Fire syndrome caused by liver stagnation | Phlegm-heat harassment | Fire Syndrome caused by yin deficiency | Deficiencies of the heart and spleen | Deficiencies of the heart and gallbladder

Sleep pattern: dream-disturbed sleep, easily awakened from sleep, difficulty going back to sleep or early awakening.

Accompanying signs: absent-mindedness, palpitations, dizziness, blurred vision, low spirits, fatigue, loss of appetite and pale complexion; the tongue is pale; the pulse is thready and weak.

Analysis: this kind of insomnia is often seen in the elderly, those suffering from anemia and during recovery of major diseases. People with this type of difficulty usually fall asleep without difficulty but have many dreams and are easily awakened. The heart governs the blood circulation and stores the shen (spirit) within it. The spleen acts as the source of the nutrient production inside the body. When the body has overly used the nutrients or under utilized the nutrient supply, the heart can't hold the spirit properly, which becomes wandering and appears absent-mindedness, forgetfulness, palpitations and restless sleep. Furthermore, disturbance of qi flowing along the yin meridians often cause individuals to awaken frequently at night. And because of insufficient blood and qi to flow, dizziness, blurred vision, paleness, fatigue and low spirits appear. Spleen weakness leads to a loss of appetite and a bland taste in the mouth.

Therapeutic principle: to invigorate the spleen and nourish the heart, promote blood and qi production.

Sample prescription: Modified Restore the Spleen Decoction (gui pi tang)

In the prescription, the ginseng, atractylodes root, astragalus, liquorice root focus on replenishing qi and invigorating the spleen; the angelica root nourishes yin and enriches the blood; the poria, jujube seed, longan aril and senega assist in nourishing the heart and spleen and calms the spirit; the costus root protects the transformation and transportation functions in the spleen, so that the organ will not be overloaded. The whole combination enriches the heart blood to calm the spirit and invigorates the spleen to ensure an adequate nutrient supply.

In case of severe palpitations and breath shortness, the following is added to nourish the heart blood:

In case of heavily dream-disturbed sleep, the following is added to further calm the spirit:

In case of gastric discomfort, abdominal distention, diarrhea, slippery and greasy tongue coating, add the following to enhance spleen functioning and resolve dampness:

For those who are mentally exhausted or have a poor work-rest balance, the above approaches are also applicable.

Insomnia prescription