You are suffering from insomnia if you take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. There are two types of insomnia - acute (one night or lasting a few weeks) or chronic (more than three times a week for at least three months). 

With prolonged period of poor sleep quality, you will start to experience the following symptoms:

• Waking up during the night
• Waking up too early
• Still feeling fatigued after a night's sleep
• Irritability, depression or anxiety
• Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
• Increased errors or accidents
• Ongoing worries about sleep

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, insomnia is mainly caused by the imbalance of qi and blood, the imbalance of yin and yang, and the failure of yang to enter yin. The TCM root cause of insomnia is the heart, which is closely related to the liver, spleen and kidney. 

Night Wellness Tea

This tea, which entails warm herbal properties is specially designed for those with a deficiency in qi, blood or yang. These three herbs help to replenish blood and yang by travelling down the meridians of the spleen and liver. Red dates and longan meats are known to contain large amounts of vitamin C, therefore boosting immunity and improving skin condition. Did you also know that research studies have also shown that longan extract has anxiolytic activity which can prolong sleep time?

Calming Night Tea

In TCM, insomnia can also be caused by yin deficiency or heatiness within the body. This then leads to symptoms of thirst, bad breath and dry skin condition. As such, this tea contains peppermint tea which has a cooling effect on liver fire and yin deficiency. Peppermint is also widely used for pain management, oral and skincare due to its active component - menthol. In TCM, the combined fragrance of peppermint, lavender and jasmine has a calming effect on the mind, helping you to get a more peaceful and deeper sleep.

Metabolism Booster Tea

In the TCM world, a poor digestive system (related to the TCM physiological functions of stomach and spleen) can also lead to insomnia. This is exacerbated especially after a heavy meal which may cause symptoms of discomfort and bloatedness. To relieve your indigestion and aid in your sleep, opt for Metabolism Booster Tea one hour before bedtime. This tea which contains ingredients such as hawthorn and roselle herbs help in improving your digestion and blood circulation. This then prevents the buildup of “bad” cholesterol, reducing the risk of diabetics and high blood pressure.