Traditional Chinese medicine believes that there are many reasons for insomnia, such as mental exhaustion, internal injury to the heart and spleen, imbalance of yin and yang, imbalance between the heart and kidney, excessive fire due to yin deficiency, deficiency of heart qi, and disharmony in the stomach, all of which can affect the mind and cause insomnia. The occurrence of insomnia is often related to deficiency of the heart, spleen, liver, and kidney, as well as deficiency of yin and blood, resulting in excessive yang and insufficient yin, and imbalance of yin and yang. The clinical treatment should focus on nourishing deficiency and purging excess, regulating yin and yang, supplementing deficiencies, tonifying qi, nourishing blood, and nourishing the liver and kidney; and for excess patterns, purging the excess, promoting digestion, and harmonizing the middle.
Treatment of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine generally starts from four aspects:
Harmonizing the balance of qi and blood, yin and yang
Traditional Chinese medicine classifies insomnia into excess and deficiency patterns. For excess patterns, it is treated as liver depression transforming into fire, using modified Long Dan Xie Gan Tang; for phlegm heat disturbing the interior, modified Wen Dan Tang is used. For deficiency patterns, if there is yin deficiency and excessive fire, Huang Lian E Jiao Tang combined with Zhu Sha An Shen Wan is used. If there is deficiency of the heart and spleen, Gui Pi Tang is used; if there is deficiency of the heart and gallbladder qi, An Shen Ding Zhi Wan is used; if there is disharmony between the heart and kidney, and deficiency yang disturbing the upper, Jiao Tai Wan is used. For stubborn insomnia, the treatment should follow the theory of "insomnia is caused by stagnation of qi and blood", using Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang.
Nourishing blood, nourishing yin, calming the mind, and tranquilizing
Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the use of appropriate sedative and calming drugs based on syndrome differentiation and treatment to treat insomnia. Commonly used methods include nourishing blood and calming the mind, clearing the heart and calming the mind, nourishing yin and calming the mind, invigorating qi and calming the mind, calming the liver and calming the mind, and tranquilizing the mind and settling the will. Commonly used Chinese herbs include mother of pearl, lily, sour jujube seed, corydalis yanhusuo, and calcined dragon bone. Commonly used patent medicines include An Shen Ding Zhi Wan, Ci Wu Jia Pian, Shen Song Yang Xin Jiao Nang, Zhu Sha An Shen Wan, and Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan.
Psychological treatment to relieve emotional stress
In clinical practice, psychological treatment methods should be used to eliminate patients' worries and anxiety and maintain a relaxed state of mind. For insomnia caused by emotional suppression or tension, psychological treatment has its special efficacy.
Acupuncture therapy to calm the mind and tranquilize
Acupoints commonly used in the treatment of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine include Nei Guan, Shen Men, Si Shen Cong, San Yin Jiao, An Mian, Zu San Li, and Hou Xi. Si Shen Cong has a calming and sedative effect. For insomnia located in the heart, the original acupoint of the Heart Meridian, Shen Men, is used to calm the mind; San Yin Jiao strengthens the spleen and tonifies qi, nourishes the liver and yin, can harmonize the spleen, promote the flow of qi, and connect the heart and kidney, thus calming the mind and preventing insomnia; for deficiency of the heart and spleen, the acupoints of the Heart and Spleen Meridians are selected; for disharmony between the heart and kidney, the acupoints of the Heart and Kidney Meridians and Tai Xi are used; for disharmony between the spleen and stomach, Zu San Li is selected; for phlegm heat disturbing the interior, Nei Guan and Feng Long are used. Ear acupressure, plum blossom needle, moxibustion, and massage can also be used.
