Do you struggle with falling asleep, waking during the night, or feeling unrefreshed in the morning? Sleep disturbances are a common complaint, and in Chinese Medicine, insomnia is seen as a sign of imbalance in the body’s natural rhythm. Instead of masking symptoms, Chinese Medicine works to address the root cause of why you can’t sleep, restoring your ability to rest, recover, and wake up feeling energised.

What’s Causing Your Sleep Issues?

Some common sleep struggles include:

  1. Difficulty falling asleep
  2. Waking up in the middle of the night (especially between 1-5 AM)
  3. Restless, light sleep with vivid dreams
  4. Waking frequently to urinate
  5. Feeling unrefreshed in the morning

To understand why this is happening, a Chinese Medicine Practitioner will assess key systems such as digestion, circulation, blood health, immunity, respiration, reproductive health, and emotional well-being. From this, they can determine the underlying pattern of disharmony affecting your sleep.

Let’s explore some of the most common patterns of imbalance seen in clinic:

Liver Qi Stagnation & Liver Fire

Signs You Might Have This:

  1. Difficulty switching off at night
  2. Waking up between 1-3 AM (Liver time in Chinese Medicine)
  3. Feeling restless, irritated, or angry
  4. Tension headaches, tight shoulders

Why It Happens:
The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi (energy) in the body. Stress, emotional repression, and overwork can cause Liver Qi to stagnate. If this persists, it can transform into Liver Fire, leading to overheating, frustration, and frequent waking.

What Can Help?

  1. Try deep breathing or gentle stretching before bed
  2. Reduce caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods, which fuel Liver Fire
  3. Use acupressure on Liver 3 (Taichong) – located between the first two toes

Heart Fire & Shen (Spirit) Disturbance

Signs You Might Have This:

  1. Vivid, disturbing dreams
  2. Waking up sweating or feeling anxious
  3. Rapid heartbeat, palpitations
  4. Feeling easily startled

Why It Happens:
In Chinese Medicine, the Heart houses the Shen (Spirit). When there’s excess heat in the Heart, the Shen becomes restless, leading to disturbed sleep. This pattern is often triggered by emotional stress, excessive stimulation, or consuming too many spicy & greasy foods.

What Can Help?

  1. Drink chrysanthemum or lotus seed tea before bed to cool the Heart
  2. Avoid screens & bright lights at least one hour before sleep
  3. Use acupressure on Heart 7 (Shenmen) – located inside the wrist crease

Spleen & Heart Blood Deficiency

Signs You Might Have This:

  1. Light, dream-disturbed sleep
  2. Waking up feeling unrefreshed
  3. Anxiety, overthinking, poor concentration
  4. Pale complexion, dizziness

Why It Happens:

The Spleen is responsible for producing Blood, which nourishes the Heart and Shen. When the Spleen is weak (often due to overthinking, worry, poor diet, or excessive work), there may not be enough Blood to anchor the Shen, leading to sleep disturbances.

What Can Help?

  1. Eat warm, nourishing foods like congee, dates, and sweet potatoes
  2. Avoid raw/cold foods like salads and iced drinks, which weaken the Spleen
  3. Use acupressure on Spleen 6 (San Yin Jiao) – located above the inner ankle

Kidney Yin Deficiency

Signs You Might Have This:

  1. Waking up between 3-5 AM
  2. Night sweats, hot flashes
  3. Dry mouth or thirst at night
  4. Lower back pain, fatigue

Why It Happens:
In Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys store Yin, which helps cool and anchor the body’s energy at night. Aging, stress, overwork, or excessive activity can deplete Kidney Yin, leading to heat rising and disturbing sleep.

What Can Help?

  1. Eat Kidney-nourishing foods like black sesame seeds, walnuts, and bone broth
  2. Try a warm foot soak before bed to ground and calm the body
  3. Use acupressure on Kidney 1 (Yongquan) – located on the sole of the foot

How Chinese Medicine Can Help

Acupuncture:

  1. Calms the nervous system and settles the Shen
  2. Helps regulate energy flow and cool excess heat

Herbs:

  1. Nourish Qi, Blood, and Yin for deeper, more restful sleep
  2. Support long-term healing rather than just symptom relief

Lifestyle & Diet Adjustments:

  1. Align your habits with your unique body constitution
  2. Create sustainable, long-term improvements in sleep quality

Ready to Sleep Better?

If you’re struggling with insomnia, restless sleep, or waking up exhausted, Chinese Medicine offers a natural, holistic approach to restoring balance.

Book a consultation with Louisa Dalla Riva to uncover the root cause of why you can’t sleep and get a personalised plan to improve your rest.

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Louisa Dalla-Riva

Louisa Della Riva acupuncture north fitzroyLouisa is a graduate of the Southern School of Natural Therapies (Torrens University) and holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Chinese Medicine). Louisa also holds diplomas in Shiatsu and Oriental Therapies, Remedial Massage, and Holistic Counselling. She is registered with both the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).