On July 4th, the first batch of entries for the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Science Popularization Standard Knowledge Base, organized by the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was released at the Xinhua Media Creative Workshop in Beijing. Guo Rongjuan, Deputy Party Secretary of Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, interpreted the entry on “Insomnia” during the event.
Deputy Party Secretary Guo Rongjuan of Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
What constitutes good sleep? According to Guo Rongjuan, good sleep involves falling asleep quickly, deep and restful sleep with deep and long breathing, no nighttime awakenings, quick awakening in the morning, and abundant energy. How long should one sleep? The amount of sleep that ensures a person wakes up feeling refreshed and energetic is the most suitable for them. It is recommended that normal adults sleep for 6-8 hours per night, while children and adolescents should sleep for no less than 9 hours.
Guo Rongjuan noted that good sleep should restore a healthy sleep structure for patients, which is an advantage of TCM treatment. For example, while sleeping pills may enable someone to sleep for 6-7 hours, this kind of sleep disrupts the natural sleep structure, leaving one feeling groggy and unrested upon waking.
How does TCM understand insomnia? Guo Rongjuan explained that humans are in harmony with nature, and the most significant natural rhythm is the circadian cycle. Humans adapt to nature through sleep and wakefulness, and various bodily functions like breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels operate in two states—one for sleep and one for being awake. If the sleep state becomes disordered, other rhythms become disrupted as well. Without good sleep, many other health issues can arise. Sleep is the fundamental rhythm of the human body, and restoring it is crucial for treating many diseases.
In ancient times, people also placed great importance on sleep, recognizing it not just as rest but as a healing remedy that could help improve other conditions.
What are the symptoms of insomnia? Guo Rongjuan described two main aspects: poor sleep duration and quality, such as difficulty falling asleep (taking over 30 minutes), frequent awakenings (more than twice a night), early morning awakenings with inability to fall back asleep, and total sleep time under six hours. Additionally, there are daytime functional impairments, such as lack of energy, low mood, decreased memory, and reduced work efficiency the following day. These symptoms must affect the individual's daily functioning to qualify as a diagnosis of insomnia.
Internationally, insomnia is categorized into two types: short-term insomnia lasting less than three months and chronic insomnia, which persists for more than three months and occurs more than three times a week. Clinically, the focus is primarily on treating chronic insomnia.
The pathogenesis of insomnia can be explained by the “three-factor theory”: susceptibility factors, including age, personality, and constitution, which make individuals prone to insomnia; precipitating factors, such as stressful life events or illnesses that trigger insomnia; and perpetuating factors, involving behaviors and beliefs that maintain insomnia, including poor sleep habits and misconceptions about sleep.
According to the three-factor theory, the first step is to adjust the mind by identifying the cause of insomnia and practicing methods prescribed by a doctor to manage emotions and achieve mental tranquility.
The second step is to adjust the body, primarily through medication. This can be achieved using the “daytime plus nighttime” TCM regimen, which aims to boost energy during the day and induce calmness at night, thereby achieving a state of alertness during the day and sound sleep at night. Guo Rongjuan emphasized that TCM treatment for insomnia focuses on both daytime and nighttime, yielding better results compared to Western medicines that solely target nighttime sleep.