Why You Can’t Sleep: Understanding Insomnia Through the Lens of Chinese Medicine
At The Violette House, many of the women we support experience sleep disturbances—especially in the second half of their cycle, after ovulation. Some lie awake for hours with spinning thoughts, while others wake suddenly around 2 a.m. and can’t fall back asleep. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and it’s not “just stress” or something you need to push through.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), trouble falling asleep and waking in the middle of the night are two distinct patterns. Each reflects deeper imbalances in the body’s energy systems—imbalances we can gently shift with acupuncture, nourishment, and lifestyle support. Let’s explore why your sleep may be disrupted and how you can begin to restore deep, healing rest.
Trouble Falling Asleep: When the Body Can’t Let Go
If your mind is racing at bedtime, your body feels wired, or you just can’t seem to wind down, TCM views this as an excess pattern—too much heat, stimulation, or emotional tension.
Common TCM Patterns:
Heart and Liver Fire – Emotional stress or frustration creates internal heat, agitating the Shen (spirit) and making it hard to settle.
Heart Yin Deficiency – A lack of Yin fluids, often due to postpartum changes, overwork, or hormonal depletion.
Liver Qi Stagnation – Stress and unexpressed emotions build up, creating tension and restlessness.
You Might Notice:
Racing thoughts or mental overactivity at night
Feeling “tired but wired”
Vivid dreams or nightmares
Hot flashes, night sweats, or feeling flushed in the evening
Waking in the Middle of the Night: When the Body Can’t Hold On
If you fall asleep easily but wake between 1–3 a.m. (or later) and struggle to return to sleep, this often reflects a deficiency pattern—your body lacks the internal resources to sustain deep rest.
Common TCM Patterns:
Heart and Spleen Qi Deficiency – Often seen in emotionally drained or mentally overworked individuals. The Spleen struggles to make enough Blood to nourish the Heart.
Kidney Yin Deficiency – A deeper level of depletion tied to hormone imbalance, stress, or postpartum recovery.
Blood Deficiency – Without enough Blood to anchor the Shen, sleep becomes shallow and restless.
You Might Notice:
Waking during the night (especially between 1–4 a.m.)
Daytime fatigue or trouble focusing
Pale complexion or light menstrual flow
Mild anxiety or lower back weakness
A Modern Layer: Blood Sugar and Night Waking
Beyond traditional patterns, one modern contributor to sleep disruption—especially early morning waking—is blood sugar imbalance.
If your blood sugar dips too low at night, your body releases cortisol to raise it back up. This stress hormone can jolt you awake, often with a sense of anxiety or sudden alertness.
Signs This Might Be You:
Waking hungry or craving carbs
Feeling shaky, anxious, or hot at night
Poor sleep paired with energy crashes during the day
How to Support Blood Sugar Naturally:
Eat a balanced dinner – Include protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs (e.g., wild salmon, roasted vegetables, quinoa).
Have a small bedtime snack – Try almond butter on a rice cake or coconut yogurt with chia seeds.
Avoid sugary night snacks – They cause sharp spikes and crashes that can wake you up.
The Hormonal Link: Acupuncture and the HPO Axis
The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis governs your hormonal cycle. When this feedback loop is in sync, your body knows when to ovulate, when to rest, and when to produce hormones like melatonin, estrogen, and progesterone.
But when stress and poor sleep disrupt the HPO axis, hormone imbalance follows—and with it, sleep struggles.
How Acupuncture Helps:
Reduces cortisol and calms the nervous system
Supports healthy progesterone levels in the luteal phase (key for restful sleep)
Restores communication between the brain and ovaries
Enhances blood flow to reproductive organs, improving overall hormone balance
Regular acupuncture during your luteal phase can help prevent the progesterone dips, PMS symptoms, and sleep disturbances that often arise post-ovulation.
At-Home Support for Better Sleep
In addition to acupuncture, daily lifestyle practices can nourish your body’s ability to sleep deeply and wake refreshed.
Daily Rituals for Rest:
Create a calming bedtime routine – Dim lights, shut off screens an hour before bed, and try a warm bath, journaling, or gentle stretching.
Keep a consistent sleep schedule – Going to bed and waking at the same time supports hormonal rhythm.
Try magnesium glycinate – This calming mineral eases muscle tension and supports nervous system function.
Use red light therapy at night – Red light helps your body wind down naturally without disrupting melatonin.
Foods That Nourish:
Bone broth or miso soup with dark leafy greens
Cooked greens like spinach, kale, or nettles
Blood-building snacks: dates, goji berries, black sesame
Oats and warm grains to soothe the Spleen and calm the mind
Nutrient-dense fats and proteins: avocado, eggs, grass-fed meats
Let’s Bring You Back to Rest
At The Violette House in Groton, MA, we honor sleep as one of the most essential—and overlooked—forms of healing. If your body isn’t letting go at night, or can’t hold onto rest, we’re here to listen to the full picture.
With acupuncture, herbal medicine, and thoughtful lifestyle shifts, we can gently guide your body back into balance—so you can sleep, rebuild, and restore.
Book your acupuncture session. Your body is ready to rest—you just need the right support.