Many people around us suffer from the torment of insomnia: tossing and turning at night, struggling to fall asleep, and even after finally dozing off, they wake up easily. The next day, they wake up with a groggy head, lack energy at work, and feel unmotivated to do anything. This isn't simply a matter of sleep deprivation; from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it often stems from an imbalance of yin and yang in the body.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we often say, "The interplay of yin and yang defines the way of life." During the day, the yang qi in the body must be sufficient for a person to be energetic, think quickly, and feel motivated in everything they do. At night, yin qi should take the lead, while yang qi must obediently retreat into yin qi, much like the natural transition from sunset to moonrise. When this process goes smoothly, one can sleep soundly through the night without tossing and turning.

But if the yin-yang balance is disrupted, the situation reverses: during the day, yang energy is insufficient, making you drowsy even while sitting, yet when you lie down in bed, you can't fall asleep. At night, yin energy fails to control yang energy, leading to restlessness, overthinking, and the more you try to sleep, the more awake you become. If this persists long-term, it can easily lead to other minor health issues, so you should take it seriously!

To regulate yin and yang at this point, we can consider the Gui Fu Di Huang Tang. This formula is based on the Liu Wei Di Huang Tang, with the addition of two herbs that warm and tonify kidney yang: Fu Zi (aconite) and Rou Gui (cinnamon bark). Particularly, Rou Gui has the function of guiding fire back to its origin, pulling the floating yang energy back to where it belongs. While supplementing yang energy, it also nourishes yin, making it helpful for conditions such as insomnia, listlessness, overall fatigue, and soreness in the lower back and knees caused by yin-yang imbalance.

If the yin-yang imbalance is severe, it can disrupt the body's qi dynamics, often leading to a lack of coordination between the heart and kidneys. In such cases, not only insomnia but also symptoms like dizziness, tinnitus, dry mouth and throat, heaviness in the lower back and knees, and difficulty concentrating may occur. For this situation, Jiao Tai Wan can be considered for regulation, with a doctor adjusting the formula as needed based on the specific condition.

In this formula, Huang Lian (coptis) helps clear heart fire, while Rou Gui (cinnamon bark) once again plays the role of guiding fire back to its origin, restoring balance between yin and yang in the body. Once the heart and kidneys can coordinate properly and qi dynamics are smooth, it becomes easier to avoid overthinking at night and achieve a peaceful, restful sleep until morning.

This article is intended for educational purposes only. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment, meaning that each person's constitution and the underlying cause of their insomnia are different. Therefore, the prescription must be adjusted accordingly, as no single formula works for everyone. If you experience physical discomfort, promptly seek advice from a professional TCM practitioner. Let the doctor tailor the treatment to your specific condition to ensure both safety and effectiveness.