There is little better than a good night’s sleep. Quality sleep is essential for human health. However, in today’s fast-paced world, our sleep quality is often compromised. Factors including stress, anxiety, stimulants, eating or staying up late, and the use of electronic devices can lead to insomnia.
Acupoint Therapy
A study conducted in February confirmed that the use of various acupoint stimulation methods can change the brain’s local electrical activity, suppress the central nervous system, and achieve deep sedation by stimulating the related acupoints. The researchers also found that acupoint therapies effectively improved sleep quality in patients after surgery.2 Essential Acupoints for Promoting Sleep
The Shenmen acupoint and the Sanyinjiao acupoint are both associated with the mind and the endocrine system. The Shenmen acupoint is located in the center of the palm, while the Sanyinjiao acupoint is located about four finger widths above the inner ankle. These two acupoints play a role in regulating emotions and hormonal balance. Pressing them simultaneously can help relax your mind and promote restful sleep.
Sitting Meditation and Mindfulness Practice
Over the years, numerous studies have shown that meditation is effective in treating certain aspects of sleep disturbance.
Mindfulness meditation is a beneficial relaxation technique that can help regulate physiological indicators such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It can also promote emotional calmness, clarity of thought, and focused awareness.
Meditation can also promote the development and activation of the pineal gland, an endocrine organ located at the center of the brain. This gland is responsible for secreting melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and plays a role in enhancing the immune system.
Consume Sleep-Promoting Foods Rich in Melatonin
Research has shown that melatonin is linked to improved sleep outcomes. Individuals can boost melatonin levels through their diet by consuming foods such as tomatoes, onions, bananas, rice, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds. You can include these foods in your dinner or eat them before bedtime to promote better sleep.
Oil Massage on the Soles of the Feet
Massaging the soles of your feet with oil is an ancient and effective method to promote sleep. Apply olive, coconut, sesame, or jojoba oil to the soles of your feet before bedtime and massage them until the oil is absorbed.Rubbing the Palms of Your Hands and Soles of Your Feet
If you experience poor sleep quality, light sleep, frequent awakenings, or nocturia you can try rubbing your palms and the soles of your feet before bedtime.
This can stimulate the Laogong acupoint on the palm and the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the foot. These two acupoints belong to the pericardium meridian and kidney meridian, respectively. They help regulate the coordination between the heart and kidneys, allowing the heart fire to descend and the kidney water to ascend, thereby achieving a balance between yin and yang in the body.
Instructions: Use the palm of your left hand to rub the sole of your right foot for about 3 minutes, then switch sides and repeat.
Diet Therapy
1. Lily and Lotus Seed Soup
Lily and lotus seed soup is a commonly used herbal remedy in TCM. It can be consumed daily and is highly beneficial for improving sleep.
The ingredients for lily and lotus seed soup include lily bulbs, lotus seeds, and snow fungus. You can add a bit of rock sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. This soup can help calm the mind and nourish the spleen, stomach, and kidneys.
2. Licorice and Jujube Decoction
Licorice and jujube decoction is another commonly used herbal remedy in TCM. Its ingredients include jujubes, cassia twigs, peony root, and licorice root. This soup can help disperse stagnated liver qi, remove blood stasis, and regulate emotions.3. Claypot Fish Head Soup
Claypot fish head soup is a delicious and nutritious dish that provides a rich source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids found in deep-sea fish. Both of these compounds can help enhance sleep quality by promoting neural transmission and blood supply to the brain.Use salmon heads or other fatty deep-sea fish heads such as tuna and mackerel, along with ingredients like tofu, napa cabbage, and other vegetables, and stew in a clay pot. This soup is not only delicious, but the fats and fish oil in the broth can also promote restful sleep.
4. Perilla Rose Tea and Chrysanthemum Honey Tea
Perilla rose tea and chrysanthemum honey tea are two delightful and aromatic herbal infusions. Drinking a cup of either of these before bedtime can offer immune-boosting, calming, and liver-protective effects.
The ingredients for perilla rose tea include 3 grams of perilla leaves, 3 grams of peppermint leaves, and 3 to 5 roses. Perilla can promote liver health and calm the mind, peppermint provides a cooling effect, and roses can improve blood circulation, disperse stagnation, and enhance skin beauty. After thoroughly washing these three ingredients, place them in a tea bag, then steep in 500cc (16 ounces) of hot water for 10 minutes before drinking.
The Importance of Good Sleep Habits
Getting up early and going to bed early is a fundamental sleep pattern. It allows your body to follow natural rhythms and maintain a balance between yin and yang.As stated in the “Huangdi Neijing” (also known as the “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”), one should go to bed early and rise early, with the “crowing of the rooster in the autumn.” This advice applies not only to autumn but also to other seasons. Going to bed early nurtures your yin while rising early nurtures your yang. In TCM, yin corresponds to internal organs like the liver and kidneys, while yang corresponds to the digestive and respiratory systems like the spleen, stomach, and lungs.
Falling asleep before 11 p.m. protects your liver and gallbladder while waking up before 6 a.m. enhances spleen and lung functions. By doing so, your body receives sufficient rest and recovery, which can cycle back to improved sleep quality.
