The modern practice of traditional Chinese medicine brings together many thousands of years of medical practice in China including the use of Chinese medicine to cure insomnia naturally. The term 'traditional Chinese medicine' is a quite modern term which was first coined by the People's Republic of China during the 1950s when the country was seeking to build a substantial export trade for its time honored medicines and medical practices.

Today, traditional Chinese medicine does not merely encompass medicinal products, but also encompasses such things as herbal preparations and a number of practices including acupuncture and massage. The basis of traditional Chinese medicine is that the human body functions as the result of numerous interrelated processes which are in constant interaction with the environment around us. As long as all of these processes stay balanced you are healthy. However, if these processes are not running alongside one another smoothly, your health will suffer.

There are a number of philosophies which govern the practice of Chinese medicine including such things as the theory of Yin-Yang, the role of the five elements (earth, water, fire, wood and metal), the flow of energy through the meridians of the body and the interaction of the organs of the body as described in the theory of Zang-Fu.

For many years there has been a great deal of conflict between those who follow the practice of traditional Chinese medicine and those who believe in the science-based practice of western medicine. Today however traditional Chinese medicine, as well as other types of Asian and Oriental medicine, is increasingly gaining acceptance in the west and we now often refer to such practices simply as alternative medicine.

For many millions of sufferers, herbal remedies have long proved to be effective as a cure for insomnia, or in relieving insomnia symptoms, and such things as chamomile, lavender, passion flower and lemon balm have been known for a long time for their medicinal properties. There cannot be many insomnia sufferers who have not taken a drink of hot honey combined with lemon balm before turning in for the night.

A growing number of people are also turning to acupuncture or, for those who do not like the idea of needles, acupressure. Both arts have been in use for centuries and the principles arose out of the traditional Chinese practice of adjusting the level of energy in the body by controlling its flow along the meridian lines.

In spite of its increasing acceptance there are still many people who are wary of traditional Chinese medicine but anyone who has had experience of it in action, especially those of us who have been lucky enough to spend time in the Far East, will certainly vouch for its effectiveness.

If you are unlucky enough to suffer from insomnia then using traditional Chinese medicine for curing insomnia naturally is one course of action that you should certainly consider seriously.