Poor Sleep + TCM Body Clock

Quality sleep often feels elusive in the hustle and bustle of modern living. Even on a peaceful night,
there is that sneaky 3am wake up to use the restroom, which completely disrupts the night’s sleep cycle. While this may seem like a normal occurrence, if regular, it can point to deeper issues within the body. Trouble falling asleep, trouble staying awake, waking too early, or any other struggle associated with sleep may have a deeper meaning, and understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teachings may be the start to sleeping better. The TCM body clock is a great guide to the different organs and their role in sleep, and can be used to help pinpoint which organ needs support. Practices like diet change, herbs, and acupuncture can offer that support. Sleep is a crucial component of TCM teachings, and is the most important factor in keeping our bodies functioning optimally.

TCM Body Clock

The TCM body clock breaks the body’s internal clock into 12 2-hour intervals which are associated with an organ, meridian, and time. During restful sleep, Qi flows abundantly throughout the body, maintaining physical, emotional, and mental balance. If you consistently wake at the same time each night, there may be a physical or emotional issue with that organ that needs to be addressed.

11pm-1am- Gallbladder/Wood/Yang:

Action- sleep, release bile, cellular repair, build blood cells

Physical symptoms- indigestion, difficulty metabolizing fats, headaches

Emotional symptoms- bitterness, resentment, indecision, emotional stagnation

Treatments- Acupuncture can target the gallbladder meridians to regulate Qi and improve digestive function. Herbal formulas can be used to clear heat and support gallbladder health. Avoid fatty and greasy foods, and practice mindfulness to release resentment and clear emotional stagnation

1am-3am- Liver/Wood/Yin:

Action- Deep sleep, detox blood, rest and recovery, smooth flow of Qi

Physical symptoms- tension, irritability, digestive disturbances, too much Yang, disturbance in detoxification pathways, liver congestion, excess toxins

Emotional symptoms- anger, frustration, stress, suppressed emotions

Treatments- Acupuncture targets points along the liver meridian, unblocking stagnant Qi. Herbal remedies restore balance to liver Qi, and reducing alcohol, toxins, and stress while incorporating relaxing activities like meditation or yoga, can support optimal liver function.

3am-5am- Lungs/Metal/Yin:

Action- Deep sleep, dreams and memory, detox lungs

Physical symptoms- Respiratory issues, difficulty breathing, skin problems

Emotional symptoms- Grief, sadness, emotional suppression, unresolved loss

Treatments- If you wake regularly at this time, try breathing exercises to soothe your nerves. Also, keep warm to help the lungs replenish the body with oxygen. Acupuncture along the lung meridian opens airways and releases emotional tension. Herbal remedies can moisten and nourish the lungs. Deep breathing exercises, meditation, and journaling or counseling can help ease feelings of grief.

5am-7am- Large Intestines/Metal/Yang:

Action- Wake up, release bowls, meditate, elimination

Physical symptoms- Constipation, bloating, sluggish digestion, difficulty of letting go

Emotional symptoms- Stuckness, inability to let go, feeling overwhelmed, unable to release feelings from the past

Treatments- Brushing your hair can clear out energy from the mind. This practice can relieve emotions of defensiveness or being stuck. Acupuncture along the large intestine meridian can encourage elimination, both physical or emotional, and restore balance. Herbal formulas can regulate bowel movements. Increasing water intake, fiber intake, and incorporating emotional release practices like yoga or qigong can help you let go both emotionally and physically.

As the body sleeps, it goes through periods of rest, Yin, and wakeful expansion, Yang. Keeping these energies in balance is crucial for optimal bodily function. Proper sleep allows each organ to complete its necessary function, allows emotions to be properly processed, and keeps the body in harmony. Recognizing your sleep issues and their patterns can lead to understanding what is causing your unrest, and the TCM body clock is a straightforward guide to follow.

References

● https://yosan.edu/understanding-the-tcm-body-clock-why-you-keep-waking-up-at-4-am/

● https://www.rootandbones.com/blogs/news/the-importance-of-sleep-in-tcm

● wildearthacupuncture.com/blog/2024/3/22/what-traditional-chinese-medicine-says-abiut-sleep?srsltid=AfmBOopHVvZbas27tT8CaqaQhx3leLmVEr5XdEAZtAb9WWdk2BCgXKgM

● https://www.nirvananaturopathics.com/blog/traditional-chinese-organ-body-clock

Lives Passing By: The Meaning of Sonder

There’s a word that captures a feeling many of us have experienced without always knowing how to name it: sonder. It’s the quiet realization that every person around you is living a life just as complex, chaotic, and meaningful as your own.

We move through our days surrounded by strangers—at the grocery store, in classrooms, on sidewalks, in traffic—rarely stopping to consider the depth of the lives passing beside us. Yet every single person we encounter carries their own memories, emotions, worries, dreams, and stories. Each person has faced moments that shaped them in ways we may never see.

It’s something I often find myself wondering about: what people’s stories might be.

No two lives unfold in exactly the same way. While we can share ideas, opinions, and experiences, no person will ever truly mirror another. Everyone carries a unique combination of challenges and triumphs. For some people, a moment of trauma for one individual might be a daily reality for another. That contrast alone reveals just how different—and how layered—our lives can be.

Think about a classroom, for example. You might sit beside the same people every day for months or even years, yet still know almost nothing about what they’re navigating beyond those walls. The person on your right might have just been accepted into their dream school. The person on your left might be quietly coping with the loss of someone they love.

From my own experience, I’ve often been surprised when I finally learn pieces of someone’s story. The lives people carry beneath the surface can be far more complicated than we ever imagined.

Despite everything people face, life keeps moving. Everyone continues to show up—to school, to work, to family gatherings, to everyday responsibilities—no matter what they may be carrying internally. That resilience is part of what makes humanity so fascinating.

It’s also what allows people with vastly different stories to come together around shared beliefs or causes. At a protest, for example, some individuals may show up to support an issue they care about, while others are there because they are living that issue every single day. Their reasons may differ, but their voices meet in the same space.

One image I once saw captured this idea perfectly. It was a photograph taken from above of a crowded traffic jam—dozens of cars packed together on the road. Above each vehicle were words describing what the driver inside might be going through at that exact moment.

Of course, the descriptions were imagined, but the message was powerful.

One car might hold someone on the way to a life-changing job interview. The car beside them might carry someone who had just received a terminal diagnosis. Another might contain a parent rushing to pick up their child. Another, someone grieving quietly after devastating news. From the outside, every car looked the same. Inside, entire worlds were unfolding.

It’s easy to assume that people who appear confident, successful, or even flawless must have easy lives. But often, those who seem the most put together have endured struggles that shaped them in ways we can’t see.

Whether someone is experiencing homelessness or standing on a red carpet, we all share something fundamental: we are human.

Every person walking past you was once someone’s baby. Every person has felt joy, fear, heartbreak, hope. And every person carries thoughts and emotions that remain largely invisible to the world around them.

That’s why the concept of sonder is so powerful. It reminds us that we may never fully understand what someone else is going through. Even the people we see every day can remain strangers in many ways. And sometimes, even those closest to us may be carrying experiences we have yet to see. There are billions of people in this world. Each one is living a life filled with moments, memories, and meaning.

And every day, their lives pass quietly beside our own.

~Guest blog by Nadia Anderson

108 Beads for Meditating

Mala necklaces and bracelets are knotted strands of 108 beads used for manta chanting and meditation. Their recorded history dates back to the spiritual practices of Hinduism in ancient India, roughly 3,000 years ago. The Sanskrit word “mala” translates to garland, and the Anglo- Saxon word “bede”, or bead, means “prayer”. While first used in India, mala beads have spread across cultures and countries, religions and spiritualities. The Christian adaptation is the rosary, Islam has the misbaha or tasbih beads, and Sikhism has simarna beads, all with the similar spiritual purpose of mantra chanting. Necklaces have 108 beads and 1 guru bead, and bracelets have 18, 21, or 27 beads.

Symbolism of 108 Beads

The number 108 has many significant spiritual connections to Hinduism. The number itself represents completeness and universal wholeness. 108 is the universe’s spiritual foundation, representing the deep connection between the self and the cosmos. It is the basis of creation, that we are all one and the same with the universe and each other. Mantras are chanted 108 times because it is believed that each chant represents the spiritual journey from our physical form towards the God source within us. Each bead represents a single repetition of a manta, ensuring rhythmic concentration, spiritual discipline, and peaceful meditation. In Buddhism, the number 108 represents the perceived 108 human passions or feelings that impede self enlightenment, 36 of the past, 36 of the present, and 36 of the future. Modern use of the mala, while also rooted in the traditions, is also all about reminders of intentions, encouraging self awareness and encouragement, and bridging the mind and the spirit through the chanting of personal or religious mantras. The guru bead, or the slightly larger bead that ties the whole mala together, symbolizes the teacher, divine energy, or one’s higher self. It signifies the beginning and end of a meditative cycle. The tassel represents enlightenment and unity, where all threads converge. Many malas end with a talisman or charm, depending on the user's intention or preference.

Choosing Beads

The first malas were made of rudraksha seeds, believed in Hinduism to be the tears of Lord Shiva, symbolizing divine protection. Buddhists made their malas out of sandalwood and bodhi seeds, representing purity and mindfulness. Different materials hold different symbolic meanings. While amethyst promotes spiritual awareness, rose quartz fosters love and compassion. If making a mala, it is important to consider the metaphysical properties of the beads based on your intentions for the mala. It is also important to consider if you are making the mala for religious reasons where the traditional material is important, or if you are making it more as a reminder of personal intentions. The material you choose is deeply personal, and can connect you physically to your spiritual self.

How to Make a Mala

The first step is choosing the proper stone, wood, or metal. The most common and comfortable size is 8mm, or 6mm at the smallest. Then, you will need to decide if you want to hand knot your mala, or string them with wire. Each method offers a different tactile experience. Hand knotting is traditional, where there is a knot between each bead, allowing the user to maneuver the beads without them moving. When strung on a wire, the beads move freely. End your mala with a guru bead and tassel or talisman. The guru bead can be a traditional one consisting of a larger round bead with 3 holes followed by a smaller cone shaped tower bead, or just a larger bead that you feel is aesthetic with your other beads, or holds metaphysical significance. Lastly, attach your tassel in whatever color you like, or a talisman that is meaningful. The making of a mala necklace or bracelet can be a meditative experience in itself. Traditionally, makers would chant mantras while hand knotting to imbue the mala with intention and spiritual energy. Making your own can be an opportunity to sit quietly and contemplate your mantra, or an opportunity to be intentionally mindless by being mindful of rest. The beauty of malas is they are not just a religious tool, but a deeply personal expression of your connection to your mind, body, and spirit.

Whether you want to use a mala for religious or personal reasons, they are a beautiful physical manifestation of spiritual intention, mindfullness, and meditation. It is a fun exercise to self reflect and research which material resonates with you the most while on your spiritual journey, and can make the connection to your intention that much stronger.

Resources

● https://www.goldenlotusmala.com/pages/history-of-mala-beads?srsltid=AfmBOopN6cjkaw4ZCB-ijegIqYkMM75dQ37JbQjkW644MMlsxWpzAII

● https://www.goldenlotusmala.com/pages/how-to-choose-mala-beads

● https://omshivoham.com/blogs/blog/a-history-of-mala-beads?srsltid=AfmBOopZzL97KZ9Qj84RgVy96h_WJvof9kRVNv4Xb939pC48s5WpZpph