TCM Time Clock & Insomnia

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each organ system has a time of day where that organ is considered to be most active, in terms of Qi (Vital Force). During this time, the body is paying a little extra attention to this area, whether it is extra blood flow, or perhaps greater nerve stimulus.

In TCM, each organ has an emotion associated with it. So if you’re angry, it’s an issue with the liver. If you’re often in a state of fear, it’s the kidneys. Where I see the TCM time clock pop up is during sleep. I often hear patients saying they always wake up between the hours of 1-3AM. This is the time of the liver. So if you’re going through something in life where you’re feeling stuck, or irritable, your liver is being disturbed. The other common time I hear people say is between 3-5AM. This is the time of the lungs. The lungs are associated with sadness and grief. I find that it’s not always a current situation, but can be an older time of grief. I find that the awareness of these times & the emotional ties described via TCM time clock can help create a shift. Whether it’s through journaling through those feelings/thoughts, meditation, or counselling, sometimes that is enough to create a shift in the insomnia.

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