Disrupted sleep is common among women in the menopausal years. Are you wide awake at 1:15 AM staring at the ceiling, wondering why you’re up? Do you find yourself glaring at the clock at 3:30 AM, hoping you’ll fall back asleep soon so you can get at least two more hours of shut eye? The reason why you wake up at night may be related to hot flashes, but they aren’t the only game in town. You may want to learn a little about the Chinese body clock, aka the organ body clock.

What is the Chinese body clock?

Traditional Chinese medicine follows a 24-hour clock that is divided into 12 two-hour segments based on how the body’s vital energy force, called qi, moves throughout the body. Each segment is concerned with a specific organ or bodily function and examines how those organs perform during the time period. During sleep, qi is believed to draw inward so it can restore balance and optimal function to the body.

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According to licensed acupuncturist Jessica Maynard, at Northwestern Health Sciences University’s Bloomington Clinic, this ancient system “assigns organ systems to different time segments.” She explains that “there are 12 different organs in the meridian system in the body,” and each of these organs is assigned to a specific two-hour segment of time.

Each of the organs functions at its best during its assigned time segment. If, however, qi is blocked or interfered with, you can experience a variety of symptoms, such as irritability, dehydration, sleeplessness, and problems with concentration and awareness.

For example, between 7 and 9 AM, the organ body clock focus is on the stomach. This is the time during which the stomach is believed to perform at its best. Therefore, digestion and nutrient absorption are optimal during these hours, so it’s when you should eat your largest meal of the day.

If the stomach energy (qi) is balanced, you will likely feel hungry for breakfast. If you wake up feeling full, your qi is likely off balance and you may experience stomach distress or digestive problems. It’s very possible you are also experiencing chronic worry, which can have a negative impact on your digestion.

What happens when you wake up during the night?

Most adults are sleep deprived, which means they don’t get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. If you need to be up at 6 AM, that means you should be fast asleep by 11 PM and sleeping through till 6. It also means you should be easing into your sleep time by around 10 PM by eliminating electronic device screen time and practicing some relaxing activity such as reading, listening to soothing music, taking a warm shower, or meditating.

Why do you wake up during the night? Disturbances in your various meridians as your energy flow is blocked or out of balance can cause you to wake up and have difficulty falling back asleep.

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One general recommendation: learn the acupressure points for each of the meridians discussed below. Once you do, you can apply pressure to the appropriate points whenever you find yourself awake at 1 AM or 3:40 AM and you need to help restore energy flow.

Here are the different meridians and organs that are involved during primary sleep hours.

9 PM to 11 PM: Easing into sleep time between 9 PM and 11 PM is important because this is the segment when the endocrine and metabolic systems are regulated and homeostasis is adjusted. This involves replenishing enzymes and balancing heat and water throughout the body. If the energy in this meridian is out of balance, you may experience brain fog, confusion, paranoia, and feelings of hopelessness.

To better allow your endocrine and metabolic systems to achieve balance, ease into sleep time by practicing relaxing techniques such as meditation, visualization, deep breathing, a warm shower, soothing yoga poses, or progressive relaxation exercises.

11 PM to 1 AM: During these hours your gallbladder is engaged in repairing damaged cells and creating new ones. According to Chinese medicine, this is the time when yin energy declines and yang energy emerges. If you are up watching TV, searching social media, or catching up on office paperwork, you are interfering with your gallbladder’s ability to do its job. When you get up the next day, you will experience low self-esteem, subconscious feelings of resentment, and difficulty making decisions.

How do you balance gallbladder function? Avoid greasy, fatty, and spicy foods, enjoy foods that support the gallbladder (e.g., broccoli, green tea, garlic, jasmine tea, beets, grapefruit, kale), and eat locally grown foods and those in season.

1 AM to 3 AM: This is prime time for the liver and its job of detoxifying the body of toxins and other waste. New blood is also produced during this segment. If you wake up and disrupt this organ’s cleansing process, you will likely feel anxiety and low energy the next day. Waking up between these hours often occurs if you had alcohol before retiring or if you have too much yang energy or problems with your detox process.

One way to avoid waking between 1 and 3 AM is to avoid alcohol before bed. You may also want to take herbs (as an herbal tea or supplement) that can facilitate liver detox, such as milk thistle, green tea, ginseng, turmeric, or ginger. Eating certain foods also can help with a healthy liver.

3 AM to 5 AM: The lung meridian is active between 3 and 5 AM. The lungs are responsible for moving energy through the body and supporting the immune system. If your lungs and respiratory system are out of balance, you may experience coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. If you frequently wake up during these hours, your body may be telling you it’s time to release sadness and grief.

Around 3 AM is also when you might wake up because you are experiencing stress and anxiety, and your cortisol (stress hormone) levels are on the rise prematurely. Ideally, your cortisol levels should be higher during the day and lower at night. However, if you are stressed at bedtime, you may wake up around 3 AM because your brain is subconsciously getting ready for the stressors of the day.

If you wake up during these hours, practice breathing exercises, visualization, or meditation. You may be experiencing feelings of sadness and grief as well. Keep your body warm, as this assists the lungs in replenishing your body. Practicing deep breathing exercises during the day can help promote better lung function, as can regular aerobic exercise.

Bottom line

The Chinese body clock is a 2,500-year-old tradition that is based on the ebb and flow of energy throughout the body along meridians and through the organ systems. As qi moves through the body in two-hour segments, the function of selected organ systems peaks, and different emotions and feelings can arise or be associated with the energy flow. An understanding of this body clock process may help you achieve better sleep and appreciation of your bodily activities during sleep time.

 

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