Back
【 How Sleep Powers Immunity and Performance 】
You’re always striving for the next goal, pushing hard to achieve more. But what if the edge you’re seeking isn’t in another late night of work, but in your sleep?
Sleep isn’t just downtime—it’s when your body does some of its most important work.
Sleep in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, Sleep is the natural healing process of Yang entering Yin, regulating the internal balance of Yin and Yang in the body.
Sleep is considered the harmonious result of the body's Yin and Yang balance. Yang governs wakefulness, while Yin governs sleep. After a day's activities, Yang energy is depleted. During nighttime sleep, Yang energy is restored within the body, and the abundance of Yin energy allows for peaceful slumber.
Sleep is crucial for restoring your Qi, recharge your health
During the Zi Shi (11 PM to 1 AM), the Gallbladder Meridian is active, which is also the time when Yin energy is at its peak during the day. It is crucial to enter a deep sleep state during this time so that Yang energy can be nurtured, allowing the Gallbladder and Liver to detoxify effectively. The body undergoes essential repairs and operations during this period to ensure that one can greet the new day's work with full vitality. TCM recommends falling asleep during the Zi Shi and achieving deep sleep during this period.
Qi is the vital energy needed to keep your immune system strong
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the underlying mechanism of insomnia is "Yang not entering Yin." When the body is in a state of excessive Yang, excitement, it becomes difficult to rest peacefully. Prolonged insufficient sleep can lead to excessive depletion of Qi and blood, while Yin fluid, essence, and blood are not adequately replenished, resulting in a state of Yin and Yang imbalance characterized by Qi deficiency, fluid damage, Yin deficiency, and blood insufficiency. When the body's Yin and Yang are imbalanced, and Qi and blood are insufficient, resilience and immunity decrease, making you more susceptible to illness and stress.
The Science Behind Sleep
Deep sleep is when your body produces essential immune proteins called cytokines. These proteins help protect you from infections, reduce inflammation, and repair your body from the daily grind. Lack of sleep means fewer cytokines, weakening your defenses.
Moreover, insufficient sleep can also reduce the activity of the immune system cells.
In the innate immune system, natural killer cells (also known as NK cells or large granular lymphocytes) are a type of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) and are one of the most important members. Natural killer cells can eliminate cells infected by pathogens in the body, monitor the growth of malignant cells, and play a crucial role in combating cancer cells. A study on sleep deprivation found that compared to those who had sufficient sleep, individuals who slept only 4 hours in a single night experienced a significant decrease in the activity of their natural killer cells by nearly 70%.
It can be seen that in the case of insufficient sleep, our immune system may miss the optimal window to defend against viruses due to decreased activity, thereby being unable to effectively protect our bodies from pathogen harm.
Irwin MR, Mascovich A, Gillin JC, Willoughby R, Pike J, Smith TL [1994]. Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in humans. Psychosom Med 56(6):493-498.
How Poor Sleep Hurts Your Decision-Making
The benefits of sleep go beyond immunity. Your ability to think clearly, make smart decisions, and stay sharp under pressure all depend on the quality of your rest.
The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of the brain is an essential region responsible for controlling behavior and emotions. It manages weighing consequences of events, establishing future goals and expectations, and making judgments on the quality of things. Additionally, it helps you control impulses. However, when sleep is insufficient, this region is adversely affected, leading to increased distractibility, impulsive behavior, a lack of creativity and information integration abilities. Simultaneously, you may become less willing to take risks, thereby weakening decision-making abilities in social and work settings.
Lack of sleep can make you more prone to losing emotional regulation abilities, making it harder to rationally assess situations and choose appropriate solutions. Conversely, adequate sleep enhances self-control, making individuals less likely to resort to criticism or violent behavior.
Lack of sleep can elevate stress levels. Research indicates that just one night of insufficient sleep can lead to a 37% increase in the stress hormone cortisol the following day, while a full night of sleep deprivation can result in a 45% surge in this hormone. Prolonged elevation of cortisol levels in the body can trigger a range of health issues, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar levels, hair loss, obesity, and even chronic insomnia.
Better sleep means sharper decisions, and fewer sick days. When you’re well-rested, you can approach challenges with more focus, energy, and resilience
Gangwisch JE, Malaspina D, Boden-Albala B, Heymsfield SB. Inadequate sleep as a risk factor for obesity: analyses of the NHANES I. Sleep. 2005
So, if you’re looking to gain a real edge, start with your sleep. The better you rest, the higher you’ll rise.
Learn more about how quality sleep can enhance both your health and performance by follow us and discover our website today.
Back
【 How Sleep Powers Immunity and Performance 】
You’re always striving for the next goal, pushing hard to achieve more. But what if the edge you’re seeking isn’t in another late night of work, but in your sleep?
Sleep isn’t just downtime—it’s when your body does some of its most important work.
Sleep in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, Sleep is the natural healing process of Yang entering Yin, regulating the internal balance of Yin and Yang in the body.
Sleep is considered the harmonious result of the body's Yin and Yang balance. Yang governs wakefulness, while Yin governs sleep. After a day's activities, Yang energy is depleted. During nighttime sleep, Yang energy is restored within the body, and the abundance of Yin energy allows for peaceful slumber.
Sleep is crucial for restoring your Qi, recharge your health
During the Zi Shi (11 PM to 1 AM), the Gallbladder Meridian is active, which is also the time when Yin energy is at its peak during the day. It is crucial to enter a deep sleep state during this time so that Yang energy can be nurtured, allowing the Gallbladder and Liver to detoxify effectively. The body undergoes essential repairs and operations during this period to ensure that one can greet the new day's work with full vitality. TCM recommends falling asleep during the Zi Shi and achieving deep sleep during this period.
Qi is the vital energy needed to keep your immune system strong
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the underlying mechanism of insomnia is "Yang not entering Yin." When the body is in a state of excessive Yang, excitement, it becomes difficult to rest peacefully. Prolonged insufficient sleep can lead to excessive depletion of Qi and blood, while Yin fluid, essence, and blood are not adequately replenished, resulting in a state of Yin and Yang imbalance characterized by Qi deficiency, fluid damage, Yin deficiency, and blood insufficiency. When the body's Yin and Yang are imbalanced, and Qi and blood are insufficient, resilience and immunity decrease, making you more susceptible to illness and stress.
The Science Behind Sleep
Deep sleep is when your body produces essential immune proteins called cytokines. These proteins help protect you from infections, reduce inflammation, and repair your body from the daily grind. Lack of sleep means fewer cytokines, weakening your defenses.
Moreover, insufficient sleep can also reduce the activity of the immune system cells.
In the innate immune system, natural killer cells (also known as NK cells or large granular lymphocytes) are a type of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) and are one of the most important members. Natural killer cells can eliminate cells infected by pathogens in the body, monitor the growth of malignant cells, and play a crucial role in combating cancer cells. A study on sleep deprivation found that compared to those who had sufficient sleep, individuals who slept only 4 hours in a single night experienced a significant decrease in the activity of their natural killer cells by nearly 70%.
It can be seen that in the case of insufficient sleep, our immune system may miss the optimal window to defend against viruses due to decreased activity, thereby being unable to effectively protect our bodies from pathogen harm.
Irwin MR, Mascovich A, Gillin JC, Willoughby R, Pike J, Smith TL [1994]. Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in humans. Psychosom Med 56(6):493-498.
How Poor Sleep Hurts Your Decision-Making
The benefits of sleep go beyond immunity. Your ability to think clearly, make smart decisions, and stay sharp under pressure all depend on the quality of your rest.
The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of the brain is an essential region responsible for controlling behavior and emotions. It manages weighing consequences of events, establishing future goals and expectations, and making judgments on the quality of things. Additionally, it helps you control impulses. However, when sleep is insufficient, this region is adversely affected, leading to increased distractibility, impulsive behavior, a lack of creativity and information integration abilities. Simultaneously, you may become less willing to take risks, thereby weakening decision-making abilities in social and work settings.
Lack of sleep can make you more prone to losing emotional regulation abilities, making it harder to rationally assess situations and choose appropriate solutions. Conversely, adequate sleep enhances self-control, making individuals less likely to resort to criticism or violent behavior.
Lack of sleep can elevate stress levels. Research indicates that just one night of insufficient sleep can lead to a 37% increase in the stress hormone cortisol the following day, while a full night of sleep deprivation can result in a 45% surge in this hormone. Prolonged elevation of cortisol levels in the body can trigger a range of health issues, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar levels, hair loss, obesity, and even chronic insomnia.
Better sleep means sharper decisions, and fewer sick days. When you’re well-rested, you can approach challenges with more focus, energy, and resilience
Gangwisch JE, Malaspina D, Boden-Albala B, Heymsfield SB. Inadequate sleep as a risk factor for obesity: analyses of the NHANES I. Sleep. 2005
So, if you’re looking to gain a real edge, start with your sleep. The better you rest, the higher you’ll rise.
Learn more about how quality sleep can enhance both your health and performance by follow us and discover our website today.
