Possible causes of insomnia
There is often an interaction between the causes of the above-mentioned complaints and sleep disorders. An examination and treatment aimed at the causes is therefore essential.
External impairments caused by the environment or personal behavior can largely only be influenced by those affected themselves. These include, for example, sleep disturbances caused by heat and stuffy bedrooms, eating too late, excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption, or similar.
Acute sleep problems can be caused by fever, after-effects of an operation, pain, and taking strong medication/antibiotics. These can be treated specifically with individual measures, especially if the causes of the acute sleep problems are clear. Western medicine has therapeutic means for this.
Those affected often cite worries, stress and psychological problems as the reasons for their sleep problems. Eastern and Western medicine agree with this. However, there are many stressed people who do not have sleep problems. Even in extreme situations, such as wars, stress does not directly lead to sleep disorders.
TCM takes into account, somewhat more than modern Western medicine, that organ dysfunction can be a cause of sleep disorders. TCM textbooks show, for example, that good and balanced functioning of the spleen and kidneys is of great importance for falling asleep and sleeping through the night.
Sleep disorders are classified accordingly in TCM. Imbalance is shown by excess (“too much”) and/or deficiency (“too little”). In TCM language, “too much” is referred to as “heat” or “fire” and affects the heart and liver. Yin deficiency in the heart, kidneys and gallbladder and spleen blood deficiency indicate “too little” for the balanced functioning of the organs.
However, the connection between sleep disorders and digestive disorders is not properly recognized by either traditional Chinese medicine or modern Western medicine. If you analyze the TCM treatment instructions for organ disorders, you will see that sleep disorders have underlying physical conditions that are related to the metabolism and digestive system.
In modern Western medicine, it is known that infections play a significant role in these disorders. Unfortunately, however, it is often not common practice to include this knowledge in medical diagnosis and therapy.
In order to correctly interpret the above-mentioned relationships, it is necessary to combine specialist medical knowledge and TCM knowledge. Normamed causal medicine provides the basis for this, further develops the medicine of both cultures and thus creates new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities.