When it comes to sleep issues, many people think of the "heart" because in traditional Chinese medicine, it is said that "the heart stores the spirit and governs mental activities." If the heart spirit is unsettled, sleep will naturally be affected. However, aside from its connection to the heart, there is another easily overlooked point: the relationship between the liver and sleep is also very close.
From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver has the function of storing blood. After a person falls asleep, the blood returns to the liver for rest and nourishment. Once liver blood is insufficient, the mind loses its nourishment, and troubles arise. This can manifest as insomnia, tossing and turning unable to sleep, or experiencing frequent dreams and waking up in the middle of the night. It may also lead to unexplained irritability, a yellowish complexion, and lack of vitality. At this point, it becomes essential to focus on replenishing liver blood.
In this situation, if onlysimple deficiency of liver bloodwe can refer toFour-Substance DecoctionIt is composed of four commonly used blood-tonifying herbs: Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Rehmannia glutinosa, and Paeonia lactiflora. It can tonify blood while promoting qi circulation and activating blood flow, preventing excessive tonification from causing stagnation of qi and blood.
If in addition to liver blood deficiency, there is also frequent dizziness and tinnitus, dry mouth and throat, soreness in the waist and weakness in the legs, and even night sweats during sleep, then it isInsufficiency of liver blood accompanied by deficiency of kidney essenceAt this point, it is necessary to tonify both the liver and kidneys simultaneously. We can refer toGui Shao Di Huang TangIt can nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish essence and blood, gradually improve the body's deficient state, promote smoother circulation of qi and blood, and calm the mind, thereby helping to restore good sleep.
However, it is important to note that traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment. Since each individual has a different constitution and varying complexities of syndromes, it is crucial not to blindly apply treatments on one's own. Always use under the guidance of a professional physician based on proper syndrome differentiation.
