Understanding of insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia can be basically divided into five types:

① Liver depression turns into fire: it is mostly caused by anger and boredom, manifested as insomnia, impatience and irritability, red eyes and bitter taste, dry stool, red tongue with yellow fur and rapid pulse. The prescription is based on Longdan Xiegan Decoction.

② Phlegm-heat disturbance: stomach heat and phlegm-heat disturbance are often caused by improper diet, overeating, eating fat and getting cold, or drinking alcohol. It is characterized by insomnia, heavy head, chest tightness, upset, sulking, acid swallowing, loss of appetite, yellow greasy fur and slippery pulse. The main prescription is Wendan decoction.

③ Excessive fire due to yin deficiency: mostly due to deficiency of body and essence, excessive sexual intercourse, nocturnal emission, failure of kidney yin, excessive heart fire, manifested as upset and insomnia, five fever, amnesia in ears, red tongue and rapid pulse. The prescription is based on Zhusha Anshen Pill and Erzhi Pill.

Deficiency of both heart and spleen: due to old age, fatigue, or long illness, qi deficiency and blood deficiency are caused, which are manifested as dreaminess, dizziness, fatigue, sallow complexion, pale tongue with thick fur and weak pulse. Guipi decoction is the main prescription.

⑤ Qi deficiency of heart and gallbladder: due to sudden shock, or hearing loud noise, foreign body in eyes, or encountering danger, it is manifested as nightmares, easy to wake up at night, timid and flustered, easy to be surprised when something happens, pale tongue and thready pulse. The prescription is based on Anshen Zhezhi Pill.