Heart Blood Deficiency
They struggle to fall asleep, dream all night, forget things, and feel the heart thumping in the chest once they lie down.
In plain words
They struggle to fall asleep, dream all night, forget things, and feel the heart thumping in the chest once they lie down.
Poor eating, a digestion that does not extract enough, or repeated blood loss leave the heart without enough material to fill it. At night the mind should gather inside the Blood (Xue 血) and rest there; with nowhere to settle it keeps floating: light sleep, continuous dreaming, short memory. The pallor of lips and eyelids is that same lack seen from outside.
Characteristic symptoms
- Palpitations, especially at night
- Insomnia with difficulty falling asleep
- Very vivid dreams or frequent nightmares
- Poor memory and difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety and nervousness without apparent cause
- Pale lips and tongue without redness
- Mild dizziness
- Pale complexion and lack of skin luster
Key clues to recognize it
- Palpitations arrive at rest and at night, not with effort
- Dreams non-stop all night and wakes as if they had not slept
- Lips, gums and inner eyelid rim without color
Tongue and pulse
- Tongue
- Pale tongue, sometimes with a slight midline crack; thin coating
- Pulse
- Thin (xì) and weak (ruò) pulse, occasionally irregular
Treatment principle
Nourish Heart Blood, calm the Shen and settle the mind
Common points
Reference formula
Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction)
What not to confuse it with
What aggravates it
- Habitually going to bed late
- Eating little, very restrictive diets or skipping dinner
- Heavy periods or repeated blood loss
- Screens and intense conversations right before sleep
Lifestyle advice
Establish a regular sleep routine, go to bed before 11 pm. Avoid screens and intense stimulation before sleeping. Eat blood-nourishing foods: longan, dates, spinach, pork heart. Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga nidra or guided meditation.
When to see a doctor
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
