It’s been a few weeks since I’ve connected with you all here. I was away in LA, and I had some time to observe what Chinese medicine looked like in my life when I was in transit. Travel gives us a valuable opportunity to check in on how flexible we are willing to be and reminds us of the beautiful variation in the world. You can read more about how I weave Chinese medicine practices into my travels here.

If you are going to LA soon, I highly recommend the porridge options available at Jook Hyang. You are always welcome to send me a note if you are traveling and want some Chinese medicine tips for packing. I have soup and porridge recommendations for most big cities in the US. ✈️

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about pillars of foundational health - sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindfulness.

Sometimes, our pursuit of good health can unspool into a long list of changes we try to make all at once and it can feel like a directionless tangle. A few strong priorities allow us to cut through the mess and scaffold our health focus in a way that is clear and effective.

The importance of sleep cannot be overstated. I know you’ve all heard it before, but perhaps you would be interested in looking at some aspects of sleep through the lens of Chinese medicine.

When we sleep, our qi moves and “works” inwardly. This is the time when we can replenish our resources and restore harmony. Our yin and blood depend on this period of rest and replenishment.

When we sleep, the gallbladder/gallbladder channel needs to be able to relax and bring blood into the liver. The liver then sends blood to the heart. In Chinese medicine, our mind/spirit (shen) is stored in our heart, and our ethereal soul (hun) is stored in our liver.

According to the Chinese medicine body clock, the gallbladder begins to return the blood back to the liver at 11pm. The blood is then stored in the liver.

When the liver is full - when it has enough blood of good quality - it can relax. If not, the liver tries to hold on to everything it can, which causes it to become very tense and constrained. Liver constraint can present in the form of irritability, depressed states, body pains, headaches, or anxiety. Menstrual and reproductive issues can also arise downstream from liver qi constraint.

Our quality of sleep is not only determined by the number of hours we sleep, but also when those hours occur and the current state of our shen and hun. It is very important that we fall asleep before 11pm on a regular basis so that the gallbladder and liver can fully relax.

When we go to bed later, we give ourselves a shorter, inadequate amount of time to store blood in the liver, leading to blood deficiencies. When we cannot store enough blood, we feel fatigued and our minds are foggy. We feel sluggish and unable to think sharply. Some people develop migraines.

Good sleep patterns set the stage for better health. If you are chronically losing sleep, you may find that some of your wellness concerns resolve simply by restoring consistent sleep hygiene.

A few considerations for sleep:

Go to sleep and wake up at similar times each day. Regular sleep times are important for adults and children, giving structure to our days and helping to regulate our circadian rhythms. This regularity supports our liver qi.

Eat blood-building foods. Blood deficiency and sleep loss are in a chicken-egg relationship. When we are deficient in blood, it can be harder to fall asleep; sleep loss leads to blood deficiency. Foods that help to build blood are red meats, cooked dark leafy greens, red beans/adzuki beans, beets, cherries, berries, goji berries, and eggs.

Take more walks. Gentle, flowing exercise - like walking, stretching, yoga, qi gong, tai chi, golf, swimming, and dance - moves our qi and blood. Chinese medicine teaches us that our emotions are stored in the blood. When we move our blood, we can resolve or avoid emotional stagnation. Likewise, movement can support regularity in our digestive processes. Emotional and digestive regularity contribute to better sleep.

Consider herbs. Many Chinese herbal formulas can aid in restoring harmony within the body. Herbal formulas to support sleep do not need to be sedatives. Instead, these herbs help us overcome the root causes of our sleep troubles. For example, Suan Zao Ren Tang is a 5-herb formula that nourishes the blood and calms the mind. The main herb in this formula is jujube date seed. The formula helps with sleep by way of restoring blood quality.

Hope to see you at an event soon or hear from you in a message 🧡

Warmest,

Artemisia

PS: Check below for some Chinese medicine mini-session options. I have a few new offerings online and in-person!

Artemisia O’bi, MA - Clinical Herbalist | Chinese Medicine

innervillagehealth.com @innervillagehealth

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