Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep or maintain a sleep state, resulting in insufficient sleep. Also known as difficulties in falling asleep and maintaining sleep (DlMS), it is a common condition caused by various reasons such as difficulty in falling asleep, short duration or frequency of sleep, early awakening, and poor sleep quality.
Traditional Chinese medicine summarizes the theories of yin-yang sleep, qi circulation sleep, and spirit sleep in the field of sleep study. In understanding sleep, it especially emphasizes the dominant role of yin and yang. Human emotional activities are reflections of the brain to objective things, and these reflections belong to the scope of heart, brain, and neural activities. The liver is responsible for regulation and release, as well as the regulation of mental and emotional states, so the heart, brain, liver, and sleep are closely related. There are many methods for treating insomnia, and here are eight dietary therapies:
1. Millet Congee
Ingredients: 50g millet, 1 egg
Benefits: Nourishes the heart and calms the spirit. Used for insufficient heart blood and restless sleep.
Method: Cook the millet to make porridge, extract the juice, then add the egg and cook slightly.
Usage: Soak the feet in hot water before bedtime, drink the congee, and then go to sleep.
2. Sour Jujube Kernel Congee
Ingredients: 15g sour jujube kernel powder, 100g glutinous rice
Benefits: Calms the mind. Used for palpitations, insomnia, frequent dreaming, and restlessness.
Method: Cook the glutinous rice to make porridge, add the sour jujube kernel powder when almost cooked.
Usage: Take on an empty stomach.
3. Millet and Jujube Kernel Congee
Ingredients: 100g millet, 15g jujube kernel powder, 30g honey
Benefits: Tonifies the spleen, moisturizes dryness, and calms the mind. Used for poor appetite, restless sleep, and dry stools.
Method: Cook the millet to make porridge, then add the jujube kernel powder and mix well.
Usage: Add honey when consuming, take twice a day.
4. Job's Tears Congee
Ingredients: 30g Job's tears, 10g processed pinellia tuber
Benefits: Harmonizes the stomach and induces sleep. Used for indigestion and sleep disturbances caused by stomach discomfort.
Method: First decoct the processed pinellia tuber to remove impurities, then cook with rice to make porridge.
Usage: Take on an empty stomach.
5. Eight Treasure Congee
Ingredients: 6g each of Chinese water chestnut, coix seed, white adzuki bean, lotus seed, Chinese yam, red dates, longan, and lily, 150g rice
Benefits: Strengthens the spleen and stomach, nourishes qi and kidneys, nourishes blood, and calms the mind. Used for insomnia and symptoms of deficiency such as fatigue, edema, diarrhea, thirst, and cough with little phlegm.
Method: First decoct the various herbs for 40 minutes, then add the rice and continue cooking until soft and porridge-like.
Usage: Sweeten and consume in several servings, continue for several days.
6. Polygala and Lotus Seed Congee
Ingredients: 30g polygala, 15g lotus seeds, 50g glutinous rice
Benefits: Tonifies the middle, boosts the spirit, and improves hearing and vision. Used for forgetfulness, mental confusion, and insomnia.
Method: Soak the polygala and lotus seeds, grind them into powder, then cook the glutinous rice to make porridge. Add the polygala and lotus seed powder when the porridge is almost cooked, and cook for another boil or two.
Usage: Consume as desired.
7. Arborvitae Seed Congee
Ingredients: 10-15g arborvitae seeds, 50-100g glutinous rice, honey to taste
Benefits: Moistens the intestines, promotes bowel movements, nourishes the heart, and calms the mind. Used for palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness, long-term constipation, or elderly constipation.
Method: Remove the skin, shell, and impurities from the arborvitae seeds, crush them, and cook with glutinous rice. When the porridge is almost cooked, add honey and cook for another boil or two.
Usage: Take twice a day, for 2-3 days as one course of treatment.
8. Polygonum Multiflorum Congee
Ingredients: 60g polygonum multiflorum, 50g glutinous rice, 2 Chinese jujubes, sugar to taste
Benefits: Nourishes the blood, calms the mind, dispels wind, and promotes blood circulation. Used for restlessness, stubborn insomnia, frequent dreaming, and rheumatic pain.
Method: Soak the polygonum multiflorum in warm water for a while, add 500g of water, decoct to obtain about 300g of herbal juice, add glutinous rice, sugar, and Chinese jujubes, then add 200g of water and cook until the congee thickens. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Usage: Consume 1 hour before bedtime, while hot, continue for 10 days as one course of treatment.
