The vernal equinox is when the sun passes directly above the equator, and the
day is equally divided between day and night, and when the sun rises precisely in the east and sets due west.
At this time, the chilly days are far away, and the warm and bright days are coming.
After the vernal equinox, the rain is abundant and the sun is shining brightly. It is the time when spring drowsiness occurs frequently, and it is also a good time for the human body to adjust the balance of yin and yang.
This year’s vernal equinox coincides with World Sleep Day.
How to adjust yin and yang, improve sleep, and comprehensively take care of the body in spring? Let’s have a look!
If you want to sleep soundly at the vernal equinox, don’t forget to nourish the liver and protect the spleen.
After the vernal equinox, the yang becomes exuberant and the yin becomes declining.
With the rise of yang qi, blood circulation and hormone secretion are enhanced, and mood swings are also large. In the alternating warmth and coldness of early spring in March, the imbalance between yin and yang is prone to cause insomnia.
Spring is associated with the Wood element, which governs the liver and gall bladder. Liver fire is exuberant in spring. During the spring equinox, increased rain and heavy humidity will have a certain impact on the catharsis function of the liver and spleen.
“The liver and spleen are a pair of closely related organs. For hypertensive patients or people who are emotionally irritable, if the liver yang is hyperactive, the function of the spleen and stomach will be weakened, and physical discomfort will naturally affect the quality of sleep.” Yanyu Yang, deputy chief physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital, said that it is recommended to go for a walk outside in spring, which is conducive to raising yang qi and sleeping at night. But don’t exercise vigorously.
If you want to sleep soundly at the spring equinox, the diet should focus on harmony.
The ancients believed that “It is on the vernal equinox day that the Yin and Yang are in a balance of power. Thus the day and night are of equal length, and so are the cold and hot weather.” At the vernal equinox, the diet should be based on balance. Even people with a moderate physique should have a diet that matches cold and heat, and meat and vegetables.
During the spring equinox, it is advisable to eat more flat-natured foods such as yams and less hot-natured or cold-natured foods. Don’t just eat foods that increase or decrease yang qi. When eating cool-natured foods such as seafood, bean sprouts, wood ear and water spinach, add warm seasonings such as onion, ginger and garlic to reduce the coolness of the ingredients.
When eating yang-boosting dishes such as leeks, garlic and ginger, add yin-nourishing ingredients such as eggs, meat and fish so as to achieve the complementarity of yin and yang in diet.
If you want to sleep soundly at the spring equinox, eat Ganoderma lucidum to quiet your spirit.
If you toss and turn and can’t fall asleep, try taking Ganoderma lucidum.
As early as 2000, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia included the effects of Ganoderma lucidum in invigorating qi for tranquilization and relieving cough and asthma.
Professor Zhibin Lin from Peking University Health Science Center said that Ganoderma lucidum can effectively improve insomnia symptoms caused by neurasthenia. Usually within 1-2 weeks after the administration, results can be seen. Ganoderma lucidum can even reduce insomnia caused by chronic bronchitis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, hepatitis and other diseases.
Aside from its sedative function, Ganoderma lucidum’s homeostasis regulation effect might also have contributed to its efficacy on neurasthenia and insomnia. Through homeostasis regulation, Ganoderma lucidum could revive the disordered nerve-endocrine-immune system interrupting the neurasthenia-insomnia vicious cycle. Thereby, patient’s sleep could be improved and other symptoms relieved or eliminated.
[The above text is selected from Lingzhi From Mystery to Science by Zhibin Lin, Peking University Medical Press, 2009.6 P64]
Early spring alternates between warm and cold. You might as well prepare more Reishi products every day.
For example, GanoHerb Gano-Z Capsule, a good partner for sleep, contains Ganoderma lucidum extract, sporoderm-broken Ganoderma lucidum spore powder and Ganoderma sinense powder, which can effectively improve sleep quality.
If you want to be healthy, start with a night of good sleep. In this spring, use Ganoderma lucidum to sleep well every night and enjoy the romance and beauty of this season.
