Skip to content

Tonify the Heart

天王補心丹 · tiān wáng bǔ xīn dān

For insomnia, palpitations, and anxiety when Heart yin and blood are running dry

What it's for

When the Heart's store of yin and blood runs low, deficiency heat rises inward and upward, leaving the spirit unmoored at night. The result is dream-disturbed sleep, palpitations that worsen with mental effort, poor memory, and a low-grade restlessness that cannot be quieted by rest alone. This formula uses a large dose of rehmannia as its foundation, supported by asparagus root, dwarf lilyturf, and scrophularia, to nourish yin and clear deficiency heat at the root. Sour jujube seed, biota seed, salvia root, and dong quai directly settle the spirit by nourishing the Heart blood. Schisandra berry draws qi, your body's vital energy, inward to anchor the spirit against further dissipation, while ginseng, poria, polygala, and platycodon support absorption and direct the formula to where it is needed.

Signs this formula is a fit

At least 2 of the 3 main signs below should sound like you. The red tongue with thin or scanty coating and deficiency heat signs are the most important confirmers.

Main signs

  • Insomnia with very restless sleep

    sleep is broken and unsettled, not simply difficulty falling asleep

  • Palpitations with anxiety and irritability

    the heart races or flutters, especially when mentally overworked or stressed

  • Poor memory and forgetfulness

    difficulty retaining information, especially when accompanied by fatigue despite insomnia

Extra signs

  • Low-grade afternoon or evening fever, or five-center heat (palms, soles, chest)
  • Night sweats
  • Dry mouth, especially at night, or mouth sores
  • Dry stools
  • Red tongue, thin coating or scanty coating
  • Thin, rapid pulse

Signs it isn't

  • Your insomnia is from phlegm-fire: agitation, bitter taste, restlessness, and a greasy yellow tongue
  • Your symptoms are from Heart qi deficiency alone without heat: no dry mouth, no red tongue, no restlessness
  • You have Kidney yang deficiency: cold limbs, pale tongue, edema, frequent urination at night

What's in it

Safety

  • The classical formula contained cinnabar. Bensky calls its toxicity unacceptable and says it should no longer be used.
  • Modern versions omit cinnabar. Check the ingredient list on any product before buying.
  • Not appropriate during pregnancy. Salvia root is contraindicated in pregnancy.
  • Polygala also carries a pregnancy caution for uterine-stimulating activity.
  • Contains polygala, which can irritate the stomach. Use caution with gastritis or ulcers and take it with food.
  • Not for insomnia from phlegm-fire; look for a red tongue without greasy coating and yin deficiency signs.
  • Cold and rich, so use caution if your digestion is weak. Loose stools alone do not rule it out.
  • Ginseng may raise blood pressure; those with hypertension should monitor carefully.
  • Ginseng may interact with blood thinners, MAOI antidepressants, and diabetes medication.
  • Salvia root can raise warfarin levels. Do not take this formula on warfarin without asking your prescriber.

How to take it

What to get

Heavenly Emperor's Teapills

Plum Flower200 ct

Not yet available through Amazon.

A practitioner may be able to source it directly. Find a practitioner

Dose

Take 8 pills, 3 times a day. Other brands and forms use different doses, so follow the label on what you buy.

How long

Follow any time limit on the product label. If it gives none, ask a qualified TCM practitioner when to reassess. Do not keep taking it unchanged if nothing improves.