What is the Chinese Herb for Sleep?

Many people struggle to go to sleep and/or stay asleep through the night. A licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner can identify the underlying reason for your sleep disturbance and recommend the appropriate Chinese medicines for you.

Insomnia and restless nights have long been treated with traditional herbal therapy. Chinese herbs can aid with insomnia, night sweats, exhaustion, and vivid dreams by nourishing the heart, calming the mind, and moving or redistributing qi.

Xie Cao

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According to Chinese medicine, getting a good night's sleep is crucial to preserving homeostasis, which is the basis of health. Numerous herbs have been demonstrated to support a healthy sleep pattern and aid with insomnia.

For instance, bai zhu, or valerian, is used to maintain and encourage regular sleep patterns and is frequently used for a range of stomach issues. It is thought to operate on gamma-aminobutryric acid receptors and inhibit 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptors, which is why it is also used as a sedative herb.

Another herb that is relaxing is suan zao ren, or jujube seed. It is an excellent herb for heart health and is included in many formulations for treating insomnia problems. The herb mimosa bark, or he huan pi, is another that helps with sleep. It soothes the spirit and removes heat from the chest. This plant is a mainstay in recipes for treating anxiety and agitation, along with sleeplessness. It is a fairly mild herb that works well in a mixture when paired with stronger herbs.

Suan Zao Ren

An essential herb for encouraging sound sleep is Suan Zao Ren. This essential herbal element belongs to the "Nourish Heart and Calm Spirit" functional category and is used to treat insomnia, sleep-disturbing dreams, palpitations, anxiety, impatience, and forgetfulness.

In addition to being a heart tonic, it supports yin, which is necessary for mind-calming. When used with other herbs that support the heart and nourish blood, such as Gan Cao (licorice root), Zhi Mu (anemarrhena rhizome), and Fu Ling (mushroom fungus), it can help relieve tension and ease anxiety that might cause difficulties falling asleep or poor quality sleep.

Chinese herbs are usually utilized in formulas rather than taken on their own. For instance, Suan Zao Ren and eleven other herbs are included in our Gui Pi Tang's components to support better sleep, mental clarity, and mental calmness.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are decaffeinated mixtures made with one or more herbal ingredients. They are prepared by maceration, infusion, or decoction. For enhancing digestion, relieving sore throats, treating insomnia, and encouraging relaxation, these teas make excellent substitutes for medications. Herbal teas are great, and Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free.

Chinese medicine frequently addresses sleeplessness as a result of liver and heart disturbances. This illness is treated using herbal compositions that support the liver and balance the heart. These herbs help patients sleep better by nourishing yin, moving and redistributing qi, and sedating heat.

A herbal powder that doesn't become a habit, AOMA's Mental Tranquility can be taken during the day to encourage mental clarity and calmness or before bed to assist in the transition into a healthy sleep cycle. Combining acupuncture sessions with the use of herbs and/or herbal teas can significantly improve the efficacy of the treatment. When combined with acupuncture point massage, the effects can be quite noticeable.

Medicinal Aromatherapy

Using extracts from flowers, herbs, or plants to support mental and physical health is known as medicinal aromatherapy. They are applied topically or breathed in. We refer to these extracts as essential oils.

Chinese medicine holds that the condition and health of the heart are intimately related to the quality of sleep. Chinese hawthorn berry (shan zha) and angelica sinensis root (fu ling) together can aid with sleeplessness brought on by heart stress or anxiety.

Chinese herbal therapy and acupuncture provide an alternative to pharmaceuticals for treating insomnia and lowering the risk of harmful side effects. Get in touch with a nearby TCM office right now to find out more about improving your sleep quality.