1. Description of Insomnia Symptoms
失眠不只是“睡不着”那么简单
In Singapore, many people's understanding of insomnia is still stuck at "can't sleep at night." But from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, insomnia is a signal of systemic imbalance, with many manifestations.
Difficulty Falling Asleep Type: The body is tired, but the moment you lie down, your mind becomes as alert as during the day, with racing thoughts. It takes at least 30 minutes to an hour to barely fall asleep.
Light Sleeper, Easily Awakened Type: You can fall asleep, but not deeply. The slightest sound wakes you up, you wake up 2-3 times or more during the night, and it's hard to fall back asleep after waking.
Early Morning Awakening Type: You naturally wake up between 3-5 am and can't fall back asleep afterwards, waiting helplessly for dawn.
Poor Sleep Quality Type: Although you sleep 7-8 hours, you still wake up fatigued, with a groggy, heavy head, feeling like you didn't sleep at all.
1.入睡困难型：身体很累，但一躺下脑子就清醒得像白天，思绪纷飞，至少需要30分钟到1小时才能勉强入睡。
2.睡眠浅、易醒型：能睡着，但睡不沉。一点声响就醒，夜里反复醒来2-3次以上，醒来后难以再次入睡。
3.早醒型：凌晨3-5点就自然醒来，之后再也无法入睡，眼睁睁等到天亮。
4.睡眠质量差：虽然睡了7-8小时，但醒来后依然疲劳、头昏脑胀，感觉像没睡一样。
2. Why Do We Experience Insomnia?
为什么会失眠？中医理论与现代科学的双重解读
TCM Perspective: Insomnia is called "Bu Mei" (不寐) in TCM. The core pathological mechanism is "Yang failing to enter Yin." During the day, Yang energy is active externally; at night, Yang energy should enter the Yin aspect to rest. When this transition process malfunctions, insomnia occurs.
In Singapore's climate and lifestyle environment, one of the most common types of insomnia is "Phlegm-Heat Harassing the Heart, Disturbing the Mind." This might sound abstract, but it's simple to understand:
"Phlegm" doesn't just refer to cough phlegm: In TCM, "Phlegm" broadly refers to pathological metabolic waste products the body can't eliminate, think of it as "mucus-like garbage" in the body.
"Heat" comes from lifestyle: Chronic stress, staying up late, irregular diet (especially liking spicy, fried foods) generates "Heat" internally.
The combination: When "Phlegm" meets "Heat," it's like humid, stuffy weather, making the body's internal environment sticky and unclean. This "Phlegm-Heat" harasses the Heart-Mind (affecting the nervous system's calm), leading to insomnia.
中医观点：失眠在中医称为“不寐”，核心病机是“阳不入阴”。白天阳气在外活动，夜晚阳气要进入阴分休息。当这个转换过程出问题时，人就会失眠。
在新加坡的气候和生活环境下，最常见的一种失眠类型是 “痰热内扰、心神不宁”。这听起来可能有些抽象，但理解起来很简单：
1.“痰”不单指咳嗽的痰：在中医里，“痰”泛指身体代谢不掉的病理产物，可以想象成身体里的“黏液垃圾”。
2.“热”来自生活方式：长期压力、熬夜、饮食不规律（特别是爱吃辛辣油炸食物）会在体内产生“热”。
3.两者结合：当“痰”遇到“热”，就像潮湿闷热的天气一样，让人体内环境变得黏腻、不清爽。这种“痰热”上扰到心神（影响神经系统的安定），就会导致失眠。
Modern Medicine Correlation:
This highly corresponds with the modern medical understanding of "autonomic nervous system dysfunction." Chronic stress causes sustained sympathetic nervous system excitement, digestive function disorder (corresponding to TCM's "Spleen-Stomach disharmony"), thereby affecting the sleep-wake cycle. Singapore's hot and humid climate, combined with a high-pressure, fast-paced lifestyle, makes it particularly easy to develop this constitutional state.
现代医学视角
这与现代医学认识的“自主神经紊乱”高度吻合。长期压力导致交感神经持续兴奋，消化功能紊乱（对应中医的“脾胃不和”），进而影响睡眠-觉醒周期。新加坡湿热的气候，加上高压力快节奏的生活，特别容易形成这种体质状态。
3. How Does TCM Treat Insomnia?
中医如何治疗失眠问题：多管齐下的整体疗法
Singaporean TCM treatment for insomnia emphasizes "internal and external combined treatment," not just relying on internal herbal decoctions to address the root, but also pairing them with effective topical applications for symptomatic relief. A dual approach is more effective.
Physician Qiu Baorun, with nearly 40 years of TCM clinical experience, has treated many local Singaporean insomnia patients. For the most common "Phlegm-Heat Harassing the Heart" type of insomnia, he often uses the classical formula Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang (Coptis Gallbladder-Warming Decoction) for internal use, paired with the topical application of Gong Fang Tang Jin An Oil. This combination yields more stable results than single-method treatment and is more suitable for the local lifestyle.
Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang consists of 8 medicinal herbs: Huang Lian (Coptis), Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange), Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), Ban Xia (Pinellia), Fu Ling (Poria), Gan Cao (Licorice Root), and Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger).
In the formula, Huang Lian (Coptis) is the core, specifically clearing internal Phlegm-Heat, pacifying the "fire" disturbing the Heart-Mind, alleviating symptoms like bitter taste and restlessness. Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) clears heat and transforms phlegm, helping to expel Phlegm-Heat from the chest and diaphragm, improving chest tightness and sleep difficulty. Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), Ban Xia (Pinellia), and Fu Ling (Poria) are a "good team" for resolving dampness and phlegm: Chen Pi regulates Qi, Ban Xia dries dampness, Fu Ling promotes urination to drain dampness. Together, they cleanse the accumulated phlegm-dampness from the body, preventing the regeneration of Phlegm-Heat at its source. Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange) promotes the smooth flow of Qi in the body, accelerating the expulsion of Phlegm-Heat. Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) warms the middle and harmonizes the Stomach, counteracting the cold, bitter nature of Huang Lian to avoid harming the Spleen and Stomach. Gan Cao (Licorice Root) harmonizes all the herbs, making the formula's nature more gentle.
Relying solely on internal decoctions to address the root is sometimes insufficient. The irritability and head tension during an insomnia episode also need timely relief. This is where Gong Fang Tang Jin An Oil comes in handy. This topical oil is a common standby for many locals in Singapore managing insomnia and headaches. It's formulated from selected natural herbs like Ai Ye (Mugwort), Bo He (Peppermint), Chuan Xiong (Sichuan Lovage), and Dang Gui (Chinese Angelica). It has a light, non-greasy texture, strong penetrating power, and a faint herbal aroma, making it particularly soothing before sleep.
Usage is simple: take a small amount of Jin An Oil, apply evenly to the temples and back of the neck, then gently massage with fingertips for 3-5 minutes until absorbed. This can warm and unblock meridians, soothe head tension, and use the herbal aroma to calm restless emotions, helping the body quickly enter a relaxed state. It assists the herbal decoction in taking effect faster and is especially suitable for professionals who work late or feel anxious before bed.
Of course, TCM treatment doesn't rigidly apply the original formula. Physician Qiu makes subtle adjustments based on individual conditions. For example, for insomnia accompanied by frequent startling and vivid dreams, he might add Suan Zao Ren (Sour Jujube Seed) and Bai Zi Ren (Arborvitae Seed) to nourish the heart and calm the mind. For those with particularly heavy phlegm-dampness, chest tightness, and profuse phlegm, he might add Gua Lou (Trichosanthes Fruit) and Dan Nan Xing (Arisaema cum Bile) to enhance the phlegm-resolving effect. This makes the treatment more precise and suitable for the Singaporean constitution.
4. Who Is It Suitable For?
黄连温胆汤，适合这类失眠的人
Not all insomnia can be treated with Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang. It has a strong specificity, mainly suitable for people with "Phlegm-Heat Harassing the Heart" type insomnia. You can check your own situation against the following:
First, the insomnia manifests mostly as difficulty falling asleep, light sleep with easy awakening, or excessive dreaming, especially agitated or restless dreams. Upon waking, there's often heart palpitations and irritability.
Second, it is accompanied by symptoms like bitter and dry mouth, a sticky feeling in the mouth, usually having profuse phlegm, chest tightness, and abdominal bloating, which worsen after eating oily or sweet foods.
Additionally, the tongue appears reddish with a yellow, greasy coating, and there's often bad breath in the morning.
This type of person is very common in Singapore: for example, office workers who often eat takeout, fried foods, and desserts; professionals under high work pressure, working late, leading to irritability; or postpartum mothers with a greasy diet and disrupted routines. If the insomnia is due to Qi and Blood deficiency (usual fatigue, pale complexion) or cold intolerance, this formula is not suitable. A physician's diagnosis is needed to switch to other formulas.
5. Case Study
真实案例与调理过程
Patient: Ms. Lin, 35 years old.
Chief Complaint: Insomnia for over a year. Symptoms worsened in the past 2 months due to frequent late nights working on a critical project. Poor daytime energy affected work, prompting her to seek treatment from Physician Qiu Baorun at Gong Fang Tang in Singapore.
Main Symptoms: Taking 1-2 hours to fall asleep every night. Waking up 2-3 times during the night, taking over half an hour to fall back asleep each time. Excessive dreaming, mostly stressful work-related dreams. Daytime symptoms included bitter and dry mouth, chest tightness, a constant feeling of phlegm in the throat that couldn't be coughed up, average appetite, abdominal bloating after eating oily foods, easily irritable emotions, and poor concentration at work. Had tried melatonin with diminishing effect.
Initial Consultation: Physician Qiu examined Ms. Lin's tongue and pulse. Findings: red tongue with a yellow, greasy coating; pulse was slippery and rapid.
TCM Diagnosis: Insomnia of the Phlegm-Heat Harassing the Heart type.
Treatment Principle: Clear heat, transform phlegm, harmonize the middle, and calm the mind.
Prescription:
Internal: Modified Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang (Coptis, Bamboo Shavings, Immature Bitter Orange, Tangerine Peel, Pinellia, Poria, Licorice, Fresh Ginger). 7 doses. 1 dose daily, taken morning and evening.
External: Gong Fang Tang Jin An Oil for topical use.
Combined internal and external treatment, with simultaneous guidance on daily diet and routine.
Second Consultation (7 days later):
Ms. Lin reported significantly easier time falling asleep. Previously taking 1-2 hours, now falling asleep within 20-30 minutes. Only waking up once during the night and able to fall back asleep quickly. She mentioned that applying Jin An Oil before bed quickly relieved the tension in her temples and neck. The herbal aroma also helped calm her mood, so she no longer felt increasingly agitated while lying in bed. Symptoms of bitter taste, chest tightness were reduced, and phlegm in the throat decreased. As the treatment was effective, the prescription was continued for another 7 doses. She was advised to continue using Jin An Oil for massage every night before bed.
Outcome: Ms. Lin's sleep basically returned to normal. She could fall asleep within about 10 minutes of lying down at night, sleeping through until morning. Occasional dreams but no longer restless. Symptoms like bitter taste, phlegm, and abdominal bloating completely disappeared. She had充沛 (abundant) energy during the day and could concentrate at work.
Book Your Appointment Now:
Call: +65 6243 2138
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road #02-12 Kinex Singapore 437157
