CES and the Treatment of Insomnia

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation – otherwise known as CES – is a treatment cleared by the FDA for addressing insomnia in patients. Completely non-invasive and safe, it works to encourage the brain to react appropriately to the need for rest. The severity of insomnia can vary depending on how early or late it occurs in a typical sleep cycle. Today, let’s explore in further detail the benefits of CES in the treatment of insomnia.

Why Does Sleep Matter?

Before digging into the specific effects of CES on insomnia, first, we ought to spotlight why a healthy sleep cycle is so important in the first place. The main purpose of sleep is to ensure sufficient brain and motor functionality while awake, hence why we can’t do as much when feeling sluggish and tired. It also affects moods and emotions. As a passive process, there isn’t a guaranteed way to fall asleep, so it’s important to encourage efficient circadian rhythms as best as possible. This, should you be struggling with insomnia, is where CES can come in handy.

How CES Improves Sleep Issues

CES harnesses the natural processes of your brain in order to repair imbalanced circadian rhythms. In many ways, it effectively acts as a “reset” of sorts, completely drug-free and safe. The brain does most of the work, stimulated by controlled electrical currents fed from the CES device through to specific zones that control sleep patterns. This helps to normalize brain functionality without any dangers of chemical side-effects. It’s an ideal means of treatment compared to drug-based alternatives, largely due to the fact that CES is far safer, offers no serious side effects, and costs considerably less. In fact, the only known side effects, which are rare, are slight headaches and mild skin irritation, both of which are alleviated once the treatment is complete and represent no long-term negative effects.

The Link with Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression, which CES is also FDA-cleared to effectively treat, are primary triggers of sleep insomnia in those who haven’t experienced the latter before. This is largely due to the fact that emotional stresses placed on the mind can negatively impact the sleep cycle and cognitive functionality, effectively putting circadian rhythms out of sync. In that sense, when considering the non-invasive stimulation made possible by CES devices, they act as a simple and effective fix for all three of these connected issues at the same time.

Effective Setup and Use

The individual suffering from insomnia begins their session with the careful placement of electrodes on areas of the head, which are specific locations that enable the current to flow through and stimulate the cranial nerves that control sleep. Sometimes these electrodes are hydrogels, but they can also be sponge-based or ear clips. The placement itself consists of two orientations: Bi-temporal (one electrode on each temple) or clipping electrodes on each earlobe. The appropriate orientation for a specific CES device will be determined by the manufacturer and included in provided user manuals. CES typically provides tangible results over two to three weeks of consistent treatment sessions. At Caputron, we offer a 90-day trial period just to be safe in ensuring that you know for certain whether a CES device is right for your needs.

Obtaining Authorization

One thing to note is that, should you wish to purchase a CES device for insomnia treatment, approval from a licensed healthcare provider is required. While manufacturers can provide a form for them to consult and sign, online authorizations can also be obtained for a small fee that is paid directly to the physician.

Want to learn more about the benefits and process of using CES to treat insomnia? We’re happy to help here at Caputron. Contact us today for more details!

Reviewed by the Caputron team