Sleep disorder refers to a relapse state of inertia and unresponsiveness. During sleep, the level of consciousness decreases or disappears, and most physiological activities and reactions enter an inert state. Through sleep, tired nerve cells can recover their normal physiological functions and recover their mental and physical strength. During sleep, the secretion of growth hormone in the anterior pituitary gland is obviously increased, which is beneficial to promote the growth of the body, increase the synthesis of nucleoprotein and store memories. Sleep disorder refers to the abnormality of sleep quantity and quality or some clinical symptoms during sleep, such as decreased sleep or excessive sleep, sleepwalking and so on.

It is found that the tail end of brain stem has a very important relationship with sleep, and it is considered as the center of sleep. Various irritating lesions in this area lead to excessive sleep, while destructive lesions lead to insufficient sleep. In addition, it is also found that the central nervous system is involved in sleep, stimulating serotonin neurons or injecting serotonin acid can produce non-REM sleep, while giving serotonin antagonists can produce sleep reduction. REM sleep decreased with norepinephrine antagonist, but increased with norepinephrine agonist.

1. Treating from five internal organs

Some scholars believe that the etiology and pathogenesis of insomnia are mainly manifested in the liver, spleen and five zang-organs. Advocate the holistic view of "insomnia of all the five internal organs", treat it from the liver, give consideration to other internal organs, make a syndrome differentiation and treatment system, and formulate a syndrome differentiation and treatment plan for insomnia.

2. Treat mentally and emotionally.

Mental emotions are closely related to insomnia. Insomnia can be divided into three types: worry type, suspicious type, nervous type and depression type. The methods of clearing away heat and purging fire, soothing the liver and lowering adverse flow, nourishing yin and clearing heat, regulating qi and relieving depression, clearing heart and calming nerves, and regulating liver and spleen were used to treat insomnia, and good results were achieved.

3. From circadian rhythm treatment

Sleep is a physiological activity with circadian rhythm, and insomnia is the result of this normal sleep-wake rhythm disorder. Following this rule, the author puts forward that the treatment of insomnia should be tailored to the time.

4. Treating from the intersection of heart and kidney

All insomnia is caused by "fire does not return to the source", and all treatment schemes need to return to the problem of "fire leads to the source, and the heart and kidney intersect". Insomnia can be divided into five types: liver-qi stagnation type, kidney essence deficiency type, heart-fire exuberance type, meridian stasis type and phlegm-dampness block type.

5. Treating from Liver and Spleen

Many causes and pathogenesis of insomnia are related to the imbalance of liver and spleen. The choice of traditional Chinese medicine for insomnia should be based on syndrome differentiation and treatment, with emphasis on regulating liver and spleen.