The Complete Book of Sleep Wellness: Unveiling the Mechanisms of Sleep in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Non-Drug Therapies for Insomnia, and Six Ironclad Rules for Pre-Sleep Health [i]

The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic states that there is Qi circulating on the surface of the human body, called Wei Qi [i]. Wei Qi is responsible for consolidating Yang Qi. During the day, it circulates in the Yang region, and at night it circulates in the Yin region. As long as Yang Qi enters the Yin meridians, a person will feel sleepy [i]. A normal person should be particularly energetic during the day and sleepy at night [i]. The quality of a person's sleep is directly related to the length of life. Sleep is Yin, and we should use the Yin of the night to nourish the Yang of the day [i]. Why do people suffer from insomnia? (1) Disharmony between the heart and kidneys: If a person's heart fire rises and kidney water descends, they will be unable to sleep at night and will feel particularly tired and heavy in their legs during the day [i]. Many people's insomnia is related to long-term sleep deprivation, which disrupts the circulation of the gallbladder meridian [i]. (2) Insufficient blood: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the middle Jiao receives Qi, and blood comes from the stomach [i]. Stomach deficiency causes insufficient blood, which cannot be effectively transported to the brain, leading to insomnia [i]. (3) Disharmony of the stomach leads to restless sleep: If you eat too much at night, the Qi will be blocked by the middle Jiao, and Yang Qi cannot be transported to the brain [i]. Dinner should be eaten until you are 70-80% full [i]. How to treat insomnia? There are several useful methods: (1) Relaxation from head to toe: Lie in bed and relax your hair first, then relax your eyebrows, take a deep breath, and let your heart fall asleep first so that your body can follow your instructions [i]. (2) Sleeping with your head held high: Learn from babies and put your two little hands on your head. This posture of lying on your back is the most relaxing and is a sign of sufficient lung qi [i]. If you keep raising your pillow, it means that your yang qi is deficient [i]. (3) Heart and kidney interaction method: Rub the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of your foot with the Laogong acupoint on your palm. This is very helpful in promoting sleep [i]. ★ Adjustment methods to overcome insomnia: Maintain a contented and happy mindset; create conditioned reflexes that are conducive to falling asleep, such as taking a hot bath or drinking milk half an hour before bed; moderate physical exercise during the day [i]. There are six things to do before bed: First, brush your teeth, wash your face, and wipe your body. Brushing your teeth is more important than in the morning and is conducive to falling asleep peacefully [i]. Secondly, comb your hair. The head has many acupoints; combing until it's red and warm can improve blood flow and relieve fatigue [i]. Next, take a walk. A calm and peaceful 10-20 minute walk allows blood to circulate to the skin's surface, providing nourishment for the skin after falling asleep [i]. Also, if possible, drink a cup of milk with honey [i]. Thirdly, ventilate the room by opening windows to keep the air fresh, but close them when it's windy to avoid catching a cold [i]. Finally, wash or rub your feet. Massage the soles and toes with warm water (40-50 degrees Celsius) to relax muscles and restore balance [i]. ★ Three things to do and three things to avoid before bed: The three things to do are a walk, a foot bath, and brushing your teeth before bed; the three things to avoid are overeating, excessive entertainment (watching action-packed movies or TV shows), and drinking strong tea or coffee [i]. These six things are easy for anyone to do, and the benefits of consistently doing them are self-evident [i]. [i]