Heart Yin Deficiency
They fall asleep, but wake in the small hours with a racing heart, heat inside and a pillow damp with sweat, and cannot get back to sleep.
In plain words
They fall asleep, but wake in the small hours with a racing heart, heat inside and a pillow damp with sweat, and cannot get back to sleep.
Years of mental work without pause, short sleep or a long febrile illness gradually spend the fluid that cools the body from within. Without that counterweight the body's own heat runs loose, and it shows above all at night, when the body should be cooling and gathering in. Hence sweating during sleep, a dry mouth before dawn and a mind that will not switch off.
Characteristic symptoms
- Palpitations that worsen at night
- Severe insomnia with difficulty maintaining sleep
- Profuse night sweats
- Heat in the palms, soles and center of chest (five-palm heat)
- Dry mouth and throat, especially at night
- Mental agitation and internal restlessness
- Low-grade afternoon fever or sensation of heat in the afternoon
- Malar flush (rosy cheeks)
Key clues to recognize it
- Falls asleep fine but wakes at three or four and does not go back
- Sweats while asleep and the sweat stops on waking
- Heat in the palms, soles and center of the chest, without fever
Tongue and pulse
- Tongue
- Red tongue, no coating or very scanty coating; may have cracks
- Pulse
- Thin (xì) and rapid (shuò) pulse
Treatment principle
Nourish Heart Yin, clear empty Heat and calm the Shen
Common points
Reference formula
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (Celestial Emperor Tonify the Heart Pill)
What not to confuse it with
What aggravates it
- Staying up late and catching up on sleep at odd hours
- Coffee or tea in the afternoon and late in the day
- Hot, poorly ventilated bedrooms
- Long stretches of mental work without breaks
Lifestyle advice
Avoid excessive mental work and chronic stress. Reduce spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine. Eat Yin-nourishing foods: pears, melon, coconut milk, tofu, black sesame, oysters. Sleep in a cool, well-ventilated environment. Practice meditation and mindfulness.
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.
