In the practice of Chinese Medicine vivid dreams are more than just nighttime stories, they are a reflection of your body's internal balance or imbalance.
Why do Vivid dreams occur?
Vivid dreams are closely related to the state of the Shen translated as the spirit or mind which resides in the Heart. When the Shen is disturbed, it can manifest in our sleep as vivid or disturbing dreams.
Possible causes of vivid dreams:
You may have a Heart fire imbalance that occurs when there is excessive heat in the Heart often due to stress, anxiety or overthinking. This distrurbs the Shen leading to vivid dreams or nightmares.
You might have stagnant energy in the body - this can happen from repressed emotions or frustration generating heat that ascends and disturbs the Shen.
You might have phlegm in the body - an accumulation of dampness and heat in the body, usually from a poor diet that includes processed foods and refined sugars or digestive issues that can obstruct the flow of Qi leading to dream disturbed sleep.
You may have Yin deficiency - Yin is the cooling and nourishing aspect of the body, if this is lacking, the Yang will be in excess and can cause heat in the Heart and Shen, leading to restless sleep.
4 Tips for a peaceful sleep without vivid dreams
Nourish the Heart Yin: incorporate foods that are cooling and nourishing to the Yin such as millet, barley, black bean, blackberry, mulberry, blueberry, wheat germ, black sesame seed, crab, clam, eggs. Also incorporate herbal teas like chamomile or chrysanthenum tea into your daily routine to help calm your mind and body.
Balance your emotions: practice stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, Qi gong, journaling, and have regular acupuncture treatments to process the emotions that come up daily. Don't keep them in!
Regulate Liver Qi: avoid alcohol and spicy foods that exacerbate Liver qi stagnation. Instead, include leafy greens vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, courgettes and drink dandelion tea to help soothe the Liver.
Establish a calming nighttime routine: create a consistent sleep schedule to regulate your body's internal clock.
Engage in relaxing activities before bed, such as reading a book or taking a warm bath and avoid stimulating activities, such as watching TV or using electronic devices, close to bedtime.
Do you have any questions after reading this blog? Email us and we will be happy to assist you.
Wishing you a peaceful night sleep,
Nicoletta
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