P. Sze 
Reset Your Circadian Rhythm with Time-Tested TCM Habits
If you’ve ever tried to fix a broken sleep schedule, you’ll know it can feel like chasing a moving train. One late night leads to another, and before you know it, your body clock is completely out of sync. You wake up groggy, reach for caffeine to keep going, and then struggle to wind down when night comes. Over time, this pattern leaves you feeling less rested, more irritable, and less focused during the day.
While sleep supplements might seem like a quick fix, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a gentler, more sustainable way to reset your rhythm—without pills. It’s not about “knocking yourself out” but about teaching your body to rest at the right time, in harmony with its natural patterns. The approach blends small daily habits, mindful rituals, and nourishing choices that work together to guide your body back into balance.
To guide us, we turned to our in-house TCM therapist, Ms. Mai, who shared practical, easy-to-try tips for realigning your sleep cycle while caring for your overall wellbeing.
Start with the Sun: Light as Your Morning Cue
“Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. In the morning, expose yourself to natural light—even through a window is fine. Even on cloudy or rainy days, just seeing the brightness outside is helpful.” — Ms. Mai
Morning light plays an important role in both TCM and modern sleep science. In TCM, it helps replenish the body’s daytime energy and sets the tone for an active, productive day. Physiologically, light exposure in the morning signals the brain to suppress melatonin—the hormone that makes you sleepy—and increase alertness hormones like cortisol. This early cue helps your body clock stay on track, making it easier to feel alert in the morning and naturally sleepy at night. Even if you can’t go outdoors right away, standing near a bright window for 10–15 minutes can help.
Warm Your Body Before Bed
“Taking a bath, doing some light stretching, or drinking a warm beverage (without caffeine or sugar) can help.” — Ms. Mai
Warming the body in the evening is more than just a comfort ritual—it’s a way of telling your system that it’s time to let go of the day. In TCM, gentle warmth encourages the smooth flow of Qi and blood, which helps the body relax. On a physical level, warming up before bed actually causes a small drop in core body temperature afterward, which is one of the body’s natural cues for sleep. A warm bath, gentle yoga, or a caffeine-free herbal drink, combined with dim lighting and a quiet atmosphere, can help the body transition smoothly into rest.
Press Pause with Acupressure
Acupressure works on both the mind and body, making it one of the most accessible tools for better sleep. Ms. Mai recommends three specific points to prepare your body for rest:
- Yongquan (KI-1): On the sole of the foot, between the second and third toes, just below the ball of the foot.
- Laogong (PC-8): In the center of the palm.
- Baihui (GV-20): At the crown of the head.
“Press each point gently while taking a deep breath. After one deep breath, release your hand, then press again while breathing deeply. Repeat this cycle three times for each point.” — Ms. Mai
While TCM sees acupressure as stimulating the flow of energy along meridians, studies suggest it can calm the nervous system, slow the heart rate, and reduce muscle tension. Doing this while breathing deeply not only enhances relaxation but also creates a mental “pause” that separates the busyness of the day from the stillness of the night.
Eat to Soothe, Not to Stimulate
“Shellfish such as oysters, shijimi clams, and asari clams are great for calming the mind and boosting vitality. Try incorporating them into soups for dinner.” — Ms. Mai
In TCM, certain foods nourish the heart and calm the mind, making rest come more naturally. Shellfish, for example, are valued for their calming effect, and they also happen to be rich in magnesium and B vitamins—nutrients known to help muscles relax and support melatonin production. Eating them earlier in the evening allows time for digestion before bed, while the warmth of a soup provides gentle comfort. In the final hour before sleep, lighter options like chamomile or lavender tea are ideal. Chamomile contains apigenin, a plant compound that binds to brain receptors that promote sleepiness, while lavender is often used to ease restlessness.
Why Sleep Cycles Matter
“During the day, the body replenishes Yang energy, while at night, it replenishes Yin. If insomnia continues, it can lead to a deficiency of Yin—known as Yin deficiency—which disrupts this balance.” — Ms. Mai
The TCM view of Yin and Yang aligns with the body’s circadian rhythm—a roughly 24-hour cycle that governs when we feel awake and when we feel tired. Disrupting this rhythm through inconsistent schedules, late-night screens, or chronic stress can delay melatonin release and interfere with the natural repair processes that happen during sleep. Restoring a regular cycle of activity and rest gives the body the chance to repair and recharge more effectively, improving not just sleep but mood, energy, and resilience.
Address the Root Cause, Not Just the Symptom
“Daily stress, physical tension, and poor circulation of Qi and blood may be contributing factors. Frequent nighttime urination can also be caused by alcohol consumption, sensitivity to cold, or age-related decline in kidney function.” — Ms. Mai
Sleep difficulties often have causes beyond “just insomnia.” Stress can keep the nervous system stuck in high gear, preventing the body from entering rest mode. Physical tension, poor circulation, or habits like late-night alcohol can lead to frequent awakenings. Identifying and addressing these issues often leads to deeper, more restorative sleep than simply spending more time in bed.
Use Breath as Your Bridge to Rest
“Incorporating deep breathing while pressing acupressure points such as Yongquan, Laogong, and Baihui, or while doing gentle stretches, can be very beneficial.” — Ms. Mai
Slow, deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps shift the body into a calmer, parasympathetic state. Combined with acupressure or gentle stretching, it can quiet the mind, relax muscles, and prepare you to drift off more easily. Even a few minutes of this practice can make a noticeable difference in how quickly you fall asleep and how deeply you rest.
Rethink the “More Sleep Is Better” Myth
“The ideal sleep duration is around 7 to 8 hours. If you still feel tired after that, it’s important to focus on improving the quality of your sleep.” — Ms. Mai
More hours in bed don’t always mean better rest. Oversleeping can be a sign of low-quality sleep, where the body isn’t moving effectively through its deep, restorative stages. Both too little and too much sleep have been linked to lower energy and mood disturbances. The focus should be on creating the right conditions for high-quality sleep—consistent routines, a comfortable sleep environment, and calming evening habits.
Your TCM-Inspired Sleep Reset Plan
- Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.
- Get natural light within an hour of waking.
- Warm your body in the evening with a bath, stretches, or a warm caffeine-free drink.
- Spend 5 minutes on acupressure—Yongquan, Laogong, Baihui—paired with deep breathing.
- Choose calming dinner options like shellfish soup earlier in the evening; sip herbal tea before bed.
- Use slow breathing to release tension before sleep.
Final thought: Resetting your sleep cycle is less about forcing yourself to sleep and more about realigning your body with its natural rhythm. TCM offers gentle, time-tested habits, while modern understanding of the body explains why they work—together, they make restful nights easier to reclaim.
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