What are the symptoms of insomnia due to Yin deficiency and internal heat?

Yin deficiency and internal heat is a common manifestation of physical weakness, which is caused by the lack of Yin fluid in the body. Patients will show symptoms of irritability, dry mouth, pulse rate, dry stool, yellow urine, dry cough and little sputum, etc. In addition, sleep at night will be very poor, and they may suffer from night sweats, etc. In severe cases, they may even have insomnia symptoms. If this continues for a long time, it will seriously affect their physical and mental health.

1. Etiology and pathogenesis

The main function of Yin, in addition to nourishing and moistening the organs and tissues, is to restrain Yang to prevent it from being exposed. Yang energy is characterized by heat, movement, and rising, while Yin energy is characterized by cold, stillness, and descending. If the Yin is deficient and unable to restrain the Yang, the body will experience a state of deficiency-heat with Yang being excessive, the so-called "Yin deficiency causes internal heat." The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine states: "After the age of forty, the yin energy is halved." As we age, or after a fever, or through excessive sexual intercourse, our true yin is easily depleted.

Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire is a type of virtual fire, which is mostly caused by deficiency of essence and blood, severe damage to yin fluid, yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity, which will lead to endogenous virtual heat and virtual fire. Generally, internal heat due to yin deficiency is often accompanied by systemic signs of deficiency-heat. However, when Yin is deficient and fire is excessive, the clinical symptoms of heat are often concentrated in a certain part of the body. For example, toothache, sore throat, dry mouth and lips, bone steaming and hot flashes, red cheeks, dry and hard stools, and short and red urine caused by yin deficiency are all caused by the ascending of virtual fire.

2. Clinical manifestations

Yin deficiency and excessive fire often have a slow onset and a long course of illness. Its main clinical features are fever in the five hearts, red cheeks, insomnia, night sweats, dry mouth and throat, dizziness, tinnitus, red tongue with little coating, and thin pulse.

The syndrome of Yin deficiency and excess of fire can be focused on different organs. Clinically, it is mainly characterized by diseases of the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. The main symptoms are dry throat and mouth, irritability, hot flashes, a red tongue with cracks, no or little coating, and a thin and rapid pulse. Or symptoms of heart fire such as frequent dreams at night, palpitations, short and dark urine; or symptoms of liver fire such as headache, flushed face, dry and painful eyes, bitter taste in the mouth, dry and hard stool, and stringy pulse; or symptoms of lung fire such as dry cough with little sputum and blood in the sputum; or hot flashes with bones, red cheeks and rising fire, accompanied by dizziness, back pain and fatigue, etc., male spermatorrhea, and even erectile dysfunction, and female nocturnal intercourse and other symptoms of kidney fire. The fire of each organ can appear alternately.