Exploring the 24 Hour Qi Clock
Most people are familiar with the terms diurnal and
nocturnal. Diurnal means active during the daytime, while nocturnal means
active during the nighttime. Together the two make up a 24-hour cycle known as
a day. But, in traditional Chinese medicine, this 24-hour cycle is viewed as
much more than just a day in the life. The 24 hours of the day are viewed as
increments of time and every two-hour section is associated with a specific
energetic meridian that runs through the body. This is known as the Qi clock.
Do you wake up every night or every morning about the same
time? Have you ever wondered why? Some people call that an internal clock. In
Chinese medicine, this gives a much deeper look into how the body functions
though. Chinese medical theory divides the body based upon the 12 energetic
meridians. Each of the meridians is assigned a two-hour time slot. For example, the liver meridian is associated
with the hours of 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. If you wake up during this time frame, then
there is an issue with your liver meridian. So knowing this information can be
very important to an acupuncturist/Chinese medicine practitioner.
During a 24-hour period, your energy or Qi (pronounced “chee”)
moves through the organ systems in two-hour intervals. Qi draws inward to help
restore the body between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. The liver cleanses the
blood and performs other functions, such as getting the blood ready to travel
outward into the rest of the body. Over
the next 12 hours, Qi cycles through the organs that assimilate, digest and
eliminate food through the body or our diurnal organs. By mid-afternoon, the
body begins to slow down again in preparation for the nocturnal phase. The
nocturnal phase is all about restoring and maintaining. So when one organ
system is at its peak, its counterpart, on the opposite side of the clock is at
its lowest point. An example is 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., which are the hours of the
stomach. This is when the stomach is at its peak and also why it is recommended
to eat a big breakfast. On the opposite side of the clock lies the pericardium,
which is associated with the pituitary, hypothalamus and reproductive organs.
The pericardium is at its weakest point between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Here’s a brief summary of the 24 hour
qi cycle:
3 a.m. to 5 a.m. is lung time
5 a.m. to 7 a.m. is large intestine
time
7 a.m. to 9 a.m. is stomach time
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. is spleen time
11 a.m. to 1 a.m. is heart time
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. is small intestine
time
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. is urinary bladder
time
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is kidney time
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is pericardium time
9 p.m. to 11 p.m. is triple burner
time (associated with the thyroid and adrenals)
11 p.m. to 1 a.m. is gall bladder
time
1 a.m. to 3 a.m. is liver time
So if you have recurring problems at the same time every day,
then there is a good chance that the organ/meridian associated with that time
is in distress. This is why traditional Chinese medicine practitioners ask so
many questions and also why they look at the body as a whole instead of just
one particular organ. By understanding that every organ/energetic meridian has
a maintenance schedule to keep daily, you can then treat your body properly so
you achieve the ultimate health and well-being and acupuncture can help you
achieve that goal. Acupuncturists treat the body based on things like your
symptomology, your pulses, your tongue and the 24-hour Qi clock indications you
exhibit. The goal is to bring the body back into balance and knowing when the
meridians are at their peaks and valleys is a great place to begin.
Bishara Wilson
New York Sports Acupuncture
888.375.5444
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