First, insomnia caused by liver fire hyperactivity. Among the positions of our internal organs, the heart is located above the liver. When liver fire flares upward, it affects the heart. Traditional Chinese medicine often states that a calm heart leads to stable sleep. When the heart spirit is agitated by liver fire, one cannot rest peacefully. This results in tossing and turning at night, difficulty falling asleep, and waking up easily during the night. It is also accompanied by symptoms such as a swollen head, headaches, and mouth sores. The tongue appears red with a yellow coating. At this point, it is essential to clear liver fire and calm the mind. Xie Gan An Shen Wan can be considered.

Second, insomnia caused by liver blood deficiency. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the liver governs the storage of blood. When liver blood is insufficient, it cannot nourish the heart. Without adequate nourishment, the heart spirit cannot find peace, making it especially difficult to fall asleep. Even after managing to fall asleep, one often dreams constantly, and upon waking the next day, still feels exhausted as if they haven’t slept at all. This is also accompanied by symptoms such as dry eyes and numbness in the limbs. The tongue appears pale red with a thin, white coating. At this point, it is necessary to nourish the liver and supplement the blood. An Shen Yang Xue Oral Liquid can be considered.

The third type is insomnia caused by liver stagnation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the liver can regulate emotions. When liver qi is stagnant, emotions are prone to becoming uncontrollable. Usually, there is a constant sense of anxiety or irritability in the mind, leading to excessive thoughts while trying to sleep—the more one thinks, the more chaotic the mind becomes, and the more chaotic it gets, the more thoughts arise, making it impossible to fall asleep. Additionally, sleep duration is often short, and one tends to wake up early. This condition may also be accompanied by symptoms such as decreased appetite, distending pain in both sides of the ribs, a thin white tongue coating with white foam at the edges. At this point, it is necessary to soothe the liver and regulate qi. Jieyu Wan (Relieve Stagnation Pill) can be considered as a reference.

Remind everyone that traditional Chinese medicine medication requires syndrome differentiation. If needed, please consult and seek treatment from a professional doctor promptly.