QiLifeYin Deficiency 阴虚
Yin deficiency is insufficient cooling, moistening fluid — you run warm and dry, and rest does not fully restore you.
Pinyin: Yin Xu · Five Element: Water · updated
Yin is the cooling, moistening, nourishing half of the body's resources. It is what keeps tissues from drying out and what lets you settle into deep sleep. When Yin is low, the system runs warm and dry — you feel heat where others feel cold, and rest restores less than it should.
This is the pattern most often mistaken for stress. Modern life burns Yin faster than most traditional assumptions allowed for: chronic short sleep, long hours of screen work, alcohol, overheating rooms, and constant mental effort all draw on the same reserve. The result reads as irritability, poor sleep and a body that feels wired at night.
Notice the connection to the Body Clock. Waking in the small hours of the night is a classic Yin-deficiency sign, because the Liver period runs at its lowest ebb of Yin reserve. If that happens most nights, the pattern is worth treating as a pattern rather than as bad luck.
Signs that suggest this pattern
No single sign establishes a pattern — Chinese medicine reads combinations, not isolated symptoms. If several of these are familiar and have been for a while, it is worth running the TCM Body Constitution Test to see what the combination scores.
- A dry mouth or throat, especially at night
- Night sweats that need changing the bedding
- Feeling warm or flushed in the afternoon or evening
- Waking often between 1am and 3am
- Thirst for small sips of cool water rather than large amounts
- Tired eyes, dry skin, or a tendency toward constipation
Acupoints used for this pattern (5)
Every point below opens the full library entry, including location, technique, frequency and the cautions attached to it.
KI1 · Yongquan
The lowest point on the body, traditionally used to anchor restless energy: insomnia, anxiety, hot feet, and to draw warmth downward.
Kidney meridian
KI3 · Taixi
The source point of the Kidney. Traditionally used for lower back ache, ringing in the ears, dry mouth, night sweats and general depletion.
Kidney meridian
SP6 · Sanyinjiao
Where the Spleen, Liver and Kidney meridians meet. Traditionally used for digestive weakness, sleep problems, menstrual irregularity and fluid retention.
Spleen meridian
HT7 · Shenmen
The Heart's source point, used to settle the mind: difficulty falling asleep, palpitations, anxiety and poor memory.
Heart meridian
LU9 · Taiyuan
The Lung's source point. Traditionally used for a weak voice, dry cough, shortness of breath and fragile surface defences.
Lung meridian
Foods listed against this pattern (14)
Nature and flavour are the traditional classification. Read the avoid note before changing anything you eat regularly.
Black bean
Traditionally used to support the Kidney reserves: lower back, knees, hair and stamina.
Neutral · Sweet
Lily bulb
Moistens dryness and settles a restless mind. Used for dry cough and disturbed sleep.
Cool · Sweet, slightly bitter
White fungus
The classic moistening food for dry skin, dry throat and autumn dryness.
Neutral · Sweet
Pear
Moistens the throat and clears mild heat. Best steamed or stewed for a dry cough.
Cool · Sweet, slightly sour
Goji berry
Traditionally used for eyes, lower back, stamina and the Kidney-Liver pair.
Neutral · Sweet
Mandarin orange
Moistens a dry throat and eases thirst. The dried peel is used separately for stuck Qi and phlegm.
Cool · Sweet, sour
Black sesame
Nourishes Yin and blood. Traditionally used for dry hair, early greying, dry stool and lower back weakness.
Neutral · Sweet
Spinach
Nourishes blood and moistens the intestines. Traditionally used for dry stool and a pale complexion.
Cool · Sweet
Mulberry
Nourishes Yin and blood. Traditionally used for dizziness, early greying and dry stool.
Cool · Sweet
Walnut
Warms and supports the Kidney, holds Qi and moistens the intestine. Used for lower back ache and dry stool.
Warm · Sweet
Black fungus
Nourishes blood and gently moves it. Traditionally used for dry stool and sluggish circulation.
Neutral · Sweet
Longan
Nourishes blood and settles the Heart. Used for restless sleep, palpitations and poor memory.
Warm · Sweet
Tofu
Clears mild heat and moistens dryness. A light protein that suits warm weather.
Cool · Sweet
Almond
Settles a cough and moistens the intestine. The traditional partner to pear for a dry cough.
Warm · Bitter, sweet
Tea formulas listed against this pattern (4)
These are traditional reference formulas. Doses shown are traditional reference amounts, not a prescription — check with a qualified practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, on medication, or managing a condition.
Ophiopogon & glehnia tea
Moistens the throat and lungs when dryness appears: dry mouth, dry cough, warm palms.
6 g ophiopogon, 6 g glehnia root
Longan & jujube tea
Nourishes blood and settles the Heart: restless sleep, palpitations, poor memory.
8 dried longan, 3 jujubes
Pear & white fungus tea
The classic autumn drink for dry skin, dry throat and dry cough.
1 pear, 1 small white fungus, rock sugar to taste
Goji & black sesame tea
Supports the Kidney and Liver pair: lower back, eyes, hair, stamina.
10 g goji, 10 g black sesame
Which assessment identifies this pattern
TCM Body Constitution Test
Nine types, 27 questions, about five minutes. No email, no sign-up — you get the result immediately and an explanation of what it means.
TCM Symptom Pattern Decoder
Twenty-eight questions across eight patterns, ranked by fit rather than a single verdict. Free, no email, results you can act on.
TCM Body Clock Rhythm Check
Twenty questions on sleep, energy, appetite and timing. You get your chronotype, the rhythm you are currently running, and where the two disagree.
Patterns that often appear alongside this one
Yin
Yin covers everything cooling, moistening, contracting and substantial — the half of the pair that sustains and contains.
Lung
The Lung governs Qi and respiration, and controls the skin — it is the body's outer defence against cold, wind and dryness.
Kidney
The Kidney stores Jing — the constitutional essence that governs growth, ageing and reproduction — and governs water metabolism.
Liver
The Liver governs free coursing — the smooth movement of Qi throughout the body — and stores blood between uses.
Qi Deficiency
Qi deficiency means your defensive and transformative Qi runs low, so ordinary effort costs more than it should and colds come easily.
Heart
The Heart governs blood and vessels, and houses the Shen — the classical term for the mind and consciousness.
Related vocabulary
Search terms this page covers: yin deficiency, dry mouth, night sweats, insomnia tcm, heat flushes.