TCM Insomnia
Insomnia is a form of sleep disorder where a person experiences difficulty in falling or staying asleep. Symptoms also include waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep.
TCM recognises that insomnia stems from a fundamental imbalance of energy, or yin and yang qi. Sleep is part of the natural rhythm of yin and yang qi in the body. Yin and yang qi play opposite roles – in the day, yang qi dominates as it fuels the body’s activities and keeps us warm and alert. However, as day turns into night, the cooling, quiet and nourishing yin qi dominates.
It helps slow down the body’s activity so that it is relaxed and calm for a good night’s sleep. When this natural rhythm is disrupted, there is an imbalance of yin and yang qi, which results in insomnia.
Causes of Insomnia
Beyond external factors like stress, TCM examines internal imbalances such as disrupted Qi flow and organ system irregularities. Understanding these causes is vital for TCM's holistic approach to restoring restful sleep and overall well-being.
TCM Treatment Methods for Insomnia
Insomnia can also be the symptom of a larger health issue. If left untreated, energy levels can be affected, which can have dire consequences on work performance, overall health and quality of life.
Herbs: Adding spinal date seed (酸枣仁), lily bud (百合), dried longan (龙眼肉) or bo zi ren herb (柏子仁) to your daily diet and consuming warm herbal teas such as chamomile (洋甘菊), Albizia julibrissin flower (合欢花) and rose bud (玫瑰花) is helpful in balancing qi.
Acupuncture: Depending on the underlying contributing factors, massaging acupuncture points such as the Nei Guan (内关) and Shen Men (神门) can aid in qi circulation and dissipate the heat accumulated at the respective area.
