Sleep Smarter

 Sleep Smarter | Sleeping Science, According To The Chinese Medicine

 

Sleep Smarter

The first step to good health is sleep. It is really important because it's often said that if you miss a night of sleep it would take over a hundred days for you to recover and sleeping is so important because it allows your body to rest, repair, and recover and allows you to cultivate your energy. Some of you might wonder, “Why am I sleeping for eight to nine hours a day but I'm still feeling so sleepy and so low in energy?” and this is because you usually sleep late. Therefore it is important not just the number of hours of sleep but also "When" do you sleep.

The Concept Of Chinese Medicine Body Clock

"The Chinese medicine Body Clock" explains the energy flow of your body throughout different times of the day. The organs in Chinese medicine and the organs in Western medicine are different. For example, the Chinese Medicine organs are focused on the physiological functions of a system and the organs in Western medicine focuses on the anatomical structure. Therefore the heart in Chinese medicine is different from that of the heart in Western medicine. 

 

In the "Chinese Medicine Body Clock," 24 hours is divided into 12 sections each 2 hours, and that 2 hours corresponds to one of the 12 main internal organ systems. For example, the energy of the Gallbladder Meridian is the most active from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The liver is from 1 to 3 a.m. Lungs from 3 to 5. Large intestine from 5 to 7. Stomach from 7 to 9. Spleen from 9 to 11. Heart from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Small intestine from 1 to 3 p.m. Bladder from 3 to 5 p.m. Kidney from 5 to 7. Pericardium from 7 to 9. Triple burner from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. and the cycle goes on. 

In order to achieve good health, we have to conform to nature. We have to conform to the Yin and Yang forces (yin represents stillness and yang represents activeness). There are two important timings that are important throughout the day. One is from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and the other is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. From 11:00 p.m. the Yang energy starts to rise and throughout the day it peaks at 11:00 a.m. and from 11:00 a.m. the yin energy starts to rise and it peaks at 11:00 p.m. 

In Chinese medicine, it is important to sleep from 9:00 p.m. all the way to 5:00 a.m. However, it is understood that it is very difficult to do so that's why the ideal recommended time to sleep is before 11:00 p.m. And the reason why 11 p.m. is important is that after 11:00 p.m. the Yang energy starts to rise and if you're still not asleep it would affect your ability to sleep and it would affect the quality of your sleep. Another reason is from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. it is a time of the Gallbladder Meridian and the gallbladder energy flow can lead to the smooth flow of energy of the other 11 internal organs. It is like a train, the second third fourth, and all the last cart does not move, but the first cart, because it has an engine and moves and gallbladder is that first cart. So therefore we need to have the gallbladder rest and recover from 11 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. that is the time of the liver meridian and that is the time where your body detoxifies and regenerates and recovers. Therefore it is most important for you to be asleep from 11:00 p.m. all the way to 3:00 a.m. Now does that mean that you only need to sleep four hours a day from 11:00 to 3:00 a.m.? No, that's not the fact. Those four hours are the most crucial timings for you to be asleep, and it could be from 11 p.m. all the way to 7 or 8 a.m. or 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. that depends on your schedule but those four hours are the most crucial. 

What Consequences Could You Have If You Don't Sleep Before 11 P.M.?

Well short term it could cause headaches, dizziness or even loss of energy and you'll feel tired the next day so that you can't focus or concentrate on your work or school and long-term it could cause effects such as weakening of your immune system, it could cause even chronic diseases such as disease in cardiovascular, respiratory or even digestive issues. In addition, it could also cause you emotional issues such as mood swings or depression and it could even cause gaining of weight, loss of hair, and skin issues such as acne, bags under your eyes, or even dryness of the skin.

Now you might ask could it be that serious. Well, we spend our lives about one-third of our time in sleeping and short-term maybe like especially if you're young it could not cause that much of an issue but for a long term maybe 10 years 15 years 20 years or even longer it could really cause some health issues. So it is important to sleep right. It is understood that it is hard for us to sleep early especially if you're used to may be looking at your cell phones, looking at your iPads before you sleep but it is important to develop a habit early so that later you have a healthy body. 

Tips To Have A Better Sleep

 

Give Yourself A Self-Massage Using Acupressure

An acupressure point called shen men is located on the underside of the wrist, right beneath the bottom of the hand, and is used to improve the length and quality of sleep. To massage this depression, simply place your finger on it and apply pressure in a circling manner. You should feel more calm and ready to rest after 5 minutes of circling.

Maintain A Consistent Sleep Routine

Accept our internal body clock and go to bed and rise with the sun on a regular basis. This can maintain our bodies in tune with nature's universal Yin and Yang. If we sleep at unusual hours frequently, the proper flow of Yin and Yang will be disrupted, resulting in a variety of sleeping problems as well as other health issues.