"It is said that people get less sleep when they are old. My mother is over 60. She wakes up after sleeping for less than 5 hours every day. Let her sleep more, and she says that people get less sleep when they are old. She is now retired at home and has no habit of taking a nap at noon. Will this lead to her lack of sleep? "

People spend one-third of their time in bed, so sleep is undoubtedly very important to people. Modern people think that there are five main functions of sleep, which are recorded in detail in the book "Stanford Efficient Sleep Method", and are listed below: 1, sleep can make the brain and body rest; 2. After sleep, the memory begins to be sorted out and rooted in the brain; 3. Adjust the balance of hormones; 4. Improve immunity and stay away from diseases; 5, discharge the waste in the brain.

First, getting old and getting less sleep is actually a misunderstanding of sleep.

There is a very incisive exposition on insomnia in Huangdi Neijing.

The Yellow Emperor said, "What makes an old man die at night? Young people, those who don't sleep in the daytime, what makes them angry?

Qi Bo replied: A strong man is full of qi and blood, his muscles are slippery, his airway is smooth, and his trip to camp and guard is not unusual, so he is fine in the day and faint at night. The old man's qi and blood are weak, his muscles are dry, his airway is astringent, and his five internal organs are full of qi. His vital energy is weak and his defensive qi is internal, so his days are not refined and his nights are not spoiled. "

Although this passage is ostensibly describing the similarities and differences between the old and the young. Old people sleep lightly at night, while young and middle-aged people sleep less during the day. The fundamental reason is the reason of qi and blood. Strong qi and blood, smooth circulation, full muscles, flexible movement and coordinated operation of camp and guard are the basis of normal sleep. Guard qi moves in the yang branch during the day, and people are awake. At night, guard qi enters the yin branch, and people can fall asleep. On the other hand, you can't sleep.

We can see that the relationship between qi and blood and sleep is very important. Why do you say that? The quantity, channel and fluency of qi and blood deeply affect sleep. Huangdi Neijing states that "the heart stores blood, and the blood gives up the spirit", and the mind dominates all life activities, and needs blood to nourish it. If the blood is insufficient and the mind is not nourished, it can't give up the spirit, and the mind can't live in the heart, so it will move wildly at night, resulting in restless sleep or difficulty falling asleep. Spleen and stomach govern transport and transformation, which is the source of qi and blood biochemistry. Therefore, Guipi decoction is often used in ancient famous prescriptions to replenish qi and blood to treat insomnia.

The reason why the elderly feel less is actually the reason of qi and blood. Both qi and blood are the basic substances that make up the human body. If we compare the human body to a growing plant, qi is sunshine and blood is rain and dew, and both of them act on the human body to make it thrive. Once the qi and blood are insufficient, it will lead to the overall collapse of human functions. This is also the reason why the physical function of the elderly declines.

Qi and blood have many effects on the body: dark yellow or pale complexion, dry skin, listlessness, palpitation and shortness of breath, dizziness and tinnitus, numbness of hands and feet, chills and cold limbs, insomnia, dreaminess and forgetfulness, etc. Although there are various manifestations, they are nothing more than two aspects: deficiency of Qi and blood and obstruction of Qi and blood.

Deficiency of qi and blood refers to the loss of qi and blood, and the body does not have enough qi and blood to help the body run. Deficiency of qi and blood is qi deficiency and blood deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine. Deficiency of qi and blood and body dystrophy will lead to the decline of viscera function and lead to premature aging. Qi deficiency refers to the decline of visceral function and poor disease resistance, which is manifested as chills, spontaneous sweating, dizziness and tinnitus, listlessness, fatigue, palpitation, shortness of breath and stunted development. Blood deficiency can be seen as dull and sallow complexion, dry skin, withered hair, cracked nails, blurred vision, numbness of hands and feet, insomnia and dreaminess, forgetfulness, palpitation and trance.

Blocking qi and blood means that qi and blood are blocked and cannot circulate. Meridian is like a spatial channel. "Meridian" has the meaning of path, and "collateral" has the meaning of network. Meridians are all over the body, just like paths and water networks connecting towns and villages, and they are connected with various organs and organs of the human body. Qi and blood run in it, conveying nutrition and information, so meridians are channels that run the whole body's qi and blood, connect the viscera and limbs, and communicate with the outside and the inside. If the channel is blocked, the qi and blood will not run smoothly, the generation of fresh qi and blood will be blocked, and the mind will not be accommodated in the blood, which will also lead to anxiety, and then insomnia and dreams. As we often hear and mention, the sub-health state is a typical manifestation of meridian obstruction.

Second, how to understand the relationship between qi and blood?

0 1. "Qi is handsome for blood"

Qi can produce blood, the material basis of blood is essence, and the promotion of refinement into blood depends on the function of qi; Qi can promote blood circulation, and the driving force of blood circulation is the promotion of qi; Qi can absorb blood, which mainly refers to the controlling effect of temper on blood.

Ying-qi is the qi in the blood circulation and veins, which can promote the blood circulation and maintain the blood circulation in the veins without overflowing. The operation of Wei Qi and the outside of the pulse have the function of guarding the human body from being invaded by external evils, just like the troops on the border, defending national security. Ying-qi and Wei-qi go hand in hand, and if they are not in harmony, many abnormalities will occur, and insomnia is one of them.

02. "Blood is the fu-organs of qi"

Blood is not only the carrier of qi, but also the nutrient source of qi. Qi is an intangible thing. The reason why Qi can promote blood is that blood can carry Qi. If Qi is not attached to blood, it will be scattered and will not return.

Qi is attached to blood, which carries it and constantly provides Shui Gu essence for its functional activities, so that it can be continuously supplemented with nutrition. Therefore, when blood is abundant, qi will flourish, while when blood is deficient, qi will decline, and blood will be degassed. Qi cannot exist alone without blood. Clinical patients with blood deficiency often have symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and laziness. If you lose too much blood, you will lose your qi with the blood.

03. The source of qi and blood biochemistry is spleen and stomach.

Qi and blood are "inseparable", which are both opposite and interdependent, and maintain human physiological activities. Qi and blood are derived from subtle substances digested by diet. Spleen is the main viscera for digesting food and transporting water, and nourishes the other four viscera, so it is called "the foundation of the day after tomorrow".

Spleen is the headquarters of qi and blood production, and the digestive function of spleen and stomach is the basis of metaplasia and health care. The activity of God is also one of the manifestations of many life activities of human body. The function of God needs the nourishment of essence, qi and blood, which is the material basis for God's metaplasia. If essence, qi and blood fail, God will be helpless, leading to insomnia.