Insomnia — Different Korean Medicine Treatments for Each Type
Table of Contents
Not all insomnia is the same
Insomnia is broadly divided into sleep-onset insomnia (difficulty falling asleep), sleep-maintenance insomnia (waking up repeatedly during the night), and early morning awakening (waking up too early in the morning and being unable to fall back asleep). Each type calls for a different Korean medicine diagnosis and prescription.
Diagnosis and prescriptions by type
- Sleep-onset insomnia — Dual Deficiency of Heart and Spleen (心脾兩虛): Racing thoughts and palpitations prevent sleep. Guibi-tang (歸脾湯) tonifies the Heart and Spleen at the same time
- Middle-of-the-night awakenings — Disconnect Between Heart and Kidney (心腎不交): The fire of the Heart and the water of the Kidney fail to communicate, leading to repeated shallow sleep. Cheonwangbosim-dan (天王補心丹) or Hwangnyeon-Ajiao-tang (黃連阿膠湯)
- Early morning awakening — Liver Stagnation Transforming to Fire (肝鬱化火): Stress builds heat in the Liver, causing waking around 3–5 a.m. Sihogayonggolmoryeo-tang (柴胡加龍骨牡蠣湯) or Gami Soyo-san (加味逍遙散)
Acupuncture and key points
Key points used for insomnia are Anmian (安眠), Shenmen (HT7), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Acupuncture given 2 to 3 hours before bed activates the parasympathetic nervous system and supports a natural transition into sleep.
Sleep medications and Korean medicine
If you are taking sleep medications, do not stop them abruptly. It is safer to taper gradually as Korean medicine treatment improves your sleep quality. Addressing the root causes of insomnia together — constitution, stress, and digestive issues — leads to a state where you can sleep without medication.