In Part 1 I discussed the basic concept of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ‘Meridian Clock’ and how it can give you insight into why you are waking up at the same time each night. As I mentioned before, the 12 meridians that sit within the clock have many responsibilities, pathways of energy and connections to different aspects of being: your mind, emotions, body and spirit. When we are in balance, each meridian is flowing and not expressing dis-ease. Let’s now look further into this incredibly useful wisdom.
Is it an aspect of your life that wakes you up at night?
Maybe you’re a bit stuck and you don’t know what to do next? Or you’re waking up early and are caught in a mental loop of guilt over some kind of loss – a relationship, lack of happiness, a job. Often we don’t even realise our feelings or behaviours until they’re pointed out to us. The key responsibilities (aspects of life) connected to each meridian is another useful avenue to self-understanding.
Following on from the basic emotions of the elements (Why You Wake Up At The Same Time Every Night Part 1) are the key responsibilities to each meridian. When I’m working with clients I find a pattern of blockages between particular meridians. From this, I can see a picture of behaviour or areas of their life that are not working so well. Remember we’re talking about sleep and when you’re waking up, so use Part 1 to help you find which meridian you need to focus on for self-reflection.
Meridians and their key responsibilities
The following table describes the basic responsibilities for each of the 12 meridians.
- Stomach – Nourishment of others; nourishment from outside
- Spleen – Nourishment of self in every way
- Heart – Connection to your spirit; circulation of Qi (energy); heart and mind working as one
- Small Intestine – Communication (speaking, listening); perception; truth
- Bladder – When to use our resources; being controlling
- Kidney – Reproduction and creating things in life; our resources
- Pericardium (aka Sex/Circulation) – Intimate relationships; protecting your heart; healthy boundaries
- Triple Heater – Non-intimate relationships; social aspects
- Gall Bladder – Determination and decision making; action
- Liver – Internal plans; the vision for life
- Lung – Barrier (skin) to the outside world; understanding what is of true value
- Large Intestine – Letting go of impurities (of emotions and beliefs, past experiences) ; holding on to what is of value
Of course, some sleeping problems stem from the inability to even fall asleep at night; dreaded insomnia. Do you find yourself helplessly awake watching the bedside clock tick loudly over to midnight with your mind ticking away even louder? Midnight places you in Gall Bladder meridian energy (11pm – 1am) and the Wood element. Ask yourself “am I stuck and not making a decision about something or acting upon it?”, “have I lost perspective?”
Extending the use of the clock beyond sleep
There are many patterns and signs in our lives; you just need to have your eyes open to see them. For example: anxiety around 4pm, headaches late at night, or a sore lower back before dinner time.
Your body is speaking to you in the only way it can by turning your attention away from the external world and inwards toward you. With the transferable knowledge of TCM you can use the clock for any time of day, not just sleeping problems.
If you would like to know more about the key responsibilities of each meridian (as there are many more than those mentioned in Part 1 and 2) check out Acupuncture.com.au.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep at night, have a look at my article in the Sanctuary of Sleep series Part One Stress & Sleep – why you have trouble falling asleep.
I have received hundreds of comments for this series and I endeavour to answer them. Please go back to the clock and through the articles and your answer is most likely there.
As always my friend — you don’t have to do it alone.
Kate
Why You Wake Up by Kate Pamphilon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Kate says
What is it that you need to communicate, Katrina? Is it to yourself or do you need resolution with your ex? Communication is best when it comes from the heart, so look within – then speak and listen from the heart.
Ronald says
Hello Kate it is like you hit the nail on the head I awake every morning around 3:30am since my sister’s death I looked on the (TCM) clock to notice lungs and metal [side note gray is my favorite color] to mean suffering a loss. I will pray for healing in this area the sleep loss is not the end of the world for me I just wanted to understand why at this time every night Thank You
Julia says
3 am most every night it gets exhausting, I am skittish as to the journey into the future. I will look at my liver and let go and meditate.
Thank you for your insight.
Lauryn says
My name is Lauryn…I got metal, and lungs. Grief and loss. My life is surrounded by death, everyone I loved the most has been taken away from me by sickness or something worse. And I was shocked to say the least on why I’ve been waking up for the past few days. But I haven’t lost anyone recently, hell, not anytime at all recently. But along with the waking up at this time, I’ve been having strange nightmares that all connect in the same ways, I’ve yet to find the main connection. If anyone could help me, I would really appreciate it, I’m so confused. My email is Lauryn.cramer@yahoo.com
If anyone knows anything, I would be willing to listen.
Vaia says
Hi Kate,
Thank you for your insight on this. I’ve had trouble with broken sleep lately waking up around 2:30am, and other times 4am for almost a month now. If you could please help me out with understanding more about this and advise me on anything to know more about what my body is telling me, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you, Vaia.
Christina says
Hi Kate,
I’ve always been curious how to fit daylight savings time into this model! I wake up at 4am on the dot every morning, and for my life, liver would make the most sense…but on the TCM clock this time is on the lung cusp, and I’m not quite sure where to focus…
Thanks for any help on this question!
Kate says
Hi Christina! That’s a great question and a really important discussion. I should mention in my articles that in fact, the energy system does not change with our clocks! Remember to adjust the time when looking at the clock if you are in daylight savings. Thanks for your question xx
Peter says
I’ve always been a deep sleeper and have had to rarely worry about being unable to get a night’s rest. But in the past six months or so that has changed. Whilst I generally have no trouble falling asleep, I am wide awake at 4am. My initial conclusion was that stress was waking me and then my body fell into the habit of just coming awake at that time. As a writer, I have lately considered I may as well get up and do something and hope that one of these days it falls into place. But it’s cold at 4am! Of course my afternoons are spent drowsy because of this.
Brittney says
Hi Kate,
I keep waking up in the 4 am hour every day! The clock says metal-grief and loss, but I am not sure what that exactly means. I haven’t had any deaths around me, so I am not sure what it means. Any idea?
Temica says
I’m awake at 3am most nights, according to the chart its between lungs and liver, I get a “healthy you’ check annually through my job, they do tons of blood work, and I’m in great shape. I haven’t lost anyone nor do I go to bed angry; if I did I wouldnt sleep at all. What other reasons are there for waking up at 3am?