According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, chronic sleep disorders are usually caused by a Yin-Yang imbalance resulting from disruption to the flow of energy in your body. This energy is called Qi and it is believed to be everywhere on Earth. When you’re in good physical condition, Qi is flowing freely through your body, but if you have health problems, there’s probably a Qi blockage in a certain internal organ that may wake you up during the night.

We at Bright Side found out how our body works in the eyes of Chinese medical practitioners and what could be the reason why we’re waking up at the same time every night.

What is the Chinese Meridian Clock?

The Chinese Organ Body Clock assumes that Qi circulates through the twelve principal meridians in your body related to certain internal organs. This cycle usually takes 24 hours while each of your body’s systems are given 2 hours of Qi charge time.

At night Qi is drawn inward in order to recharge our bodies. So if your sleep is always disrupted at a particular time, there’s probably an imbalance in one of your organ systems because the energy can’t pass through it, which makes you wake up.

21:00-23:00 — Thyroid

During the early stages of sleep, our endocrine system rebalances itself and our blood vessels become more active. This means that any health problems associated with the immune system, thyroid, adrenal glands, or metabolism could keep you awake.

Difficulty with falling asleep during this time may also be a sign of excess stress and worry during the day. To improve the quality of your sleep at this stage, you can practice meditation, do bedtime yoga, or successive muscle tension and relaxation exercises.

23:00-01:00 — Gallbladder

Your gallbladder produces bile, which is needed for digestion and absorption to break down all the fat you’ve consumed during the day. Waking up during this time could mean that you probably have gall stones or that you need to adjust your fat intake and eat more healthy oils.

The gallbladder is also associated with emotional disappointment, poor self-esteem, bitterness, and resentment. So in order to get back to sleep, you should practice unconditional self-acceptance and forgiveness toward others.

01:00-03:00 — Liver

During this time, your body cleans itself out, removing waste materials from blood and other tissues, that’s why waking up at this part of the night could mean that your liver has too many toxins to deal with. To help it perform its functions properly, try to drink more pure water and cut down on alcohol and caffeine.

Waking up during this time could also mean that you’re full of negative emotions like anger, frustration, guilt, and rage which have to be resolved if you want to restore your sleep to normal.

03:00-05:00 — Lungs

Your lungs are the first organs that start filling with Qi by collecting oxygen and moving it to all the other systems in preparation for a new day. If you keep waking up during the period from 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM and have symptoms like cough, sneezing, or nasal congestion, this may indicate that you have excess mucus or a poor diet.

Lungs are also connected to the emotions of sadness and grief, so waking up at this time could be a sign that you need to let go of these feelings. In this case, doing some breathing exercises may help you sleep better.

05:00-07:00 — Large intestine

During this time of the morning, the energy flow is concentrated in your large intestine that clears waste from your body. If there’s an imbalance in this organ, you may experience constipation, weight gain, or even premature aging. To make your large intestine work properly and to regulate your sleep cycle, you should stretch your muscles, drink plenty of water, and use the bathroom after waking up.

This time is also associated with emotional blockages, the feeling of being stuck, defensive, or impatient about your life. So constant waking up may be a sign that you need to let go of all your emotional burdens.

And how often do you wake up in the middle of the night? Do you think that your meridian clock works properly? Share your opinions in the comments!

Illustrated by Ekaterina Gapanovich for BrightSide.me