Jia Lu

TCM recommends getting one more hour of sleep, drinking more water and eating moistening foods to maintain health and keep your body's energy in sync with cosmic energy.Chu Shu on the Chinese lunar calendar usually falls around August 23. Temperatures usually remain high for around 18 days before it starts to cool off south of the Yangtze River, according to Qing Jia Lu by Gu Tieqing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The book describes the culture and customs in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and nearby areas.At this time of year, the yang energy in the universe begins to descend from its peak while yin energy starts to grow. Accordingly, the yang energy in the human body also starts to decline. Thus, at least another hour of sleep is recommended.Though ancient Chinese wisdom calls for taking a nap whenever you feel sleepy after Chu Shu, in these times it's not possible to just nod off when you feel like it. A nap of up to an hour at midday is recommended, if you can manage.Getting good quality sleep at zi (11pm-1am) and wu (11am-1pm) is important for health.The yin and yang energy in the human body will shift along with energy changes in the…