Among those who usually suffer from insomnia,
- Many report that although falling asleep is quick, they wake up multiple times during sleep, or
- They can only sleep for one or two hours and find it difficult to fall back asleep.
- This pattern is called “sleep maintenance insomnia,”
- And it is also a type commonly experienced by people who have many thoughts and rising heat in the head.
1) When Stress and Worries Increase, What Happens to the Body and Brain?
Excessive thinking → Stagnation of the Heart and Spleen → Heat rises to the head
In Korean medicine,
- Excessive thinking (思慮過多): Overabundant worry, anxiety, and thought
- Because of this, the Heart (心) and Spleen (脾) become stagnated, impeding the smooth circulation of qi and blood, and
- When a state arises where heat (fire, 火) surges up to the brain, the mind (spirit) easily becomes agitated or fails to find calm, which is viewed as leading to insomnia.
In other words,
“Sleep can come only when the heat in the head subsides,
but when worries repeat in the mind, the brain tilts toward arousal mode instead of rest mode, thereby interfering with deep sleep.”
2) Actual Consultation: “Is the Reason I Can't Sleep Perhaps Due to an 'Overthinking Personality'?”
One female patient (in her 50s, an office worker):
- Had rather severe insomnia, occurring about 80–90% of the days in a month.
- Falling asleep was fine, but she would wake up after 2–3 hours, or frequently wake up before 4 a.m.
- Looking into the reasons,
- Workplace stress: Discord with colleagues
- Family stress: Caring for a father with dementia, children's career and independence issues
- Decreased physical stamina: Weight loss after a recent bout of the flu
As such, big and small worries did not leave her mind,
so even during the night, thoughts did not rest and the brain entered a state of 'heat', interfering with deep sleep.
3) “Can Insomnia Be Solved Merely with Sleeping Pills?”
- In Western medicine, when sleep deprivation is severe, sleeping pills may be prescribed, or
- Supplements such as melatonin may be used, but
- Fundamentally, unless “why thoughts have increased” and “what stress is causing heat in the head” are resolved,
- There are many cases where dependence on sleeping pills repeats.
From a Korean medicine perspective,
- For the body to calmly relax, it is seen that treatment is needed to lower the 'heat' gathered in the brain (head) downward,
- Relieve stagnation of the Heart and Spleen (emotional pressure), and
- Enable the rhythm of brain hormone secretion (melatonin, serotonin, etc.) to return to a stable state.
4) Direction of Korean Medicine Treatment: “Comforting the Heart (心) and Spleen (脾), Lowering Heat in the Head”
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion:
- Needling acupuncture points that mainly lower heat toward the head and support relief of chest tightness or digestive function.
- Helps relax a tense body and cool internal heat
2. Herbal Medicine Prescription:
- Combining medicinal herbs that soothe states of anxiety from overthinking and distress in the chest.
- Functions to tonify the Heart (心) and Spleen (脾), and cool heat rising to the head and chest.
- Balances the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters, contributing to inducing natural sleep.
3. Mindset and Lifestyle Coaching:
- The habit of organizing worries before sleep. (e.g., taking brief notes, meditation, etc.)
- Conscious efforts to reduce excessive worrying, and counseling to explore the possibility of problem-solving.
- Regulating excessive daytime arousal and stress factors to guide the brain into switching to 'rest mode' at night.
5) “Connected to brain hormone (melatonin) issues as well… Why?”
- When there are many thoughts, cortisol (stress hormone) is secreted excessively → melatonin (sleep hormone) secretion decreases.
- When heat rises to the head, the autonomic nervous system enters an excited state → the balance of brain-stabilizing substances such as serotonin and GABA is also disrupted.
- It can be seen that when Korean medicine treatment relieves heart-spleen stagnation and calms brain arousal, melatonin secretion naturally recovers, helping with sound sleep.
6) Conclusion: “Insomnia, resolving ‘excessive contemplation’ is the key!”
- When “a personality prone to many thoughts” and “situations with endless concerns to solve” continue, heat rises to the head, making it easy for insomnia to develop.
- Rather than forcing sleep with sleeping pills alone, the approach is to help naturally restore (1) relieving heart-spleen stagnation, (2) lowering head heat, and (3) brain hormone balance through a Korean medicine approach.
“The habit of pondering deeply disrupts sleep if it follows you to bed.”
- Body: Balancing "heat-cold" with acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine, and replenishing vitality
- Mind: Using psychological counseling or stress management techniques if necessary
- Lifestyle: Training to leave 'worries for tomorrow' before bed (brief notes, reassurance routines, etc.)
Ultimately, insomnia is resolved only when both the brain and body rest at the same time.
Only when excessive thoughts (excessive contemplation) disappear can the heart (心) and spleen (脾) also become comfortable, and brain hormones (melatonin, etc.) can fulfill their roles properly.
“Tonight as well, if it is hard to brush off your thoughts…”
Even this person, who struggled saying they had restless sleep for more than 80–90% of a month,
lowered the heat concentrated in the head through Korean medicine treatment and lifestyle habit adjustments,
and when combined with stress management, gradually began to find "deep sleep again."
As sleep is an important element that accounts for 1/3 of life,
if your head is complicated with various concerns, rather than seeking only sleeping pills, consider help from Korean medicine as well.
“The starting point of insomnia is ‘excessive contemplation’,
the solution is ‘lowering the heat rising to the head and finding peace of mind.’”