Can't fall asleep despite being tired? TCM guide

You are tired. But you can't sleep. Your body is lying flat - and your thoughts are spinning. The thought carousel is running HIGH TOURS. Eyes are burning. And there is no trace of the sleep that is so necessary.

This is not a sleep problem. It's a Transition problem. Your body has forgotten how to switch from „tired“ to „sleepy“. And this difference - which most people don't know - is the key to your sleep problem.

This guide shows you how to rebuild the transition properly. The build-up starts as soon as you get up and continues until the evening before you go to sleep.
With specific recipes, clear time indications and tools from TCM and modern sleep medicine. No sleeping pills. No miracle tea. Just what your nervous system needs.

He who gives no end to the day, gives no depth to the night.

Whoever follows the DAY gives no end, the NIGHT no depth.

🔬 What you should know about your sleep

In TCM the Heart the Shen - the mind, the consciousness. During the day, the Shen radiates outwards: it thinks, plans, feels, decides. In the evening, it must return - deep into the heart, into the silence, into the blood. There it rests. There it regenerates.

If the heart is too restless, too hot or too weakened, the Shen cannot find a foothold. It continues to circle - like a bird that wants to go home in the evening but can't find a safe branch. And sleep is waiting - but it doesn't come.

Modern sleep medicine describes the same thing: falling asleep is not a passive process. Your nervous system must Switch actively - from the Sympathetic nervous system (accelerator pedal) to the Parasympathetic nervous system (brake).

This requires GABA - Gamma-aminobutyric acid, the most important calming neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA is the chemical brake. When GABA is active, the nerve cells become calmer. Thoughts slow down. Sleep becomes possible.

The problem is: Cortisol inhibits GABA. If you are under constant stress during the day, your cortisol level is still high in the evening - and as long as cortisol is high, GABA cannot work. The brake remains blocked. You're lying in bed, exhausted to the bone, but your nervous system is still energized.

And this is precisely the realization that changes everything: Tired and sleepy are not the same thing. Tired means your body has no more energy. Sleepy means your nervous system is ready to let go. One is exhaustion - the other is an active transition. You can be dead tired and still not fall asleep because this transition is not happening.

Sleeping pills do not solve the problem - they numb the gas pedal, but they don't fix the brakes. That's exactly what this guide does. Step by step, from morning to night. And it starts with understanding exactly where your system is stuck - and when. Because your wake-up time is no coincidence.

🕐 Your wake-up time is no coincidence - the organ clock

TCM recognizes the Organ clock - a 24-hour rhythm in which each organ system has its main working time. If you regularly wake up at the same time every night, the organ clock shows you which system needs support.

Chronobiology confirms this: Our body actually follows circadian rhythms that activate organ functions at certain times.

23-1 o'clock: Gallbladder

TCM: The gallbladder governs decisiveness and courage. Those who wake up here often have unprocessed decisions or the feeling of being stuck in a situation.
Science: In the first deep sleep phase, the body releases growth hormone and melatonin reaches its highest level. If the cortisol level is still elevated - due to stress or late eating, for example - it is not possible to enter deep sleep.
Practical: Write down three open decisions before going to sleep - don't solve them, just write them down. This relieves the mind.

1-3 o'clock: Liver

TCM: The liver moves the Qi, stores the blood and processes emotions - especially anger and frustration. People who wake up here regularly often carry unexpressed anger or suppressed pressure.
Science: The liver works at full speed between 1 and 3 a.m. - phase I and phase II of detoxification are at their most active. At the same time, cortisol should reach its lowest point. If blood sugar drops too low - for example after sugar or alcohol in the evening - the body releases cortisol to counteract this. This wakes you up.
Practical: Write down what annoys you for 5 minutes in the evening - without a filter, without a solution. And: last meal before 7 pm, with protein to keep your blood sugar stable.

3-5 o'clock: Lungs

TCM: The lungs govern grief and letting go. Those who wake up here are often coming to terms with a loss - or holding on to something that is allowed to go.
Science: The body is now at its coldest and respiratory resistance is at its highest. Cortisol begins its morning rise, melatonin drops. People with respiratory issues - asthma, chronic cough - wake up particularly frequently during this window.
Practical: Three slow, deep breaths - 4 seconds in, 7 seconds out. Do not stand up. Stay in bed, place your hands on your chest.

5-7 o'clock: Large intestine

TCM: The large intestine stands for letting go - physically and emotionally. Waking up too early with brooding thoughts indicates a mind that cannot let go.
Science: The cortisol level now rises sharply - the so-called Cortisol Awakening Response. Intestinal peristalsis increases, the body prepares for emptying. Serotonin production increases.
Practical: Warm water straight after getting up. Morning routine with exercise before your head takes over.

💡 Important: The organ clock is a guide, not a diagnosis. If you always wake up at the same time for weeks, it is worth taking a closer look at your system.

The organ clock shows you, when your system is stuck. But the when alone is not enough - you need the why. Because not every sleep disorder has the same cause. Four patterns appear again and again in TCM:

🔍 Your sleep type - 4 patterns, 4 strategies

Every person has a different imbalance. The symptoms are similar - but the cause is individual. And each cause requires a different strategy.

Heart-blood deficiency

Signs: You fall asleep but wake up at night. Pale, palpitations, forgetful, sometimes dizzy.

What your body needs: Nourish blood - the heart-blood is the anchor of Shen.
If it is missing, the spirit loses its grip.

What you can do:

In the morning: Shen porridge with walnuts, goji berries and jujubes (recipe below)
Evening: TCM evening drink with Jujuben and Longan
During the day: Prefer red foods - beet, dark grapes, cherries
Deeper: Bai He Lian Zi Tang - lily bulb soup (recipe below)

📍 ACUPRESSURE: He 07 + HK 06 + MP 06

💊 Herbal recipe for this type:

Anshen Herbs - The sleeping bear
Contains Suan Zao Ren (spiny jujube seed) - the main herb in the best-known TCM sleep formula. In addition, He Huan Pi (silk acacia bark), which calms the Shen and loosens emotional knots.

Long Gu and Mu Li (dragon bone and oyster shell) anchor a circling mind. Ye Jiao Teng promotes blood flow to the heart. A classic Shen anchor formula.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/der-schlafende-baer

Heart Yin deficiency

Signs: Inner restlessness, night sweats, dry mouth at night, heat in hands and feet.

What your body needs: Nourish yin and clear inner heat - the cooling yin of the heart is depleted. Without counterbalance, the fire burns uncontrollably.

What you can do:

Evening: Bai He Lian Zi Tang - lily and onion soup (recipe below)
Afternoon: Chrysanthemum goji tea (recipe below)
During the day: Less coffee, less spicy food, no alcohol
Avoid: Anything that heats you up internally - cinnamon, chili, ginger in the evening

📍 ACUPRESSURE: He 07 + Ni 01 + MP 06

💊 Herbal recipe for this type:

Ansuhenne - Relax & Deep Sleep
Essentially a modified Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan - the „Heavenly Emperor's Pill“, one of the oldest and most comprehensive Shen formulas in Chinese medicine.

Sheng Di Huang and Mai Men Dong nourish the Yin. Dan Shen and Dang Gui nourish the Heart-Blood. Suan Zao Ren, Bai Zi Ren and Yuan Zhi calm the mind. Plus Hericium (hedgehog spikenard) and Reishi - two vital mushrooms that support the nervous system. The deepest and most comprehensive of the four formulas.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/relax-and-deep-sleep/

Spleen Qi deficiency with rumination

Signs: Thoughts go round in circles without a solution. Tiredness, especially after eating. Flatulence, soft stools, feeling of heaviness, „head as if in absorbent cotton“. Craving for sweets.

What your body needs: Strengthen the center - the spleen carries the thoughts. If it is weak, thoughts circle without a bottom under your feet.

What you can do:

In the morning: Hot breakfast - congee or shen porridge (recipe below)
During the day: Three meals, real breaks, no snacking
Spices: Ginger, cardamom, fennel, caraway - warm the center
Avoid: Cold raw food, dairy products, sugar, white flour, smoothies

📍 ACUPRESSURE: MP 06 + He 07 + Anmian

💊 Herbal recipe for this type:

Dr. Neebs - Slumbering low
Combines TCM herbs with proven western sleeping plants: Valerian (30%) calms the spinning mind via the nervous system, L-theanine (17%) from the tea plant promotes GABA activity in the brain - exactly the brake we discussed.

Plus Jiao Gu Lan (women's ginseng), Luo Bu Ma and Da Zao (jujube). The entry point for anyone who wants to combine something familiar with TCM depth.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/dr-neebs-nr-11-schlummertief/

Liver Qi stagnation

Signs: Waking up between 1 and 3 a.m., frustration, tension in the neck and shoulders, sighing, PMS.

What your body needs: Moving the liver - suppressed emotions and constant pressure cause the Qi to stagnate. The liver fire rises and disturbs the Shen.

What you can do:

During the day: Side stretches, shaking exercise, 20 min walk - without podcast
In the evening: write down what annoys you for 5 minutes - without a filter, without a solution
Afternoon: Chrysanthemum goji tea (recipe below)
Acupressure extra: Liver 03 (Taichong) - between big toe and second toe, press in circles for 1 minute

📍 ACUPRESSURE: Le 03 + HK 06 + Anmian

💊 Herbal recipe for this type:

Weidinger W22 - Full relaxation
A classic liver qi formula: Chai Hu (hare's ear root) moves the liver energy, Bai Shao Yao (peony root) relaxes and nourishes at the same time. Xiang Fu (nut grass) is one of the most powerful qi-moving herbs.

Chuan Xiong promotes blood flow. For all those who wake up at night because the day is still in them.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/weidinger-w22-volle-entspannung/

You now know when and why your system is stuck. But before we get to the practical part - a recipe that combines everything: your sleep type, the GABA brake and 1,800 years of TCM history.

🌿 The oldest sleep formula in the world

Around 1,800 years ago, the legendary physician Zhang Zhongjing - the „Hippocrates of Chinese medicine“ - a formula that is still the most widely used sleep formula in clinical TCM today: Suan Zao Ren Tang, the sour jujube decoction.

His work Jin Gui Yao Lue (Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Chamber) is one of the two most important books in the entire history of TCM.

And his original description of the indication sounds astonishingly topical: the exhausted person who is so tired from overwork that they cannot sleep - because the mind cannot find an anchor. The heart is agitated, the liver-blood is not sufficient to hold the Shen.

Described 1,800 years ago - and it sounds like the everyday life of millions of people today.

The five herbs:

Suan Zao Ren (Sour jujube seeds) - the main herb. Nourishes the heart-blood, calms the Shen. The plant itself is even older: it was first mentioned in the Shennong Bencao Jing, the oldest pharmacopoeia in China - around 2,500 years ago. To this day, it is the most frequently used single herb for sleep disorders in the whole of TCM.
Fu Ling (Poria mushroom) - soothes, dissolves moisture, strengthens the center
Chuan Xiong (Szechuan lovage) - moves the blood, relieves stagnation
Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena root) - cools inner heat, nourishes Yin
Gan Cao (liquorice) - harmonizes all herbs, strengthens the center

💊 Their active ingredients - especially jujuboside A - influence GABA and serotonin receptors. In other words, precisely the two systems that enable the transition to sleep. The formula does not anaesthetize - it restores the conditions under which natural sleep is possible.

Available as granules or capsules from TCM pharmacies and qualified TCM therapists. Do not dose independently - get advice.
Particularly suitable for: Problems falling asleep due to a lack of blood, waking up at night, palpitations, forgetfulness, restlessness.

You now know the story. You know your type. Now for the practical part - what you can do specifically, from morning to night. Because the brake doesn't fix itself. It needs a plan.

🌅 Your morning - laying the foundation for the night

What you do in the morning determines whether GABA can work in the evening. Three things that make the difference:

1. bitter tea before breakfast

Recipe: 1 teaspoon of dried dandelion root or 1 bag of artichoke tea. Pour in hot water and leave to infuse for 5-8 minutes. Drink pure - do not sweeten.

TCM: Bitterness cools the fire of the heart. It lowers what pushes upwards. If you start in the morning, you take some of the inner heat out of the evening.
Science: Bitter substances stimulate bile production and improve fat digestion. A well-functioning digestive tract absorbs tryptophan better - the amino acid from which serotonin and then melatonin are produced in the brain.

2. hot breakfast with protein

In TCM, a warm breakfast strengthens the spleen - the center. A strong center produces good blood. Good blood anchors the Shen. And protein provides tryptophan - the building material for serotonin and melatonin.

Shen porridge - the basic recipe:

50 g rolled oats + 200 ml water + 100 ml almond milk
Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes
1 tbsp chopped walnuts, 1 tbsp goji berries, 2-3 jujubes (small Chinese red dates, halved), pinch of cinnamon
Optional: add 1 egg (poached or scrambled extra)

Walnuts nourish the kidney essence and the brain. Goji berries and jujubes nourish the heart-blood. Cinnamon warms the center.

🚨 Avoid in the morning: Cold muesli with cold milk, smoothies, plain yogurt - this weakens the center and the Shen has less support in the evening.

3. five minutes of silence - before the cell phone is switched on

That sounds banal. But it's the moment when you decide whether your sympathetic nervous system immediately jumps into full gear - or whether your day starts on a calm note. No podcast, no news, no scrolling. Just silence, tea and arrival.

The morning is set. Now the day decides whether the brake will work in the evening.

🌞 Your day - reduce cortisol, nourish Shen

Poor sleep doesn't start at night. It starts during the day. During the day it is decided whether cortisol has dropped in the evening - and whether GABA has a clear pathway.

What nourishes the Shen - nutrition for the heart and blood:

Red foods: Jujubes (Chinese red dates), goji berries, beet, dark grapes, cherries, pomegranate - in TCM, red foods nourish the heart and blood. Blood is the anchor of Shen.
Protein with every meal: Chicken, eggs, fish, pulses, nuts - provide tryptophan.
Bitter during the day: Dandelion, chicory, radicchio, artichoke, rocket - cools the heart fire, lowers what pushes upwards. Half the plate is green at lunchtime.
Hot meals: Cold and raw food in the evening weakens the spleen. The last meal before 7 pm - warm, light, with protein.
Black foods for the kidneys: Black sesame seeds, black beans, blackberries - strengthen the root.

What bothers Shen - the four saboteurs:

Coffee after 2 pm: Caffeine has a half-life of 5-7 hours. A cup at 3 pm is still half effective at 10 pm. If you sleep badly: coffee only in the morning.
Sugar in the evening: This refers to added sugar - sweets, desserts, soft drinks, hidden sugar in ready-made products. This first causes blood sugar to rise and then plummet. The crash at night triggers cortisol - especially in the liver window (1-3 o'clock). The natural sweetness of dried fruits such as jujubes or longan in small quantities is something else - it comes with fiber and hardly affects blood sugar.
Alcohol: Feels like relaxation - but suppresses the deep sleep phases and REM sleep. Even a glass of wine measurably reduces the quality of sleep.
News and social media in the evening: Every headline activates the amygdala - the fear center. Once activated, it takes hours to shut down.

The 10-minute rule:

Every day 10 minutes completely without a device. Take a walk, have a real conversation, listen to music. Non-negotiable. The heart needs real joy - not constant stimulation.

💡Why this is so important: Real breaks and social contact measurably reduce cortisol levels throughout the day. This is the most important prerequisite for GABA to work in the evening. Cortisol that is not reduced during the day remains elevated in the evening - and blocks the brakes.

Movement - but not too late: Exercise up to 3 hours before sleep is ideal. Later, it can rev up the sympathetic nervous system. Walking for 20 minutes is enough. Lateral stretches open the liver meridian and release stagnation.

💡 Professional tip: Qi Gong or Meridian Yoga - ideal because both combine movement, stretching and breathing work. Lateral stretching and twisting movements in particular open the liver and gallbladder meridians in a targeted manner.

🧘 Qi Gong: www.meine-tcm.com/thema/qi-gong/qi-gong-uebungen-erklaert/

🧘🏻‍♀️ Meridian Yoga: www.meine-tcm.com/thema/meridian-yoga

🔴 Qi Gong LIVE lesson - every Monday at 6:15 pm on YouTube:
www.meine-tcm.com/live-qi-gong-klasse

Everything you do during the day pays off in the evening. Now comes the heart of the matter.

🌙 Your evening - the 90-minute protocol

The heart of this guide. This is where it all comes together. 90 minutes before sleep, the transition begins - this is the minimum time your nervous system needs to switch from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system. Without this transition time, you're trying to slow down a car in fifth gear.

Step 1 - Last meal before 7 pm

Light, warm, with protein
Steamed vegetables + rice + egg or fish
70-80% Eat your fill - then the eating break begins
No raw food, no salad, no sugar in the evening

Step 2 - Dim the light (from 90 minutes before sleep)

Screens off - or consistent night mode with blue light filter
Dimmed, warm light throughout the living area
Candlelight is ideal: approx. 1800 Kelvin - the most melatonin-friendly light source. For thousands of years, our ancestors ended the evening by the fire. The nervous system still recognizes this warm light today as a signal: night is falling.
Also in the bathroom: no bright overhead light when brushing your teeth. Night light or candle.

Step 3 - End the day (5 min.)

Take a sheet of paper and write three sentences:

What was good today?
What do I let go of?
What can wait until tomorrow?

This is not a diary - this is an unloading process. Your head needs to know: Everything is written down. Nothing gets lost. I can let go. In case of anger or frustration (liver issue): Write down what's bothering you without a filter. The paper „holds“ it for you.

Step 4 - Your evening drink (choose an option)

About 60 minutes before sleep - after writing it down. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. This is not a drink to have on the side - it's the moment when the evening begins.

Option A: 🉐 TCM evening drink: Jujuben and Longan

2-3 dried Chinese red dates, so-called Jujubes (Hong Zao, Ziziphus jujuba) - these are the small, approx. 2-3 cm long fruits, not the large brown Medjool dates from the supermarket
1 tbsp dried longan pulp (Long Yan Rou)
Pour hot water over in a large cup
Leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink warm, eat with jujubes and longan

🔍 EFFECT: Jujubes nourish the heart-blood and strengthen the center. Longan is one of the most important fruits in Chinese medicine for anchoring the Shen - sweet, warm and directly calming.

Together they give the Shen a soft nest. The natural sweetness of these fruits is not comparable to added sugar - in these small quantities, embedded in fiber, they do not burden the blood sugar.

💡QUALITY: Deep red, dried without sulphur, preferably organic. Ask for „Red Dates“ or „Jujube“ in the Asian market - or order online. They keep for months.

Option B: 🧋 Golden milk (evening version)

Heat 300 ml almond milk or coconut milk (do not boil)
Stir in ½ teaspoon of turmeric
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of black pepper (increases turmeric absorption)
Optional: ½ tsp honey

🚨 No INGWER - it is too activating in the evening and belongs in the morning.

🔍 EFFECT: Turmeric moves the blood and has an anti-inflammatory effect from a Western perspective. Nutmeg warms the center and calms. The warmth of the drink relaxes and signals to the body that the day is over.

Option C: 🌸 Passion flower tea

1-2 tsp dried passionflower herb
Pour hot water over it, cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes

🔍 EFFECT: Contains substances that dock onto the GABA receptor - the same receptor that prescription sleeping pills work through. Only gentler and without the risk of addiction.

Step 5 - Acupressure: 4 points for the Shen (5 min.)

All points: 90 seconds per side, massage gently in a circular motion. Breathe calmly. Best done in bed or on the sofa, lying down or leaning comfortably. The sequence is deliberate: calm at the top, protect the middle, ground at the bottom, invite sleep.

He 07 - Shén Mén (Gate of the Spirit)

Where: Inside the wrist, directly in the wrist crease, on the side of the little finger. Feel the small indentation between the bone and tendon.
Effect: Speaks directly to the heart meridian. Calms the Shen, relieves inner restlessness. The most important point for problems falling asleep.

HK 06 - Nèi Guān (Inner Gate)

Where: Three finger widths above the wrist, on the inside of the forearm, between the two tendons.
Effect: The pericardium is the heart's protective wall. Takes the emotional burden off the heart - in case of brooding, worries, tightness in the chest.

MP 06 - Sān Yīn Jiāo (Meeting Point of the Three Yin)

Where: Inner side of the lower leg, 4 finger widths above the inner ankle, directly behind the shin.
Effect: The only point that reaches the spleen, liver and kidney meridians simultaneously. Nourishes blood and yin, grounds the spirit, draws energy downwards. Included in practically every TCM sleep protocol - because it gives the Shen what it needs to sink: Anchoring.

Anmian (Peaceful sleep)

Where: Behind the ear - in the hollow between the mastoid process (the bone behind the ear) and the angle of the jaw. Feel behind the earlobe backwards and slightly downwards - you will find a soft hollow there.
Effect: An extra point that is used specifically for sleep disorders. The name says it all.
Tip: Both sides simultaneously with the middle fingers - gentle pressure, circling, in rhythm with your breath.

📍 All points in detail
In our free acupuncture atlas you will find all the points with pictures and detailed instructions. 👉 www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturatlas

💡 Tip: Even more effective with the AkuPen
Acupuncture pen with fine tip - hits the points with millimeter precision. Includes access to the online video library with over 80 acupressure points explained in video + symptoms for many clinical pictures.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/akupen

Two further points appear in the sample protocols above:
Le 03 (Taichong) - Back of the foot, in the hollow between the big toe and second toe. Moves liver qi, releases stagnation.

And Ni 01 (Yongquan) - Sole of the foot, in the hollow when bending the toes (upper third). Draws energy downwards, grounds, cools rising heat. You can find pictures of both points in the acupuncture atlas.

Step 6 - Breathing exercise in bed

Hands on the lower abdomen
Inhale: abdomen lifts (4 seconds)
Exhale: abdomen lowers (8 seconds)
At least 10 breaths - activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers cortisol
If it feels good: 5, 10 or 15 minutes. There is no such thing as „too long“.

💡 Pro tip: 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, breathe out for 8 seconds. The pause in breathing may feel unusual at first - this is normal and will soon subside.
🎥 Guided 4-7-8 breathing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0w-Xdx-9Qs&t=1s

Not: „Now I have to sleep.“ But: „I'm lying here and allowing my body to rest.“
If sleep doesn't come after 20 minutes: get up, do something quiet with the light dimmed - read, don't scroll. Only go back to bed when you sleepy become. Not tired - sleepy.

Step 7 - Sleep before 11 pm

1-3 o'clock at night: liver time in TCM - the great regeneration
At the same time: Glymphatic cleansing in the brain

💡 Why sleep is the most powerful cleanser:
In 2012, the glymphatic system was discovered - a detoxification system in the brain that only becomes active during deep sleep. The intercellular spaces enlarge by up to 60%.

Cerebrospinal fluid flows through these channels and removes waste products - including beta-amyloid, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease. No tea or cure can replace this. Sleeping pills can disrupt the process - because they do not produce a natural deep sleep, but a pharmacological sedation.

The 90-minute protocol is your foundation. The following recipes go deeper - for anyone who wants to specifically support their sleep type.

🍵 Recipes for deeper work

If the 90-minute protocol alone is not enough - or you want to support your sleep on a deeper level - these classic TCM recipes will help.

🥣 Bai He Lian Zi Tang - lily bulb and lotus seed soup

The classic TCM recipe for Heart yin deficiencyInner restlessness, night sweats, dry mouth at night, heat in hands and feet.

Recipe (2 portions):

30 g dried lily bulbs (Bai He) - soak in cold water for 30 minutes
20 g lotus seeds (Lian Zi) - soak for 30 minutes, remove the green sprout (it tastes bitter)
4-5 jujubes (Hong Zao) - cut in half
600 ml water
Optional: 1 tbsp goji berries (add in the last 5 minutes)
Optional: 1 tbsp honey or rock sugar

Preparation:

Place the lily bulbs, lotus seeds and jujubes in a pan with 600 ml water
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a very low heat
Simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until the lily bulbs are soft and the soup is slightly creamy
Add the goji berries in the last 5 minutes
Sweeten to taste. Eat warm - as a light supper or as an evening drink in its own right

🉐 TCM: Bai He nourishes the heart yin and cools internal heat. Lotus seeds calm the Shen and strengthen the kidneys. Jujubes nourish the heart-blood. A triple effect for sleep.

🛒 Source of supply: Asia market or online TCM stores. Dried lily bulbs and lotus seeds are standard ingredients in Chinese cuisine.

💡 Tip: Cook double the amount. Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. In the evening
Warm up the portion - no effort.

🍵 Chrysanthemum goji tea - for liver heat

For anyone who wakes up between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., is irritable, has a headache or burning eyes.

Recipe:

5-6 dried chrysanthemum flowers (Ju Hua)
1 tablespoon goji berries
Optional: 3-4 pieces of rock candy
Pour hot water over it and leave to infuse for 5-8 minutes. Eat the goji berries with it. As an afternoon tea or early evening tea.

🉐 TCM: Chrysanthemum cools liver heat and clears the eyes. Goji nourishes liver and kidney yin.

🧬 Science: Chrysanthemum contains luteolin and apigenin - flavonoids with
anti-inflammatory effect.

Many building blocks, one day. This is what it looks like when everything works together:

📋 A day that shows how it's done

Not every day has to look like this. But this one shows you how all the building blocks work together. Take from it what fits into your everyday life.

☀️ In the morning

Dandelion root tea, leave to infuse for 5-8 minutes, pure
Shen porridge: rolled oats with walnuts, goji berries, jujubes, cinnamon
5 minutes of silence before the cell phone is switched on

🌤️ Morning

No snacking. Only water or tea.
The spleen needs rest between meals.

🍽️ Noon

Before eating: 3 leaves of radicchio or 1 tablespoon of artichoke juice
Half of the plate is green - spinach, chard, broccoli. Plus protein.
Afterwards: 1 cup of digestive tea (fennel-caraway-aniseed)

🚶 Afternoon

No coffee after 2 pm
20 min walk - without podcast, without destination
10 minutes without a device - real break

🍽️ Dinner (before 7 pm)

Steamed zucchini, a piece of steamed fish, a little rice
Light, warm, full of protein - 70-80%

🌙 From 90 minutes before sleep

Dim the light. Candles on, screens off.
Write down 3 sentences (good / let go / can wait)
TCM evening drink: Today: Jujuben + longan, infuse for 10 minutes. Drink warm.
Acupressure: He 07, HK 06, MP 06, Anmian - 90 seconds per side
In bed: Breathing exercise - hands on the lower abdomen. 4 seconds in, 8 seconds out. 10 breaths - 5, 10 or 15 minutes if you like. There is no such thing as „too long“.
Fall asleep before 11 pm. The real work begins: liver time, glymphatic brain cleansing, regeneration.

✓ Practical tips

✓ First step: Only the 90-minute window. No screen, dimmed lights, a warm drink. For seven nights. Nothing more. If that works, add the rest.

✓ Stock up: Dried jujubes (Chinese red dates), longan-
Fruit pulp, goji berries, walnuts, chrysanthemum blossoms, passion flower herb, dandelion root tea. Asia market, health food store or online. Everything lasts for months.

✓ Pre-cook the Bai He soup: Prepare double the amount. Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat a portion in the evening - no fuss.

✓ Practice the acupressure points: In the beginning, 2 points are enough - He 07 and Anmian. When this becomes a habit, add HK 06 and MP 06.

✓ No alcohol as a sleeping aid: Feels like relaxation - but suppresses deep sleep and REM sleep. The effect is the opposite of what you want.

✓ Warm feet: Cold feet are a common obstacle to sleep. Warm socks or a foot bath before sleeping: warm water + 3 slices of ginger + 1 tbsp sea salt, 15 minutes. Then put on warm socks.

✓ Time frame: 7 nights for the first difference. 4 weeks for a stable
Change.

⚠️ When caution is advised

This guide is aimed at healthy adults who want to improve their sleep. In certain situations you should talk to your doctor or TCM therapist beforehand:

→ Pregnancy and breastfeeding - Some herbs and acupressure points are not suitable. Do not experiment on your own.

→ Taking medication - especially with sleeping pills, antidepressants or tranquilizers. Suan Zao Ren Tang can increase the sedative effect. Do not take at the same time without medical advice.

→ Mental illnesses - in the case of diagnosed depression, anxiety disorder or PTSD: sleep problems are often part of the clinical picture and require professional support. This guide is not a substitute for therapy.

→ Sleep apnea - if you snore heavily, wake up with a headache in the morning or are exhausted during the day despite getting enough sleep: it is essential to seek medical advice - no ritual will help against a blocked airway.

→ Chronic insomnia for months - if you have been sleeping badly more than 3 nights a week for more than 3 months, speak to a sleep specialist. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the scientific gold standard.

→ Children - This guide is designed for adults.

If in doubt, always ask. A good TCM therapist or doctor will not replace this guide - but will supplement it.

🌿 Your TCM herbs at a glance

You have learned about the four sleep types. Here is a summary of which herbal formulas specifically support them:

In case of heart-blood deficiency - anchor the Shen:
Anshen Herbs - The Sleeping Bear. With Suan Zao Ren, He Huan Pi, Long Gu and Mu Li. 👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/der-schlafende-baer

For heart yin deficiency - nourish yin, clear heat:
Ansuhenne - Relax & Deep Sleep. Modified Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan with Hericium and Reishi. 👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/relax-and-deep-sleep/

In case of spleen qi deficiency with brooding - calm the circling thinking:
Dr. Neebs - Slumbering deep. Valerian + L-theanine + TCM herbs.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/dr-neebs-nr-11-schlummertief/

In case of liver qi stagnation - let go of the night:
Weidinger W22 - Full relaxation. Classic Chai Hu Shu Gan San.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/weidinger-w22-volle-entspannung/

🔮 Which system do you need the most support from? Find out with the free TCM analysis: 👉 www.meine-tcm.com/tcm-analyse

Your 7-night shen test

BEFORE the guide:

Minutes until falling asleep (estimated): ___
Thought carousel when falling asleep (1-10): ___
Total sleep quality (1-10): ___

AFTER 7 nights:

Minutes until falling asleep (estimated): ___
Thought carousel when falling asleep (1-10): ___
Total sleep quality (1-10): ___

🌿 One more thing

You don't have to do everything at once. Start with the 90-minute window. Dim the lights, turn off the screen, have a warm drink. Seven nights. Then add the morning tea. Then the acupressure. Step by step.

Your Shen doesn't need a complicated plan. He needs a safe branch. Give him one - and he'll come home.

Note: Please consult your doctor or TCM therapist if you have any existing illnesses or are taking medication.

„Sleep is not a state.
Sleep is an arrival.“

TCM wisdom