Insomnia, the inability to sleep, is not only a problem for the elderly but also for many young people, especially in today's fast-paced lifestyle. So which foods can help with sleep?
1. Millet
Millet has the highest content of tryptophan among all grains. In addition, millet contains a large amount of starch, which can make people feel warm and full, promote the secretion of insulin, and increase the amount of tryptophan entering the brain.
2. Milk
Milk contains two sleep-inducing substances: tryptophan, which promotes the secretion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes people feel drowsy, and peptides that have a regulatory effect on physiological functions, making people feel comfortable and helping relieve fatigue and fall asleep. For people with neurosis caused by physical weakness, the sedative effect of milk is more pronounced. Drinking a glass of milk before bed can induce sleep, especially for middle-aged and elderly people.
3. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds contain various amino acids and vitamins, which can regulate metabolism and improve the inhibitory function of brain cells, thus having a calming and soothing effect. Eating some sunflower seeds after dinner can also promote the secretion of digestive juices, aid digestion, and help with sleep.
4. Lotus Seeds
Lotus seeds have the effects of nourishing the heart, benefiting the spleen, nourishing the blood, and calming the mind, which helps with sleep. In recent years, biologists have confirmed through experiments that lotus seeds contain aromatic glycosides and lotus alkaloids, which have a sedative effect. Eating lotus seeds can promote the secretion of insulin by the pancreas, thereby increasing the supply of serotonin, which helps induce sleep.
5. Dates
Dates have a sweet taste and contain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamin C, organic acids, mucilage, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients. They have the effects of tonifying the spleen and calming the mind. Eating 30-60g of dates with water every night can help with falling asleep.
6. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a valuable bedtime food, containing abundant N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine. Boiling a small bowl of grains and mixing it with a little honey is the perfect combination. Try chewing it vigorously, which can fill your tooth gaps. At the same time, oatmeal can induce the production of melatonin. A small bowl can promote sleep, and chewing a large amount of oatmeal will have an even better effect.
7. Lily Bulbs
In traditional Chinese medicine, lily bulbs have a slightly cold nature and are believed to have the effects of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, and calming the mind. They are also good for improving sleep and can be cooked together with lotus seeds.
8. Kiwi
Sleep disorders are related to excessive stimulation of the central nervous system and excessive excitation of the sympathetic nervous system, or the effects of excessive secretion of stress hormones. Kiwi contains abundant calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C, which help with the synthesis and transmission of neurotransmitters, especially calcium, which has a stabilizing effect on emotions and inhibits the sympathetic nervous system. Blending kiwi, milk, honey, water, and other ingredients into a juice is not only beneficial for the body's absorption of vitamin E from the seeds but also helps increase skin elasticity.
