Peaceful Sleep is based on the modern formula An Mian Pian. It addresses occasional difficulties in either falling asleep or staying asleep due to an unsettled Shen, Heart Heat and Blood deficiency, especially with concurrent underlying food stagnation or stagnation in theMiddle Burner. Spirit (Shen) is housed in the Heart, and is reflective of our ability for calmness, clarity of mind, orderly thought and a peaceful way of engaging in the world. While sleeping, our Spirit settles inward and excess Heat can interfere with this process, causing occasional disturbed sleep. Just as Fire flares upward, Heat easily rises up in the body, invading organs such as Lungs and Heart. As Heat continues to build and rise upward, like a pot of boiling water, the Heart-Mind becomes agitated, disordered and chaotic. As Heat lingers, it can easily burn up and dry out Blood. The Spleen is responsible for the production of new Blood from the Essence extracted from the Gu Qi or postnatal Qi from food. In order for the Spleen to have enough energy to build Blood, there needs to be adequate rest. With lack of sleep, the Spleen Qi can become depleted and the Liver Qi tends to stagnate and generates further Heat. As the Blood becomes deficient, it is harder for the Spirit to rest at night. When Spleen is deficient, Phlegm can easily begin to generate and rise upward to further cloud the Heart and Shen. This creates a self-perpetuatingcycle. Peaceful Sleep calms the Spirit, clears Heat from both the Liver and the Heart, nourishes the Blood, moves stagnation lodged in the Middle Burner, and strengthens the Spleen. The chief herb, dry fried Sour jujube seed, nourishes the Heart and the Blood, calms the Spirit, and is a quintessential herb for occasional disturbed sleep, irritability and anxiety due to either Blood deficiency or Yin deficiency with upward flaring Fire. Polygala root, in tandem with dry fried Sour jujube seed, calms the Spirit, disperses Phlegm accumulation and opens the orifice of the Heart. Polygala root more directly addresses the excess part of the pattern. Poria quiets the Heart and calms the Spirit, tonifies the Spleen, and drains Damp accumulation. Gardenia fruit drains Damp Heat downward and out through the urine, cools the Blood and breaks up accumulations. Medicated leaven harmonizes the Middle Burner, and disperses accumulation. It facilitates the digestion of the formula and prevents further stagnation from occurring in the Middle Burner. Chinese licorice root and rhizome strengthens the Spleen and Stomach and harmonizes the actions of the other herbs in the formula. Silk tree bark has been added to the original formula to further calm the Spirit and release constrained Liver Qi. The following formulas have similar and related actions. Compassionate Sage, calms the Spirit and strengthens Heart Qi. Gather Vitality, calms the Spirit, tonifies Blood and strongly focuses on strengthening the Spleen Qi. Celestial Emperor’s Blend addresses Heart and Kidney Yin deficiency or Heart and Kidney not communicating. Rescue the Spirit addresses Phlegm that is clouding the Heart orifice, with underlying Blood, Qi and/or Yin deficiency. Zizyphus Sleep Formula addresses Liver and Heart Blood deficiency disturbing the Spirit (Shen). For further support of Spleen Qi, combine with Four Gentlemen or Six Gentlemen. ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTPeaceful Sleep Tablets (An Mian Pian) is a modern formulation.
