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The etiology of sudden nightmare (Cu Yan) involves constriction, meaning being oppressed by evil spirits in dreams. When a person lies down and does not wake up, it is because the Hun and Po souls wander outside and are seized by other evils, originally due to the sudden constraint of the Hun and Po souls.

*Zhouhou Beiji Fang* (Emergency Prescriptions Kept Up My Sleeve) for treating sudden nightmare and sudden unresponsiveness during sleep:
If one suddenly falls into a deep sleep and cannot wake up, do not shine a fire on them, as this may cause death. Instead, bite their heel forcefully, as well as the area near the nail of the little toe, and spit frequently on their face; they will then awaken.

Another prescription:
Use powder of *Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus* (Zaojiao), blow it into both nostrils using a bamboo tube to induce awakening. It can still be used within three or two days.

Another prescription:
Poke both nostrils with a brush hair. For males, use the left side; for females, the right side. Move it back and forth to induce awakening. (Same as *Jiyan Fang*)

Another prescription:
Crush *Allium macrostemon Bulbus* (Xie) to extract juice and blow it into both nostrils. In winter, take *Allium tuberosum Seed* (Jiu), wring out the juice, and pour it into the mouth. (Same as *Jiyan Fang*, *Wenzhong Fang*, *Beiji Fang*)

Another prescription:
Blow into both ears using a reed tube. Also, take seven hairs from the patient, twist them into a rope, insert them into the nostrils, cut the comb of a rooster to obtain blood, and blow the blood into the throat/pharynx using a tube. This is highly effective. (All from Volume 1)

*Jiyan Fang* (Collected Proven Prescriptions) for treating sudden nightmare:
Drink salt water, the amount depending on preference. Also bite the area near the nail of the big toe. Biting it forcefully will cause awakening. (Same as *Zhouhou Fang*, *Wenzhong Fang*, *Beiji Fang*)

Another prescription:
Place the patient on the ground. Take a sharp knife and draw lines starting from the shoulder. For males, draw to the left; for females, to the right. Complete the circle around the body. Then, prick the Renzhong (GV26) point below the nose with the knife edge, inserting about one fen, aiming towards the shoulder.

Another prescription:
Sift fine powder of *Realgar* (Xionghuang) and blow it into both nostrils using a tube. This is preferable. (All from Volume 1)

Cui Shi's main prescription for sudden nightmare:
Tie the patient's elbow posteriorly using the left cord of a steamer belt. For males, tie the left arm; for females, the right arm. Twist the remaining part tightly. Also tie the bed leg, and then interrogate the situation. (Same as *Zhouhou Fang*, *Gujin Luyian*)

Cui Shi stated that for treating sudden mania and ghostly speech:
Tie the thumbs of both hands tightly with a steamer belt. Then moxa the areas under the left and right ribs. Bend the elbows so the tip touches, and apply seven moxa cones at each spot.

Wenzhong's prescription for treating sudden nightmare:
Have one person sit by the head to guard, and another person call the patient's name from outside the door. The guardian should answer "Here," and the patient will revive. (Same as *Zhouhou Fang*)

Additionally, prescriptions for those prone to nightmares and bad dreams. (The following are all prescriptions to ward off nightmares.)
Take ash from a burned corpse, place it in a shoe, and use it as a pillow.

Another prescription:
Wear Realgar (*Xionghuang*). Males wear it on the left; females on the right.

Another prescription:
It is good to place one fen of *Moschus* (Shexiang) beside the head as a pillow, and also ingest a small amount of the fragrance.

Another prescription:
Using a tiger head as a pillow is good.

Another prescription:
Take Realgar (*Xionghuang*) the size of a jujube pit, tie it under the left armpit, and the person will never suffer from nightmares in their lifetime. (Same as *Jiyan Fang*, *Fanwang Fang*)

Another prescription:
Using a rhinoceros horn as a pillow is good.

Another prescription:
Place *Aucklandiae Radix* (Qingmuxiang) in the pillow; wearing it is also good. (All from Volume 1)

*Qianjin Fang* Xiao Dingxin Tang (Minor Heart-Calming Decoction), for treating emaciation due to deficiency, frightful weakness of Heart Qi, and frequent nightmares:
*Soporiae Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma* (Fushen) (4 fen, some versions say *Poria* [Fuling]), *Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma* (Gancao), *Paeoniae Radix Alba* (Shaoyao), *Zingiberis Rhizoma* (Ganjiang), *Jujubae Fructus* (Dazao) (15 pieces, split), *Polygalae Radix* (Yuanzhi) (remove heart), *Panax Ginseng Radix* (Renshen).
Cut the above eight herbs. Boil in 8 sheng of water until 3 sheng remain. Divide into three doses, taken three times daily. Observe usual dietary restrictions.

Also, Da Dingxin Tang (Major Heart-Calming Decoction), for treating palpitations due to Heart Qi deficiency, mental confusion, forgetfulness, or waking from dreams with fright/nightmares, and lack of willpower:
*Panax Ginseng Radix* (Renshen), *Poria* (Fuling), *Soporiae Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma* (Fushen), *Polygalae Radix* (Yuanzhi) (remove heart), *Lapis Kaolinites Rubra* (Chishizhi), *Os Draconis* (Longgu), *Zingiberis Rhizoma* (Ganjiang), *Angelicae Sinensis Radix* (Danggui), *Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma* (Gancao) (roasted), *Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma* (Baizhu), *Paeoniae Radix Alba* (Shaoyao), *Jujubae Fructus* (Dazao), *Cinnamomi Ramulus* (Guixin), *Saposhnikoviae Radix* (Fangfeng), *Asterae Radix* (Ziwan) (each 2 liang).
Cut the above fifteen herbs. Boil in 12 dou of water until 3.5 sheng remain. Divide into five doses: three during the day, two at night. Observe usual dietary restrictions.

*Qianjin Yifang* for treating sudden nightmare with unawareness:
Moxa twenty-one cones at the hairy center of both big toes. (Same as *Fanwang Fang*, from Volume 27)

*Beiji Fang* for treating sudden nightmare with unresponsiveness:
Powdered yellow earth from the stove bottom, or powder of Realgar (*Xionghuang*) and Cinnamon Twig (*Guixin*), are acceptable.
Blow the powder into both nostrils using a reed tube. (Same as *Wenzhong Fang*, from Volume 1)