An insomniac is a person suffering from insomnia. It is someone who either has trouble falling asleep or wakes up frequently during the night. As I often emphasise in my lectures, quality sleep forms one of the legs of the turtle. For a turtle to stand stably, all four legs must be firm. We must eat well, maintain mental balance, and ensure good sleep.
By this, I mean that sleep is extremely important for health, mental well-being, and the quality of human life. We spend a third of our lives sleeping. Or, at least, we should. Unfortunately, some people feel that sleeping is just a waste of time, or we take sleep for granted. However, we only appreciate its importance when it does not come or is of poor quality. Only then do we begin to feel discomfort when, day after day, we wake up exhausted and unrecovered after a sleepless night.
According to Chinese medicine, sleep is important for us because our Qi energy regenerates and our internal organs are nourished during the night. It is also said that sleep is the "best natural medicine".
In the past, it was easier for people to sleep well and sufficiently. Most could not afford to have lights on in the evening, and therefore, especially during the winter period, they went to bed early and rose with the chickens in the morning. During the summer, the duration of sleep naturally shortened.
Today, it is different. We can have lights on in the evening and therefore work for as long as we want. In the morning, we rise too early due to work commitments. The duration of sleep is thus shortened. Even if we go to bed on time, our sleep is often of poor quality due to a less than ideal lifestyle (stress, overeating, stimulating and high-calorie foods, increased activity before falling asleep, etc.).
“The secret to maintaining health lies primarily in sleep. It can restore essence, improve health, refresh the Spleen and Stomach, and strengthen bones and muscles… it is always a successful panacea for all illnesses.”
A Chinese proverb says: "One night without sleep means ten days of trouble". Today we know that a lack of sleep is linked to many other health problems. This statement is also confirmed by many scientific studies. Scientists have proven a clear link between insufficient and poor-quality sleep and problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, reduced testosterone levels and sperm damage, memory and concentration problems, the development of chronic inflammation, or the onset of depression and anxiety states. The connection between the quality of the immune system and the quality of our sleep is also very interesting. If sleep is of poor quality or we do not sleep enough, our immunity drops sharply.
In my practice, I often encounter cases where people who have had COVID-19 complain of sleep problems. They usually wake up at night around three o'clock, and the waking is often accompanied by heart palpitations. Sometimes these states are accompanied by heavy dreams. From the perspective of Western medicine, this is a new and unexplored phenomenon. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, these states can be explained as the influence of a residual pathogen or residual heat after having had COVID-19, which disturbs the Heart. However, an individual approach by the therapist is very important for these conditions.
According to Chinese medicine, sleep is one of the manifestations of our Shen soul, which resides in the Heart (note: for more materialistic readers, try to approach this simply as symbols, as the whole of Chinese medicine is based on symbols). The Shen soul resides in the Heart, and its anchoring is the responsibility of Heart blood. If there is a lack of blood, which is more often a problem for women, the Shen soul has nowhere to rest, and the person becomes restless, distracted, may have wild dreams, and, most importantly, has problems with sleep.
A deficiency of Heart and also Liver blood is associated with symptoms such as: paleness, palpitations, blurred vision, dry eyes, dizziness, dull complexion, cramps, depression, prolonged cycles or missed periods, hair loss, poor nail quality, etc. Blood deficiency can arise, for example, from heavy menstrual bleeding, childbirth, or a vegetarian diet. And, of course, from the weakening of the organs responsible for blood production, which are the Spleen, Liver, and Kidneys. Thus, a deficiency of Heart and, by extension, Liver blood is a common cause of insomnia. Especially in women.
The second common cause is some form of heat or fire that manifests in the Heart or Liver and "sets the Shen soul on fire". The Shen soul then becomes restless again and cannot anchor itself in the Heart. In addition to sleep problems, symptoms appear such as: mental restlessness, nervousness, easy agitation, loss of concentration, loud laughter, night sweats, frequent dreaming, signs of heat mainly in the upper part of the body, aphthae, a bitter taste in the mouth, constipation, etc. Naturally, not all symptoms need to be present. Heat in the organism arises mainly from emotions. From excessive or suppressed emotions. Every such emotion eventually turns into heat. There are two organs that are sensitive to this transformed heat. They are the Liver and the Heart. And these are the very organs that, as we mentioned, are closely related to insomnia. It is therefore necessary to try to keep emotions under control. Control your emotions. Before the emotions start to control you.
There is one more source of heat that is capable of causing sleep problems. And this source is the Stomach, which has a tendency to overheat. Especially if we eat sharp, hot, and spicy foods. That is, foods that bring fire into the organism. And this fire easily transfers from the Stomach to the Heart, where it disturbs the Shen soul. Therefore, if we eat such foods in the evening, it will certainly not benefit our sleep.
And to be complete, there is also heat from so-called deficiency. I often see this state in women during the menopause, when there is a decrease in Yin energy. And if Yin decreases, Yang begins to relatively prevail. And Yang is fire. Fire that can again disturb the Heart and the Shen soul and cause us problems with sleeping. Or, for example, hot flushes.
For milder sleep problems, it is usually enough to just make a few changes to our lifestyle.
I have tried to write down a few rules that help my patients:
1. Calm the Shen spirit before sleep – do not engage in any intense activities, sports, watching action films or news from our political scene, or arguing with your partner.
2. Try meditating before sleep
3. Use the bed mainly for sleeping – not for working or eating. This applies essentially to the entire bedroom area.
4. Limit food consumption in the evening – the body then has to send a lot of energy to the digestive system instead of using it for the renewal and regeneration of the organism. An old Chinese proverb says “Sleeping well is more important than eating well”.
5. If you must eat – avoid foods that bring fire into the body: hot, spicy, fried, or roasted foods.
6. Do not drink alcohol in the evening (it is very fiery) and stimulants such as coffee, tea, or energy drinks. Conversely, lemon balm tea or a little warm milk with honey is suitable.
7. Go to sleep at the same time – ideally as early as possible before midnight. This rule is very important. Follow it uncompromisingly, even if you do not feel like sleeping at that moment. In Chinese medicine, it is said that an hour of sleep before midnight is worth the same as two hours of sleep after midnight.
8. Keep the bedroom quiet and dark – do not leave the television on for sleep. Keep the curtains/blinds drawn. The ideal room temperature for sleeping should be between 16 and 18 °C.
9. In classic Chinese medicine books, there is often advice that one should soak their feet in hot water for about 15 minutes in the evening. This causes a shift of Qi from the upper part of the body to the feet, which helps to calm the Shen spirit and support good sleep.
However, if sleep problems are more significant, lifestyle changes are not enough and treatment must begin. Traditional Chinese medicine offers several remedies that will help us get rid of insomnia.
A remedy that I use very often is medicinal mushrooms. Mainly one of them, which is Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum). Reishi has a tropism to the Heart (both traditionally and modernly). That is, it helps with various cardiovascular problems, but at the same time, it can calm the Shen spirit. Monks in Taoist monasteries were aware of this effect and often used Reishi before meditation when they needed to reach a state of absolute peace of mind.
I often combine Reishi with the Chinese herb Suan Zao Ren. Suan Zao Ren are jujube seeds and, just like Reishi, they have the ability to nourish the Heart and calm the Shen spirit. So, the combination of Reishi and jujube seeds is an ideal natural remedy for insomniacs.
Another remedy that I use for sleep problems is the classic herbal mixture Te Xiao Zao Ren An Mian Wan. This mixture replenishes Heart and Liver blood, calms the Shen spirit, cools heat, and harmonises the psyche. The mixture does not only work for sleep problems, but generally calms, for example, in cases of hypertension due to blood and Yin deficiency. It also supports a positive mood and harmonises our psyche. Read more about it here.
Another frequently used mixture for insomniacs is the classic recipe Gui Pi Wan. This mixture strengthens the Spleen and Heart organs, while also calming the Shen spirit. I use it mainly for people who have trouble falling asleep because various thoughts are constantly racing through their heads. In general, the mixture is therefore suitable for people who have problems with excessive thinking or ruminating. You can find out more about this mixture here.
And the last mixture I would like to mention is Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan. This is again a classic mixture of traditional Chinese medicine, which the author (in the 16th century) was allegedly once told in a dream by the Heavenly Emperor. It is formulated to address insufficient nourishment of the Heart and Kidneys due to Yin and blood deficiency. A lack of Yin substances can lead to increased Yang activity, which loses its root in Yin and, in the form of empty heat, rises upwards, where it disturbs the Shen spirit and leads to symptoms such as irritability or, conversely, tearfulness, heart palpitations with anxiety, night sweats on the chest, or hot flushes, memory problems, and sleep problems. Read more about this mixture here.
Acupuncture can also be a great benefit for those suffering from insomnia. It can release excess tension, help to clear any potential heat, and, most importantly, it can anchor and harmonise the Shen spirit.
Chinese medicine is very effective in treating insomnia. The only thing required is to determine the cause as accurately as possible and implement targeted therapy. However, individuals can often help themselves by changing their lifestyle and following certain rules.
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