sleeping disorders
it’s not a nice feeling not to have found any rest and being slain in the morning. a bad night can happen once in a while. but if it happens frequently, one should seek for help the soonest possible. because sleep disturbances impair well-being in the short run and can damage health in the long run. body and mind need a good night’s sleep for processing, detoxification and recovery. whatever happens while sleeping becomes noticeable upon sleep deprivation: one feels tired, irritated, listless and without drive, sensitive and prone to being easily sick.
traditional chinese medicine (tcm) sees in the quality of sleep one of the crucial health aspects and gives great importance in asking questions like: what causes trouble, falling asleep or sleeping through? is sleep disturbed by nervousness, worries, hunger or the need to go to the toilett? are sweating or feelings of heat involved? etc. every form of sleep disorder has a different cause.
«the mind rests in the blood at night»
let's take the example of difficulty to fall asleep. here the problem is usually a so-called blood deficiency. the mind, according to tcm, rests in the blood at night. if there is too little of it, the mind does not find its place to rest and therefore wanders restlessly around. when frequently waking up, the balance of the aspects yin and yang is disturbed. at night, yin (night energy) should predominate. if this aspect is too weak, yang (day energy) loses its anchor, is detached and thus wakes up the sleeping person repeatedly.
tcm can act with acupuncture and herbs on the specific sleep issue and provide a gentle, restful sleep. usually, the good results show within a few days or weeks. and if the following recommendations are followed, the bad nights are soon over: end the evening calmly and peacefully. one hour before going to bed, no tv, food, coffee, alcohol, nicotine, and no discussions. instead, a foam bath, good-night tea, novel, beautiful music, etc. and very important: to go to bed early and preferably always at the same time! people who give a lot for beauty know about the fountain of youth before midnight. in fact, the body recovers best at this time. seven to eight hours of sleep should be the rule. your health will reward you with energy and freshness.