Do you wake up in the middle of the night? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can have an explanation and a solution for you.
Forever Conscious explains the TCM body-clock principle that every organ has a time for high energy and a time for low energy. That is why there is an optimum time for every activity, from exercise to eating, from sex to rest.
If you organize your day so that you follow the TCM body clock, you will feel your best day and night. Holistic Health Library recommends waking up and drinking water between 5 AM and 7 AM; take a nap between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and avoiding sugary foods between 7 and 9 p.m.
During the day the body is full of yang energy, which is associated with activity, expansion and fire. Night, on the other hand, is reserved for yin energy. Sacred Lotus explains that yin is slow, recovering and cool. When you sleep, ying energy is used to restore the body, Organic Olivia says. During this time the liver cleanses the blood and expels the lungs toxins. This is why sleep is so important. It is also the reason why waking up in the middle of the night can be a symptom of an underlying problem.
If you wake up between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., your liver may have problems processing waste. This can be irritating and lead to attacks of insomnia, as well as frustration and anger. To strengthen the liver and resolve this problem, consider whether you harbor resentment against someone. If so, work to resolve your resentment and anger. It may surprise you that when you free your mind from toxic emotions, your body can better rid itself of physical waste.
Waking up between 3 and 5 in the morning is another sign of emotional unrest. Sadness and anxiety in particular are associated with the lungs. During these hours the lungs clean themselves of toxic build-up. So when you wake up coughing, your body can signal that your lungs have problems clearing up toxins. Forever Conscious recommends deep breathing exercises to help you fall asleep and refresh your lungs.
Waking up in the middle of the night is a sign of too much yang energy, says Cultural China. Wrap warm blankets or clothing around your shoulders to fall asleep again. Take a few deep breaths and exhale to rid the body of negative energy. Rub your hands together to generate heat and then use a warm hand to massage the sides of your nose and the other hand to cover your eyes. Do this for a count of 35. Then move your ears back and forth 35 times and then cover your ears with your hands so that your fingers rest on the back of your head. Tap the back of your head 25 times. Finally, stretch your arms wide and swallow three times, imagining that the saliva flows to your navel. Lie down again. It may surprise you that you fall asleep fairly quickly.