Both jobs can best be accomplished while people are fast asleep. The liver meridian is on duty at chou to dispel toxins and produce fresh new blood in liver, while lung meridian is on duty at yin to distribute the energy and blood produced by the liver to the organs. People should be in deep asleep during both chou and yin. Completing the activity, such as eating, at the right time, ensures that energy flows properly and the digestive system works at its best.ĭisrupted energy flow leads to health problems. In a day, the 12 meridians are rivers of energy that carry qi through our bodies and the organ functions best when energy is focused there. That includes deep sleep.Ĭhinese recognize 12 two-hour time units in a day the '12 earthly branches' - zi, chou, yin, mao, chen, si, wu, wei, shen, you, xu and hai. Small practices, such as walking and massage, can help achieve a healthy schedule.īack in the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), the earliest foundational text of Chinese traditional medicine, 'Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor,' sets out a guide to healthy living, not by prescribing medicine, but a way of life in tune with the universe and the body's rhythms and cycles.

Living according to the clock can strengthen health.

The qi flows clockwise through the 12 meridians over 24 hours and shifts between yin (cold) and yang (hot) energies.

Our bodies move like clockwork and each organ meridian has a two-hour period when qi (energy) is at its peak. There's a time for everything in traditional Chinese medicine, and timing and schedule are crucial to maintain health. THE best times to eat, sleep, work, do mental work and to have sex are all set out like clockwork in traditional Chinese medicine.

Tcm daily schedule