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Say Goodbye to Rough, Uncomfortable Sleep!
Are you tired of waking up with bedhead and wrinkles? Join our 30-day sleep study and receive a free silk pillowcase to help you wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated! Click the link below for the instructions.
In the past, when visiting a Chinese medicine doctor, one of the first questions you’d be asked is what time you go to sleep each night. If your answer was after 11:00 PM, they might say, “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do to help you.”
While this may sound harsh, it underscores a crucial principle in traditional Chinese medicine: good health hinges on restful sleep. Missing just one night of sleep can take over 100 days to fully recover from.
Sleep is essential for your body to rest, repair, and replenish its energy. Patients often come to me puzzled about why they feel tired and low on energy despite getting the recommended 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. The key is not just the duration of sleep, but also its timing.
The Chinese medicine body clock maps the flow of Chi, or energy, through your body at different times of the day. It’s important to understand that in Chinese medicine, the concept of organs differs from that in Western medicine. While Western medicine focuses on anatomical structures, Chinese medicine emphasizes physiological functions. For instance, the heart in Chinese medicine is different from the heart in Western medicine.
The Chinese medicine body clock divides a 24-hour period into 12 sections, each lasting two hours, with each segment corresponding to one of the 12 main internal organ systems. For example, the gallbladder meridian is most active from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, the liver from 1:00 to 3:00 AM, the lungs from 3:00 to 5:00 AM, and so on.
Achieving good health requires aligning with nature’s rhythms, particularly the forces of Yin and Yang. Yin represents stillness, while Yang represents activity. Two crucial time windows hold significant importance: 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM and 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. At 11:00 PM, Yang energy begins to rise, peaking at 11:00 AM, while Yin energy starts its ascent at 11:00 AM, reaching its peak at 11:00 PM. Ideally, you should sleep from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, though I understand this is challenging. Therefore, aim to sleep before 11:00 PM. After 11:00 PM, rising Yang energy can disrupt your sleep quality.
From 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, the gallbladder meridian is active, and its Chi facilitates the smooth flow of energy in the other organs. Like a train where the first car moves the rest, the gallbladder leads the body’s energy flow. Thus, it’s crucial for the gallbladder to rest during this time. From 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM, the liver meridian takes over, focusing on detoxification and regeneration.
Does this mean you only need to sleep four hours a night? No, it means these hours are the most critical for sleep. You might sleep from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM or 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, depending on your schedule. Missing sleep before 11:00 PM can lead to short-term effects like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Long-term consequences include weakened immunity, chronic diseases, emotional issues, and skin problems.
Yes, it can be that serious. We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, and while the young may not feel the immediate impact, long-term sleep disruption can lead to significant health issues over 10, 15, or 20 years. Developing healthy sleep habits early on is crucial for maintaining a healthy body.
To help you achieve better sleep, I’m offering a 30-day sleep challenge. Follow the link in the description for details, and send me a message afterward for a surprise if you succeed. Thanks for listening! If you have any questions about sleep, ask in the comments section below. Stay healthy!
