Yin & Yang are opposite energies, yet they are interdependent and could not exist without the other.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is an organ clock that represents the time of the day when each organ is functioning optimally and has the most energy. There are 12 organ systems and 2 accessory systems that are represented by this clock. Each organ system is also associated with an emotion, taste, sense organ, season, etc. but this is beyond the scope of this article. Here we will discuss the physical and emotional symptoms that arise if an organ is out of balanced. But keep in mind that if some of the symptoms don’t make sense (ie. kidney imbalanced showing up as premature greying of hair), just know that TCM is a highly developed and intricate form of medicine that differs from Western medical diagnosis.
Here is a brief discussion of the organ systems with their corresponding times, and how imbalances in these systems may arise both physically and emotionally.
3-5am Lung: The lung is responsible for moving the qi (energy) through the meridians and to the entire body, as well as providing immune protection. It is also emotionally associated with grief. You may find that wake up during these times if you are struggling with grief or sorrow. Imbalances may also show up as wheezing, coughing, asthma, or getting sick easily.
5-7am Large Intestine: This is the best time to have a bowel movement. The large intestine is all about ‘letting go’ physically and emotionally. Symptoms of malfunction include constipation, dry stools, skin rash, and feeling emotionally ‘stuck’ .
7-9am Stomach: The stomach’s function is digestion & breakdown of foods, so this is the best time to eat a healthy & hearty breakfast. If out of balance, symptoms that may arise include acid reflux, stomach ulcer, and bad breath.
9-11am Spleen: The spleen extracts nutrients from food, transforms it into energy and transports it to other organ systems. During this time, you can support the spleen by having a nice cup of warming tea, or a light snack. Foods that support the spleen include cinnamon, yam, dates, and lentils. Imbalances may show up as loose stools, bloating after meals, craving sweets, and low energy.
11am-1pm Heart: During these hours, it is best to relax, take a siesta, and enjoy lunch. The heart dislikes heat (emotional & physical), so try to avoid caffeine, stress, intense exercise, or anything that raises your blood pressure. Symptoms of imbalance are palpitations, shortness of breath, cold hands & feet, and insomnia.
1-3pm Small Intestine: The small intestine separates the clear and turbid fluids, and moves these to the urinary bladder and large intestine, respectively. If you haven’t drank enough water during the day, you are more likely to feel dehydrated during these times. When out of balance, conditions that may arise include duodenal ulcer, bloating with vomiting or gas.
3-5pm Urinary Bladder: This is a time of the day when you can feel a dip in energy levels, especially if you are not well-hydrated. The urinary bladder stores & secretes urine (clear fluid), and is nourished by salty foods so having a bowl of brothy soup, such as miso or veggie broth, during this time helps strengthen the bladder (and the kidney, which is it’s paired organ). When out of balance, you may experience burning when urinating, yeast infection, or urinary incontinence.
5-7pm Kidney: The kidneys are responsible for healthy reproduction, development, and growth. Some activities that support this are to have a healthy meal (but not too large) with a little salt for flavoring and love making, which keeps your kidney ‘essence’ strong! When the kidney meridian is out of balance, symptoms that may arise include sexual difficulties, low back pain, or premature graying of hair.
7-9pm Pericardium: This is one of the accessory organs systems. To support the pericardium, this is the time to do something gentle to help you ease into sleep, such as meditation, light stretching, reading, or cuddling.
9-11pm San Jiao (Triple Burner): This is the second accessory organ system. During this time, to best support San Jiao, we should think about going to sleep during this time – having an earlier bed time in the winter, and staying up a little later in summer.
11pm-1am Gall Bladder: Physically, the gallbladder stores and excretes bile, but emotionally, it is in charge of self-esteem and decision-making. If you’re not sleeping by this time, you are depleting your gall bladder’s energy stores, which over time, can lead to poor self-esteem, poor judgment, or difficulty digesting fats.
1-3am Liver: The liver’s role is to store blood for menstruation and to get us through the day. If you’re not sleeping at this time, you can quickly become deficient, especially if you are female because of the importance of blood for menstruation (even for those going through menopause). The liver is also emotionally connected to anger. You may find that you wake up between 1-3am if you have repressed anger or long standing resentment. Symptoms of liver imbalances include irregular menstruation, anemia, chronic fatigue, and headache.
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the yin yang sign is reversed, dark yin always moves down, and light yang always moves up.
Thanks for noticing that & bringing it to our attention. We’ll look for another yin yang sign that is in correct alignment.
Check this website and read the blogs on this question: http://phoenixqi.blogspot.com/2007/02/correct-orientation-of-taiji-yinyang.html
There really is no dogmatic “right” way to have the symbol, just like there is nothing sacred about memorizing “the” correct steps in Tai Chi as if there’s an inherent gospel truth in a set of sequences. The important thing, as my Tai Chi master said, as long as you have a yin move follow a yang move, each flowing rhythmically into the other, then you are doing correct Tai Chi even if you “missed” or forgot a step. Although your symbol is not standard, that doesn’t mean it’s “wrong”. Dr. Allen Wai Jang, N.D., Tai Chi instructor (American Tai Chi and Qigong Association)
Not always; if you look in nature you will find that in pools of water along a stream where leaves and other debris will gather the Symbol is apparent and at the end of the stream in a pool where the water gathers the “Yin/Yang” symbol will be reversed.
So where the water pools and still flows through and where the water pools and does not flow through. An interesting thing to see.
Edit: Ohh I see what you mean; and the answer is the same, “Not always true”; energy flows spiral in reverse depending what side of the hemisphere you are located, in the same way water drains energy flows like this.
thank you and it very info also but i have 1 question, this table base on what?
like sun raise and sun set, or
how person do the daily work like sleeping, breakfast, lunch, dinner routine work
based on China time, Canada time ……
Thats a great question. I believe it is based on whatever time your body is adjusted to, wherever that may be. So 7-9am is the ideal time to eat breakfast to support optimal spleen function, and so on.
What if the dosage is twice a day?
It’s often important for many medicines to take a dosage 2 or 3 times daily in order to reach the therapeutic range so I would do just that, without worrying too much about organ times in this case.
About organ times; it’s worth mentioning that most problem arise when the organ has it’s weakest period. That is 12 hours later/earlier than noted maximum above. Most people wake up early in the morning because of weak kidneys. There is a statistical increase of heart attacks around midnight, and so on.
Such a great point! The organ times article was made to be a very basic introduction to the TCM system of diagnosis, and so we didn’t go into too much detail. But your comment reminds us to revisit this article and make amendments to include this important fact. Thank you!
The body systems do not depend on the time of day. An organism maintains homeostasis throughout its life time regardless of time and environment.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a theory of medicine, as is Western medicine which emphasizes homeostasis. They all have their place in health & healing.
Informative material, but review “it is” constructions and remember that the past participle of “drink” is “drunk” not “drank.” Bad grammar undermines your message.
Hi Anne, I’m unsure what you mean about “it is” constructions but I have corrected the past tense of drink. Thanks for catching that.
So what is the best time then to take herbs? Such as herbs for the liver? Morning? Just before breakfast?
Thats a good question that goes beyond the scope of this article, though Im sure there is an answer out there for common hetbs. But I feel that the best time to take herbs is whenever you remember to take them since often herbs need to be taken several times per day in order to reach a therapeutic dose.
Thank you so much for this article!
Our pleasure!
This is so helpful. I forwarded to a friend in need of holistic perspectives and simple things to do for her immune system. Thanks a bunch, and I love the way you answer questions, criticisms, and other points of view. You’re a great example of clarity and balance.
Cynthia
Thanks Cynthia! We appreciate your feedback – and compliment 🙂 we’ll continue posting articles and recipes more regularly in the future (we’ve been taking some time away to focus on our growing family and other work endeavours), so hopefully you will find our site useful and on your go-to list when it comes to credible & up to date information on naturopathic medicine, natural health and healthy eating.
Has anyone ever been waken up between 11:00pm and 1:00am with sharp shooting pains, which follow the gallbladder meridian points? The attacks last approx 1 – 1 1/2 hour in length. It’s a paralyzing affect that leaves me immobilized for almost the whole duration. There is no residual affect of the attack other than lack of sleep and some tenderness in the stomach area. I’ve done a tonne of googling and cannot find any information on this type of attack. I’m really looking for ways to soothe the pain at the time it occurs. They initially occurred once every other month, then monthly. The initial attacks happened between 12:30am and 1:00am. This year, I have had 2 months where it’s between 5 & 6 attacks in a 2 week period. Then nothing for 6 weeks, then they start again. The last 3 attacks have happened at 11:25pm. It appears I need some work on my gallbladder qi, but in the meantime, finding ways to reduce the pain while it’s happening is what I’m looking for. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. 🙂 BTW, I had major abdominal surgery in August of 2013.
I would rcommend reading the amazing liver and gallbladder flush by Andreas Moritz. i have done a number of these, and it has changed my life.
Hi , love this article . one question. what about the people whom sarcadian rhythm is switched means their sleeping ours are in the morning /daytime and they active between 20.00 and 5 in the morning . Thank you
This is a great informative article. Those of you that have written above to try to discredit or prove him wrong about something (i.e. grammar, comparing to medical advice, etc) should understand that this is supposed to be an informative article and not the “letter of the Law”. This is great information according to TCM. Thank you for posting this. If some viewers really want to spend their negative energy on something, pick apart a a medical journal. That will keep you plenty busy.
What if you don’t have a gallbladder but have terrible anxiety from 11-1?
Hi Ashley, this is a great question! I sat thinking about your question for a while to try to figure out how I could help, but I have too many questions to formulate one answer to your question. So instead I found this article which I found to be accurate and hopefully helpful to you. Let me know what you think! Thank you
https://www.chinesemedicineliving.com/medicine/organs/the-gallbladder/
I have been waking up regularly at 1am and after say till 3 am kindly suggest the medicines that I should take
Hi Sangha, That is a tough question to answer without any information. The times that you indicated that you’ve been waking regularly (1-3am) suggest a possible issue with the liver. The liver is a complicated organ in Chinese Medicine (and Western medicine, too), and in TCM, the liver has many patterns in which it can show imbalances. For example, there are patterns of liver qi stagnation, liver blood deficiency, and so on. Each of these patterns would have different recommendations associated with them, and additionally, we would need to take into account your personal health history in order to make suggestions specific to your unique case.
You may want to contact a local TCM practitioner or Naturopathic Doctor in your area, in order to get assessed properly and offered treatment suggestions specific to your case.
Our articles are meant to be informative but should not substitute an in person visit with a qualified practitioner.
Good luck to you on your health journey!
Hi Dr. Anhorn. As a feng shui consultant, who’s main focus is on creating healthy environments, I usually begin a feng shui consultation with the question “how well do you sleep?” I find it interesting how many clients who struggle with sleep problems. I notice that for those who wake between the hours of 3-5am often have some kind of emotional issue around unresolved grief… disturbance to the Lung meridian. Any thought on this? Any recommendations from a naturopathic perspective to help with this specific meridian/organ issue. For more on feng shui for health visit http://fengshuiservices.com
Hi Will, Thanks for your comment. Your experience with your clients (waking between 3-5am associated with grief) is in line with what we understand about the emotional aspect of the lung meridian, as the lungs are the “seat of grief”.
As for recommendations, its not possible to suggest one thing that would work for each client as there are many different patterns/pathologies associated with the Lungs. For example Lung Yin deficiency comes up as shortness of breath on exertion, weak voice, and watery sputum whereas Lung Qi Deficiency shows a dry unproductive cough with little to no sputum, and dry mouth & throat. As you can see, the treatment for each of these cases would be very different.
But in general, pathologies associated with the Lung meridian would show up as issues with the lungs, throat, mouth, skin & hair.
I hope this helps!
Hi Dr. Anhorn, thanks for the reply…to help support this type of sleep disturbance, from a feng shui perspective, I pay attention to the obvious environmental factors in the bedroom that contribute to good rejuvenating rest, eg good bed placement, the bed should have a headboard, relaxing colors, removal of electro-magnetic fields, removal of mirrors reflecting the bed. Also I look at the balance of elements in the room, to determine a specific elemental support for the client. Typically I determine this through kinesiology/muscle testing rather than the traditional route of casting a BaZi chart. Thanks again, Will.
Thank you for this great article! Did you mention when’s the right time to eat dinner? What if I go for a walk after dinner and end up starving at bedtime, should I force myself to sleep anyway?
Hi Holly, thanks for your question. I wouldn’t recommend forcing yourself to sleep if you’re starving, even if your dinner time doesn’t coincide perfectly with Chinese Medicine thinking. The best strategy would be to eat a healthy balanced meal between 5-7pm – one with a good amount of protein, fat & some carbohydrates. Going for a light walk after dinner is great for digestion, getting fresh air, and calming down before bedtime. If you are hungry after your nighttime meal, I would suggest having a light snack before bed (again one with sufficient protein, fat & some carbohydrates) in order to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range throughout the night and to avoid waking because of hunger. Some suggestions for a nighttime snack would be an egg fried in some coconut oil with sliced tomatoes, a handful of nuts, or some fruit with a high fat yogurt (coconut or cashew based if dairy-free). But I also believe in enjoying food, so go with whatever your gut is telling you so long as its healthy and balanced – you’d be surprised by the healthy choices you will make by just listening to your body and feeding it whole foods.
I have had digestion issues for years ever since I had a bad case of a stomach bug. Acid reflux, nonacid reflux, stomach burns, pains, cramping, gasses e.t.c.
Western medicine has no answers, what would be the best way for me to find a solution?
That sounds like a lot of daily discomfort that needs to be resolved. There are a few different routes that you could take but the route that we are most versed in is Naturopathic Medicine, so we would suggesting contacting your local Naturopathic Doctor (not to be confused with naturopathic practitioner, natural doctor, or holistic nutritionist). If you need help in searching Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) please contact us.
Many NDs have access to various means of testing the microbiome, and often have a keen interest in how the microbiome affects overall health.
Good luck in finding solutions that help put you on a path to better health!
Wow I have definitely needed something such as this. I have searched for a doctor to help me figure out what my body is doing, to no avail. I am sluggish many days to the point of stupor. It appears I become alert at 10pm and am my stay awake until 2-3 am. Energy depleted. In fact I passed out driving yesterday around 2 pm.
When I am my optim self which hasn’t occurred in 3 years I easily fall asleep at 10 and wake 5:30. My energy is high and productive
Desperate to be well I attempt to treat self as no one seems to have an understanding. They checked kidney last weeks and give me clearance.
I believe it is still kidney but do not know how to resolve.
Thank you for any help
Hi Glenda,
I apologize for not being able to comment on your case as it sounds like there are a number of issues contributing to what you have described here. You may want to a local Naturopathic Doctor, or Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor. These practitioners will be able to do a full intake in order to get the whole picture, and adequately treat the root cause of your concerns.
All of the best!
Hi there.
Question.. My sister is in second trimester of pregnancy. 5 1/2 months to be precise. She had IVF for 4 years before getting pregnant.
She has been experiencing insomnia for the last 2 months. She gets to sleep ok but wakes between 3 am and 6am and can’t get back to sleep easily.
She is exhausted. Recent scan showed baby’s development slowed..
Any advice, help, explanations?
Many thanks.
I can’t say for sure what is going on, but one possibility for her early morning waking could be that low blood sugar may be causing her to wake. In this case, I would recommend a nice snack before bed containing a good amount of quality protein, healthy fats & slow release carbohydrates, such as 1) almond butter & banana sandwich on sprouted bread (with some butter spread under the almond butter), or 2) oatmeal with almonds and hemp hearts (or your nut & seed of choice), blueberries, and yogurt, or 3) a tortilla or pita wrap with hummus, avocado, greens or sprouts, and chicken if you have some leftovers on hand.
I hope the rest of her pregnancy went well!