SLEEP MATTERS
- Maddie
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
"Perhaps one of the greatest acts of self-care isn't doing more.
It's learning when it is safe to stop."
Sleep is not a luxury; it is one of the most powerful healing medicines we possess.
During deep sleep our bodies repair tissues, strengthen immunity, regulate hormones, consolidate memories, restore overall energy reserves and nurture Kidney energy, our sacred reservoir of 'ancestral energy' - when it's depleted
is when you feel utterly exhausted.
Without adequate sleep, every system of the body works harder.
Muscles recover more slowly, inflammation increases, concentration declines and our emotional resilience begins to fray.
We often think we need more energy, when in reality we need deeper restoration.
From an Energy Medicine perspective, sleep is much more than unconsciousness.
It is a sacred time when the body's energies reorganise themselves.
Meridians rebalance, the nervous system shifts from protection into repair,
and the Heart—the Emperor in Chinese Medicine—has an
opportunity to restore harmony throughout the entire kingdom of the body.
When we allow ourselves to rest deeply, we are not wasting time; we are creating the energetic foundation for vitality, clear thinking, emotional balance and spiritual connection the following day.
A few years ago I did a short online class called SLEEP MATTERS, brimming with tips and techniques to aid sleep:
However, there is one thing I've recently realised and that is the importance of the
WIND ENTRY POINTS
in relation to sleep, so thought I'd share that with you here.
I've known and worked with these points for years with a focus on immunity, but it suddenly occurred to me that they could help our sleep:
Why the Wind Entry Points Matter for Sleep
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, "Wind" is regarded as one of the
great disruptors.
Wind is movement.
It scatters, agitates and prevents us from becoming still.
External pathogens enter 'on the wind' - I often visualise them as 'surfing' in on the body's meridian flow, gaining access and sometimes causing 'mischief' to anything encountered along the way.
So sealing or at the very least covering them up can really support your immune system ... you'll get fewer colds and infections ... I promise!
Our grannies knew best when they would tell us to 'wear a scarf' !
if you'd like more information on the Wind Points, here's a link to a blog I wrote called Wind Wisdom that goes into a bit more detail - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hvgwq72gcl8d4gm6cjdme/WIND-WISDOM-Granny-knew.docx?rlkey=928smso655ffpqs2w1bdrpbc0&dl=0
From an energetic perspective, restful sleep requires the opposite qualities:
rootedness, safety, quietness and containment.
Think of Wind as carrying information into the body.
During the day this is useful—we need to stay alert and responsive—but at night we want the nervous system to close the gates to unnecessary stimulation.
When we massage and then "seal" the Wind Entry Points with a Figure Eight,
we're symbolically and energetically telling the body:
"The day is over. You no longer need to stay on guard. It is safe to rest."
In fact, while you work these points why not talk to them and say just that!
Your cells are listening.
GB20 – Wind Pool
GB20 sits where so much tension accumulates,
between the neck and the base of the skull.
On both sides of the neck.
Energetically it is where we often carry unfinished conversations,
endless thinking, worry, planning and vigilance.
Many people who can't sleep don't actually have an exhausted brain.
They have an over-protective brain.
Massaging GB20 helps quiet mental overactivity and gives the sensation that the
"winds of the mind" begin to settle.
In Chinese medicine it is said to "clear internal and external wind," which is why people often experience clearer thinking, softer vision and a quieter mind afterwards.
GV16 – Wind Mansion (Wind Palace)
GV16 is one of those extraordinary points where the body feels as though
it can finally exhale.
Situated where the skull meets the spine, it is sometimes called a
"Window of Heaven" point.
Symbolically it is where we stop carrying the world on our shoulders
and reconnect with something larger than ourselves.
For sleep, think of GV16 as helping us move from:
"I have to stay alert..."
to
"I can surrender now."
That is a profound energetic shift.
Triple Warmer 17 – The Wind Shield
Triple Warmer's entire job is protection.
When Triple Warmer becomes hypervigilant, it never really goes off duty.
It keeps scanning.
Listening.
Monitoring.
Preparing.
Exactly the opposite state we need for sleep.
TW17 sits just behind the ear, almost like a little energetic shield.
Gently holding or massaging it seems to reassure Triple Warmer that the environment has been checked and everything is safe.
I often think of it as whispering to the nervous system:
"You don't have to stand guard tonight. We are safe and all is well"
GB21 – Shoulder Well
Although many people know GB21 as a muscular trigger point, Its emotional role is even more interesting.
How many people literally carry the weight of the world on their shoulders?
Responsibilities.
Family.
Finances.
Worry.
Expectations.
As those shoulders soften, people often describe feeling lighter emotionally as well as physically. Lift the weight off those shoulders.
I would invite you to work through the four points slowly,
it's a lovely sequence and only takes 3-4 minutes - if my mind is particularly agitated I will either tape a small piece of Frankincense resin to each point, or a drop of Frankincense, Lavender or Roman Chamomile essential oil.
I also sometimes massage in my magnesium 'balm'.
here is the link to the brand I tend to use https://www.sweetbeeorganics.co.uk/collections/all-products/products/sweet-sleep-magnesium-butter?selling_plan=711171801474&mm_rf=mm_b85d4923cad67fe9369e
Another brand I use is from the Isle of Harris in Scotland...
(I have no affiliation with either of these companies, I really do simply love their products)
Trace a small Figure 8 over each point:
So, to recap
Massage, hold and Figure 8
GB20
GV16
TW17
GB21
Finish by placing both hands over the Heart and taking three slow breaths.
Talk to your body:
"It is now safe for me to sleep deeply and wake feeling replenished and well."
Sweet dreams xxxxx
Maddie
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