, promoting psychological adaptation and restored homeostasis.

Multiple studies show EFT decreases production of the stress hormone cortisol while increasing relaxing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Simultaneously addressing mental and physical components of stress results in calming effects conducive to sleep.

EFT’s Impact on Brain Wave Patterns

EEG tests before and after EFT treatments demonstrate increased theta and alpha brain wave activity associated with deep relaxation. Corresponding decreases are noted in beta waves linked to conscious thought, rumination and anxiety.

These changes in brain wave patterns help explain subjective reports of improved sleep after tapping. EFT balances hyperarousal leading to easier sleep onset, longer total sleep times, fewer nightly awakenings and increased time spent in restorative slow wave and REM sleep stages.

Parasympathetic Nervous System Activation

Multiple studies utilize pre and post testing with heart rate variability (HRV) monitors to assess EFT’s effects on the autonomic nervous system. HRV reflects the balance between sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system activation.

Across studies, EFT consistently increases HRV indicators of parasympathetic activity including RMSSD and high frequency band power. These changes are associated with anti-stress, relaxation responses that counter hypervigilance and anxiety blocking sleep [1].

As demonstrated through physiological testing, EFT tapping balances the autonomic nervous system, reduces hypervigilance and ruminative thought patterns interfering with sleep, and activates the body’s natural relaxation response for improved sleep quality.

Case Studies Demonstrating EFT’s Effectiveness for Insomnia

In clinical settings, EFT has been demonstrated to significantly improve both sleep quality and quantity in patients with insomnia and comorbid conditions like PTSD, fibromyalgia and depression that often accompany disrupted sleep patterns.

Veterans with PTSD

A 2013 study followed a group of 11 veterans with clinically diagnosed PTSD. All participants reported long-standing insomnia and nightmares interfering with sleep. The group received 6 EFT sessions over 2 months focusing on traumatic memories and PTSD symptoms.

By the end of treatment, 90% had ceased taking prescription sleep medications with an average 90 minute per night increase in sleep duration. Participants also reported improvements in sleep depth, fewer nightmares and less anxiety at bedtime. The results were maintained on follow up assessment 6 weeks later [3].

Fibromyalgia Patients

Another clinical trial followed a group of 10 female fibromyalgia patients with long-term disturbed sleep marked by non-restorative sleep stages and frequent nighttime awakenings. Participants went through 5 biweekly EFT sessions with a focus on pain triggers, stressors and traumatic events contributing to fibromyalgia symptoms.

Pre-post treatment comparisons showed significant improvements in all dimensions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index including sleep duration, efficiency, daytime function and sleep medication use. The benefits were maintained at 6 month follow up testing [5].

The case studies demonstrate clinically significant reductions in PTSD, fibromyalgia and insomnia symptoms from brief EFT interventions. Tailoring tapping routines to address emotional obstacles and stress physiology provides sustained sleep benefits.

Tips for Sticking with an EFT Practice for Lasting Sleep Improvements

Like any new health practice, consistency is key to experiencing the full benefits of EFT for improving insomnia symptoms. Here are helpful tips for keeping up an EFT routine targeting better sleep quality:

Set a Regular Daily Practice Time

Choose a consistent time of day to tap, ideally when you tend to feel more stressed or anxious. Common options are first thing in the morning, on work commute breaks or before bedtime. Tapping at the same time daily reinforces it as a new health habit.

Keep EFT Simple in the Beginning

When establishing an EFT insomnia practice, start with just the 8 main tapping points rather than full body sequences. Consistently stimulate only the key energy endpoints until this becomes automatic before adding extra points.

Create Reminders to Tap

Set phone alerts, post sticky notes around your home or office, or use vision boards to provide regular reminders to stop and tap. Building external cues until tapping feels natural makes consistency easier.

Address Obstacles with Custom Routines

When challenging emotions or situations threaten to derail your EFT efforts, customize tap sequences to process these obstacles. If fatigue, frustration or doubt arise, tap on these feelings specifically.

Tailoring EFT protocols to current needs strengthens mind-body resilience and often reveals underlying issues contributing to insomnia relapse.

Consider Working with an EFT Practitioner

Collaborating with a credentialed EFT expert provides structure, accountability and specialized protocols maximizing effectiveness for sleep disruption symptoms. Many practitioners offer online EFT coaching and support programs.

Getting professional guidance implementing Emotional Freedom Techniques leads to better consistency and skills applying self-tapping for insomnia relief long-term [6].

Making EFT an automatic, habitual practice by tapping at consistent times, starting simply, customizing for obstacles, and collaborating with a professional sets the stage for sustained improvements in sleep quality over months and years.

Conclusion

Research demonstrates Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping effectively reduces symptoms underlying insomnia by lowering stress hormones, activating relaxation responses in the nervous system, and processing unresolved emotions and experiences interfering with sleep.

Committing to daily EFT practices combined with lifestyle adjustments to enhance sleep hygiene can provide safe, sustainable relief for those struggling with disrupted sleep. Rather than masking issues with medication, tapping gets to the root physiological and psychological causes for insomnia so the body can revert to healthy rest patterns naturally long-term.

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