Do you toss and turn in bed at night, finally falling asleep only to be haunted by bizarre dreams, or wake up frequently unable to drift off again... Insomnia, vivid dreams, and restless awakenings strike like an invisible "night raid," tormenting countless people. What can be done?
What Causes Insomnia, Vivid Dreams, and Frequent Awakening?
Heart-Kidney Imbalance (50% of cases)
Symptoms: Difficulty falling asleep, irritability, heat sensations, sore lower back/weak knees, red tongue tip
Triggers: Chronic late nights, mental overexertion, excessive sexual activity
Liver Fire Disturbing the Heart (stress-related insomnia)
Symptoms: Waking at 1-3 AM, nightmares, bitter taste, rib pain
Aggravators: Overtime work, suppressed anger, greasy foods with alcohol
Heart-Spleen Deficiency (blood-qi deficiency type)
Symptoms: Light sleep, trouble resuming sleep after waking, sallow complexion, poor memory
High-risk groups: Crash dieters, postpartum mothers, chronic disease patients
Phlegm-Heat Internal Obstruction (common in obese individuals)
Symptoms: Chest heaviness, excessive phlegm, fuzzy-headedness, yellow greasy tongue coating
Root causes: Sugar-rich diets, sedentary lifestyle
How Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Effectively Address Insomnia?
Singapore TCM expert Dr. Que Poh Yuen Albert from Gong Fang Tang emphasizes: Chronic insomnia often signals dangerous imbalances like heart-kidney disharmony or liver fire agitation, not mere fatigue!
Classic Formula: Huanglian Ejiao Tang
From Zhang Zhongjing's Shang Han Lun, this formula treats yin-deficient, fire-excess insomnia with 89% efficacy for stubborn cases. Ideal for those with night sweats, red tongue tip, and sleep-onset struggles.
Ingredients:
Coptis (Huanglian)
Scutellaria (Huangqin)
White Peony (Baishao)
Donkey-Hide Gelatin (Ejiao)
Egg Yolk (Jizihuang)
Mechanism:
Bitter herbs clear heart fire while sour components anchor yang. Egg yolk directs medicinals to the heart, restoring heart-kidney communication for deeper sleep.
Preparation Notes:
Use egg yolk only (discard egg white)
Add yolk to lukewarm decoction after dissolving gelatin
Avoid reheating after adding yolk
Case Study
Patient: Ms. Zhong, 27
Issues: 1-year insomnia (2-3hrs/night), sleeping pill dependency, night sweats, palpitations
Diagnosis: Heart-kidney imbalance, yin deficiency with fire excess
Prescription: Modified Huanglian Ejiao Tang + sour jujube seed (15g), fleeceflower stem (20g)
Outcome:
Day 3: Fell asleep in 40 mins, reduced sweating
Day 10: Slept 5+ hours uninterrupted, discontinued pills
