Sleep & Moodqíngxù dīluò

Low Mood

Also called:Low moodFeeling downDepressed moodSadness

From the TCM perspective: TCM 'yu zheng' / 'zang zao' / 'bai he bing'; located in liver and heart, involving spleen and kidney.

Overview

Low mood is persistent sadness, reduced interest and inability to feel pleasure. In TCM it belongs to 'constraint syndrome' and 'visceral agitation', beginning with impaired liver coursing; it may overact on the spleen, consume heart-spleen, or in chronic illness reach the kidney, disrupting heart-kidney yin-yang.

☯Common patterns (syndrome differentiation)

Liver qi constraint

Key distinguishing signs: Low mood with migratory chest/rib distending pain, sighing, stomach oppression, poor appetite, menstrual irregularity, thin coat, wiry pulse.
Treatment principle: Soothe liver constraint and harmonize the middle

Liver constraint with spleen deficiency

Key distinguishing signs: Low mood, chest oppression, sighing, poor appetite, bloating, loose stool, fatigue, pale tooth-marked tongue, wiry moderate pulse.
Treatment principle: Soothe the liver and strengthen the spleen

Dual heart-spleen deficiency

Key distinguishing signs: Low overthinking mood with palpitations, insomnia, fatigue, poor appetite, pale lusterless face, pale tongue, fine weak pulse.
Treatment principle: Strengthen spleen, nourish heart, tonify qi and blood

Kidney yin-yang imbalance

Key distinguishing signs: Chronic low mood with sore weak knees, poor memory, insomnia or hypersomnia, cold intolerance or vexing heat, reduced libido, pale or red tongue, deep fine pulse.
Treatment principle: Harmonize kidney yin-yang and nourish the heart

Daily self-care

Keep regular sleep, outdoor activity and daylight; set small achievable goals and maintain social contact and exercise.
Reduce alcohol and late nights; mindfulness, journaling and regular aerobic exercise help mood.
With two or more weeks of reduced interest/impaired function, or any self-harm thoughts, seek mental-health assessment early; medication and therapy are often effective.

When to seek medical help

The following warning signs require prompt medical evaluation — do not rely on self-treatment:

Suicidal thoughts, plans or access to means: contact emergency/crisis services immediately and do not leave the person alone.
Severe insomnia, refusal to eat, hallucinations or marked loss of reality testing: urgent care.
Abrupt mood change with substance use or prior mental illness: contact a clinician early.

Medical disclaimer: Educational content about traditional Chinese medicine for information only; it is not a diagnosis or treatment and does not replace a qualified clinician. If symptoms worsen or warning signs appear, seek medical care.

All symptoms