After Bailu, let’s talk about sleep

This is the 4564th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Sweet fruits gather in the white dew, and horses scatter in the early morning.

The garden is connected with rocks and trees, and the boat crosses into the river.

Lean on the table and watch the fish having fun, whip the whip and hurry the birds to roost.

I gradually realize the beauty of autumn fruits, and I believe there are many paths in the secluded paths.

This is a poem written by Du Fu, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, about the White Dew season. White Dew is the 15th solar term in the "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" and the third solar term in autumn. "Collected Explanations of the Seventy-Two Solar Terms in the Lunar Calendar" states: "Water and soil moisture condenses into dew. Autumn belongs to gold, gold is white, white is the color of dew, and the air begins to get cold." White Dew comes from ancient farming culture, implying that during the White Dew season, there will be more dew on the vegetation. The arrival of the White Dew solar term marks the official start of autumn. The heat of summer gradually subsides, replaced by the cool and pleasant autumn.

“On the night of White Dew and Autumnal Equinox, the temperature gets cooler each night.” After the White Dew solar term, the temperature begins to drop and the weather gradually turns cooler. At this time, the temperature difference between day and night is the largest in the year. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that this is a critical period for the transformation of yin and yang.

Traditional Chinese medicine adheres to the Taoist philosophy of following nature, and advocates that people should adjust their work and rest patterns and physical and mental activities according to the changes of yin and yang in the four seasons, and summarizes the principle of "spring growth, summer growth, autumn harvest, winter storage" to adjust the spirit in the four seasons, so as to achieve the effect of synchronization and harmonious resonance with heaven and earth, which is the so-called "unity of man and nature". Although "Liqiu" means the beginning of autumn, it still feels "hot" at this time. It is not until the "White Dew" season that we can truly experience the meaning of "autumn coolness", and there is a saying that "don't expose your body during the White Dew".

"The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" states: "The third month of autumn is called Rongping. The weather is urgent and the ground is bright. Go to bed early and get up early, and wake up with the cocks. Calm the mind to ease the punishment of autumn, restrain the spirit, make the autumn air peaceful, do not let your mind wander, and clear the lungs. This is the response to autumn air and the way to nourish and store."

1. Keep a regular schedule

“Go to bed early and get up early, and wake up with the rooster” means that one should have a regular daily routine in autumn. Go to bed early to comply with the contraction of Yang Qi, and get up early to allow the lung Qi to expand and prevent excessive contraction.

2. Adjust your mindset

"Calm your mind and ease the punishment of autumn." The harshness of the natural environment in autumn can easily make people feel sad and depressed. During the change of seasons, keep your mind stable and cultivate an optimistic mood to improve your sleep.

3. Pay attention to your diet

Pay attention to nourishing yin and moistening dryness in diet. Choose more yellow and white foods, such as millet, corn, pumpkin, pear, citrus, persimmon, etc. After entering autumn, the rain gradually decreases, the weather becomes cooler and the climate becomes dry, which is very easy to cause autumn dryness. You can eat more white fungus, lily, lotus seeds, lotus roots, yam, honey, etc. to nourish yin and moisten the lungs. Try to eat less spicy foods such as garlic and ginger that help yang. But everything has two sides. Excessive consumption of so-called "sleep-aiding" foods in order to get a better sleep will not only affect digestion, but also affect sleep quality, and increase the risk of other diseases.

Author: Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Shi YangDeputy Chief Physician

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