The wisdom of the Donguibogam, looking deep inside our bodies, warmly embraces restless legs syndrome, which troubles the nights of modern people. The Donguibogam often explains symptoms of leg numbness or involuntary movement as problems of the liver and gallbladder. In this view, the liver stores our body blood and governs muscles and tendons. To fall asleep comfortably at night, the liver must hold sufficient blood. It is just like tree roots needing to be fully nourished by the soil so that thin branches can stand firm without swaying in the wind. But what happens if liver blood becomes deficient, entering a state of liver blood deficiency? The supply of nourishment to the muscles and tendons becomes insufficient. In this state, internal wind easily arises in our body, much like a fierce wind blowing over dry, parched land. This internal wind triggers unnecessary movements inside the body, making you constantly want to shake or move your legs, and can become the main culprit keeping you awake at night.
In particular, the gallbladder is an organ paired with the liver and was seen as responsible for the body's decisiveness and peaceful stability. When liver function weakens, generating internal wind and destabilizing the body, the function of its partner, the gallbladder, is also affected; the mind cannot settle peacefully and tosses and turns anxiously even at night. Just as it is difficult to keep your balance on a rocking boat, when liver and gallbladder qi falters, neither body nor mind easily finds comfort, and that discomfort can manifest in the legs, troubling us night after night. In this way, leg discomfort during sleepless nights may not be mere fatigue, but an earnest signal from our body asking to restore the balance deep inside, especially between the liver and gallbladder.
