What is Insomnia/什么是失眠?

Insomnia is defined as difficulties initiating and/or maintaining sleep, or nonrestorative sleep, associated with impairments of daytime functioning or marked distress for more than 1 month. It can occur at any age, particularly common in the elderly.

失眠是一种常见的病症，是指经常不能获得正常睡眠为特征的一种病证。临床有不同的表现形式和伴发症状，有的表现为入睡困
难，辗转反侧，联想不断。或睡眠易醒，醒后难再入睡。也有睡眠不安，多梦。严重者，可整夜难以入睡，晨起感觉头脑胀痛，
心烦不安。常伴有记忆力减退、头晕、心慌等神经衰弱症状而影响日常工作和生活。

中医称失眠为“不寐”、“不得眠”或“不得卧”等。

The causes of insomnia in TCM/失眠的中医病因?

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), insomnia is likely due to deficiency in the function of HEART, LIVER, KIDNEY, SPLEEN and STOMACH. Pathogenic factors such as‘heat’,‘fire’,‘phlegm’and‘dampness’also play a part.

中医学认为失眠的病因主要是心、肝、胆、脾、胃、肾的脏腑功能失调，扰动心脑之神而导致失眠。

根据临床不同的症状，失眠可分虚证与实证。虚证有胃气失和、心脾两虚、阴虚火旺、心胆气虚、心肾不交、肝郁血虚等。实证
有热扰神明、肝郁化火、痰热内扰、瘀血内阻等。

How can TCM help/中医如何帮助失眠?

The TCM physician will go through a proper TCM diagnosis methods with the patient to identify the cause of insomnia and customize the TCM services to the individual needs. The TCM services usually includes a combination of:
• Chinese herbal medicine,
• acupuncture,
• ear acupuncture point pressing therapy
• blood-letting therapy
• tui-na therapy
• cupping etc
These services can help to improve the sleep quality by strengthening the patient’s organs and dispelling disease-causing factors.

中医师会对失眠患者进行中医诊断，通过辨证论治，找出病因，然后针对患者的症型和体质，采采用个人化及相对应的中医调理方案。治疗中医调理方法可以综合以下几种：
• 中药
• 针灸
• 耳穴贴压
• 刺络放血
• 推拿
• 拔罐等

这些中医调理方法可通过补益心脾、滋阴降火、交通心肾、疏肝养血、益气镇惊、化痰清热、和胃化滞、活血通络等治法，使气血和调，阴阳平衡，脏腑功能恢复正常来改善和防治失眠。 除了中医调理，精神和生活调节也很重要。

Media interviews /媒体采访