Ancient Chinese medicine used many herbs for sleep, with Suan Zao Ren (Sour Jujube Seed) being the most common, often in formulas like Suan Zao Ren Tang, alongside others like Shou-wu-teng (Polygonum multiflorum), Fu Ling (Poria), Yuan Zhi (Polygala tenuifolia), and He Huan Pi (Albizia julibrissin), targeting the heart and spirit to calm the mind and promote rest by influencing neurotransmitters like GABA.
The most common individual Chinese herb prescribed for insomnia was Polygonum multiflorum (Shou-wu-teng; 23.8%), followed by Ziziphus spinosa (Suan-zao-ren; 18.3%), Poria cocos (Fu-shen; 13.3%), Albizia julibrissin (He-huan-pi; 10.0%), Ostrea gigas (Mu-li; 8.1%), Polygala tenuifolia (Yuan-zhi; 8.0%), Saliva ...
Results from multiple studies indicate that valerian — a tall, flowering grassland plant — may reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and help you sleep better. Of the many valerian species, only the carefully processed roots of the Valeriana officinalis have been widely studied.
1-3am is the time of the Liver and a time when the body should be alseep. During this time, toxins are released from the body and fresh new blood is made. If you find yourself waking during this time, you could have too much yang energy or problems with your liver or detoxification pathways.
BC to 19th century
From antiquity until the latter part of the 19th century, alcohol and opium along with cannabis, valerian, and other ancient herbal remedies are used regularly to induce sleep.
Furthermore, ramelteon was found to be about 10 times more potent than melatonin in promoting sleep.
In CM, insomnia is mainly caused by invasion of exogenous pathogens, interior injury of the seven emotions, excessive contemplation and overstrain, or sudden terror and fear. The principal pathogenesis is disharmony of yin and yang, qi and blood, visceral dysfunction, resulting in harassed mind and mental dysphoria.
Cortisol levels naturally start to rise in the body around 2-3 a.m. In people with typical cortisol patterns, this increase is gradual, gently helping them wake up at their usual time in the morning.
Valerian root has been mixed with other botanicals such as hops and kava-kava as a sedative to induce potent, hypnotic sleep. Curiously, valerian plants are so hypnotic that even cats are as attracted to it as catnip!
The 3-2-1 sleep rule is a simple wind-down routine: stop eating and drinking alcohol 3 hours before bed, stop working/mentally stimulating activities 2 hours before, and turn off screens (phones, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping you transition to rest by reducing stimulants and preparing your mind and body. It's often part of a larger 10-3-2-1-0 rule, which also adds no caffeine 10 hours prior and no hitting snooze (0) in the morning.
Specific nervine relaxants include the following:
Research has found that people with sleep problems lack minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium, which are very necessary for life. Critically important sleep disorders can cause serious damage if left untreated.
Daridorexant is one of a relatively new class of drugs that have been developed for the treatment of insomnia. Its mechanism of action differs from many of the older insomnia treatments. Studies have shown that it can help people to fall asleep faster at night and stay asleep longer during the night.
1. Ginseng (人参) Ginseng, a perennial herb from the Panax genus, is renowned for its medicinal properties. With fleshy roots containing active compounds called ginsenosides, it is recognised for its adaptogenic qualities, aiding in stress management and overall well-being.
There isn't one single "strongest" herb, but Suanzaoren (Sour Jujube Seed) is arguably the most famous and frequently used Chinese herb for insomnia, working to calm the spirit, nourish heart blood, and alleviate anxiety-related sleeplessness, often paired with herbs like Fuling and Gancao, while other potent options include He Huan Pi (Mimosa Bark) for emotional distress and Shou-wu-teng (Polygonum multiflorum). These herbs work by influencing neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin, promoting relaxation and improved sleep.
Although it might appear that insomnia only affects the nervous system, it is also a systemic disease that affects several aspects of the body, such as the cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems; therefore, it increases the risk of various diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and infection.
For example, many people tend to wake up between 3-5 am, during the Lung time. The emotion associated with the Lungs is grief or worry, so we hear a lot of patients say they wake up during that time of the night worrying, or feeling sad.
The Dawn Phenomenon. Between 3 AM and 6 AM, your body prepares to wake by releasing cortisol and growth hormone — part of the natural circadian process. In some people, especially those with insulin resistance or suboptimal glucose control, this can cause an early spike in blood sugar and restlessness.
3am-5am: Lung
If you find yourself waking up between 3am- 5am, it means that there is disharmony in the Lung organ.
If you could benefit from overall stress reduction that's impacting your sleep, Ashwagandha might be a better option. But if you have trouble falling asleep because of disruptions to your circadian rhythms, like shift work or jet lag, a gentle Melatonin supplement might be for you.
Most common side effects of melatonin overdose are drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion, nightmare, hypotension, tachycardia and hypothermia. Supportive measures and control of vital signs are essential for an early discharge of the patient.