{"id":49123,"date":"2026-05-02T09:17:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T01:17:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=49123"},"modified":"2026-05-02T09:17:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T01:17:37","slug":"reflections-ancient-chinese-sleep-advice-from-bedtimes-and-body-positions-to-state-of-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=49123","title":{"rendered":"Reflections | Ancient Chinese sleep advice, from bedtimes and body positions to state of mind"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I was recently diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) after an overnight sleep test at a hospital. I had long known I was a loud snorer, but what finally drove me to seek medical help was persistent daytime exhaustion despite clocking a full eight hours of sleep each night.<\/p>\n
The results were alarming. A normal person has five or fewer \u201cevents\u201d \u2013 when the airway is partially or fully blocked during sleep \u2013 an hour. I recorded 63. At one point, I stopped breathing for 77 seconds.<\/p>\n
I share this not to be ghoulish, but to encourage anyone with symptoms of sleep deprivation<\/span> to get tested. Beyond fatigue and poor concentration, untreated OSA raises the risk of stroke, heart disease and dementia. My doctor calls it a \u201csilent killer\u201d and commended me for taking the initiative to address the problem early.<\/div>\n
I now sleep with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which I call my \u201cDarth Vader breather\u201d. It is working wonders for my sleep quality<\/span>. I no longer snore and I am getting my mojo back.<\/div>\n
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<\/div>A CPAP machine is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea. Photo: Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
For premodern Chinese people, sleep was much more than daily rest. It was a cultivated discipline and a medical necessity. Far from today\u2019s sleep-deprived world<\/span>, the ancient Chinese developed a philosophy of slumber that regulated everything from bedtime to body position, believing that proper rest governed health and clarity.<\/div>\n
The ideal sleep schedule followed nature\u2019s rhythms. The Yellow Emperor\u2019s Inner Canon<\/em>, a foundational medical text from the pre-Qin<\/span> era, prescribed seasonal adjustments: shorter nights in spring and summer, and longer rest in autumn and winter. The best time to retire was the hai<\/em> period (9pm-11pm), known as the \u201chour of human stillness\u201d, when the body\u2019s energy channels were believed to benefit most from rest.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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