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In the last episode, we discussed the issue of insomnia and frequent dreaming, which is closely related to the damage caused to the large intestine by cold dampness. You may wonder if other organs in the body can also exhibit symptoms of frequent dreaming. In this episode, I will discuss this with you.
In the previous episode, we mentioned that the large intestine is responsible for part of the digestive process, recycling water from food residues to ensure that stools are not too loose. However, due to the influence of cold dampness, the water recovery is insufficient.
As a result, patients may experience insomnia and frequent dreaming, having multiple dreams in one night without getting proper rest. These multiple dreams serve as a warning sign.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that this primarily indicates an issue with the yuanshen (元神, Original Spirit). We previously discussed the five elements and their corresponding organs, each associated with specific emotions, which are important components of our yuanshen.
For example, anger harms the liver; when we become excessively angry, it can damage the liver. Many people exhibit aggressive behaviors, such as hitting or yelling, when they are angry, indicating that emotions can affect our yuanshen.
Similarly, excessive joy can harm the heart. There is a saying that when one is overly happy, they may forget themselves, leading to irrational thoughts.
It is evident that emotions can influence our thoughts and affect our yuanshen. During the day, this manifests as an impact on our thinking, while at night, it affects our dreams. TCM categorizes emotions into specific types, known as the seven emotions and five desires.
The five desires may not be as commonly known, but like the seven emotions, they are also important components of the yuanshen.
The large intestine is one of the six fu organs, and it may seem unrelated to emotions. However, the human body is a whole; when one organ is ill, it often affects others, which is why the five elements have a relationship of generation and restriction.
Today, we discuss the relationship between the large intestine and frequent dreaming, primarily because the large intestine is related to the lungs. The large intestine and lungs do not have a generative or restrictive relationship in the five elements, as the large intestine is a fu organ and the lungs are a zang organ, but there exists a relationship of mutual influence.
The large intestine and lungs are mutually influential; the lungs govern the po (魄, Corporeal Soul). When the large intestine has issues, it can affect the lungs, leading to disturbances in the po, which means that one aspect of the five desires is not functioning normally, and consequently, our yuanshen becomes unstable, affecting our mental state.
In TCM, the lungs and large intestine are closely related, much like a family. If the husband faces difficulties outside, it can easily affect the wife’s emotions at home.
The large intestine is external, akin to the husband earning a living outside, while the lungs are internal, like the wife managing household affairs. Under normal circumstances, they support each other. However, when the large intestine is damaged, it can affect the lungs.
This is similar to a husband who, after facing difficulties at work, may inadvertently vent his emotions on his wife at home, causing the lungs to suffer as well.
When the po is affected, the yuanshen becomes unstable, leading to disturbances in dreaming, which manifests as insomnia and frequent dreaming at night. What is the principle behind this? In TCM, there is a saying regarding the po: “The po is the spirit that enters and exits with essence.”
A portion of essence transforms into the po, which accompanies the yuanshen in directing many bodily activities. Essentially, our instinctive responses are primarily managed by the po.
For instance, when we go hiking and feel the temperature drop, our pores will close, which is related to the po. During the hike, if we stumble, we instinctively react to maintain balance.
Additionally, at night while sleeping, if we feel too hot under the covers, we instinctively kick the covers off, even without being aware of it. This is the function of the po.
When the large intestine is damaged by cold dampness, the po becomes affected, leading to instability during sleep. It is possible that we feel hot because we are covered too warmly, prompting us to kick off the covers.
The po is one of the five desires, and these desires influence the normal functioning of our yuanshen. If the yuanshen does not rest well at night, it will manifest as insomnia and frequent dreaming.
Moreover, due to the stimulation of cold dampness, the disturbance is continuous but at a low intensity, preventing the yuanshen from stabilizing, resulting in constant and fragmented dreaming.
Regarding the relationship between the large intestine and frequent dreaming, Western medicine has also conducted research. From a Western perspective, certain nerves distributed in the large intestine are closely connected to both the large intestine and the central nervous system.
These nerves serve to transmit messages, which is very similar to what we just discussed regarding the po. The po is related to the nerves in our body; for example, when our hand is cut, we feel pain, which is the nerves signaling us.
However, different nerves are responsible for different functions. According to Western classifications, the nervous system in our body is quite complex, with many levels of subdivision.
This involves many specialized terms. The nerves related to the large intestine, when they detect cold dampness, will continuously send reports to alert our body. If the higher-ups do not receive the message, they will keep trying to report until successful.
Why does this happen? Because cold dampness itself can weaken bodily functions. In winter, many animals hibernate due to the drop in temperature, which slows their metabolism, allowing them to survive through this adaptation.
Humans are warm-blooded animals and typically do not lower their metabolism, so we do not hibernate in winter. However, if metabolism decreases, it is usually due to cold dampness.
Moreover, this often leads to chronic conditions. The issues we discussed in the last two episodes are fundamentally related to the spleen and stomach. Generally, spleen and stomach problems lead to qi deficiency, and the exacerbation of cold dampness is usually a long-term issue.
Once these issues arise, they are not easy to resolve. We need to be mentally prepared for long-term care; problems that accumulate over time require long-term nurturing to resolve.
To address this issue, we need to adopt a dual approach: on one hand, we must strengthen the spleen and stomach and eliminate cold dampness. This way, the large intestine will no longer be troubled. Strengthening the spleen and stomach can be achieved using formulas like Wuxing Jianpi San (五行健脾散, Five Element Spleen Strengthening Powder) or Qiwwei Zao Can (七味早餐糊, Seven Flavor Breakfast Paste).
To cultivate the central earth, which refers to strengthening the spleen and stomach, we must also rely on Quxie Xiao Fang (驱邪小方, Minor Evil-Expelling Formula) to suppress yin and support yang. For insomnia and frequent dreaming, we need to use calming and spirit-stabilizing formulas, achieving a comprehensive treatment effect.
Alright, we have clarified the relationship between the large intestine and frequent dreaming. Insomnia has various manifestations, and frequent dreaming is just one of them. In the next episode, we will continue our discussion.
▇ Note 1: This article is compiled from the “Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine” series. For easier reading, the content has been abridged. To understand the full content, please click the image below to listen to the audio version.
▇ Note 2: The text version is updated in line with the audio version every Wednesday and Saturday at 9 PM.
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