Washing your feet in the summer can dispel dampness, while washing your feet in the autumn can nourish your lungs and intestines. Soaking your feet before bed may seem like a small matter, but it actually contains a lot of knowledge. In ancient times, our country already had the custom of soaking feet before bed. There is a saying in folk culture that goes, "Soaking your feet in hot water before bed is better than taking tonic medicine regularly." This emphasizes the health benefits of soaking feet before bed. Today, let's learn about the benefits of soaking feet before bed.
Unblocking meridians
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the feet are the starting and ending points of the three yin meridians and three yang meridians. They are closely connected to all the organs and meridians in the body. The five zang organs and six fu organs have corresponding projections on the feet, and there are more than 60 acupoints distributed on the feet. If you can insist on washing your feet with hot water before bed, it can stimulate these acupoints, promote the circulation of qi and blood, regulate the function of internal organs, unblock the meridians throughout the body, enhance physical fitness, dispel diseases, expel evil spirits, and nourish and replenish the primordial qi.
Treating kidney deficiency
Yongquan acupoint is located on the soles of the feet. It is the "well" acupoint of the Kidney Meridian of the Foot-Shaoyin. The Kidney Meridian of the Foot-Shaoyin starts from Yongquan and ends at Yu Fu. Soaking your feet in hot water has a tonifying effect on the kidneys. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that "the waist is the residence of the kidneys" and "the kidneys produce marrow, and the brain is the sea of marrow." Soaking your feet can treat kidney deficiency and lumbago.
Promoting sleep
Modern medicine believes that the feet are the second heart of the human body. There are a large number of nerve endings and blood vessels connected to the brain in the feet. When soaking your feet in hot water or massaging the soles of your feet, the hot water will stimulate the nerve endings in the feet and produce a benign and gentle stimulation on the central nervous system, which can promote the inhibition of the cerebral cortex, speed up falling asleep, deepen sleep, and promote sleep.
Improving blood circulation
Soaking your feet in hot water before bed can dilate the pores and blood vessels in the feet, accelerate blood circulation, improve blood circulation in the feet and lower limbs, enhance blood vessel elasticity, and reduce local muscle tension.
Promoting metabolism
Soaking your feet in hot water before bed can improve the nutritional metabolism of the feet and quickly eliminate accumulated metabolic waste such as lactic acid, effectively eliminating fatigue accumulated throughout the day.
Dispelling cold and preventing diseases
Soaking your feet before bed has the effect of dispelling cold and preventing diseases. The feet are far away from the heart, with less and slower blood supply. In addition, the fat layer on the feet is thin and has poor heat preservation ability, and the peripheral blood circulation of the human body is poor. When the weather turns cooler, people often feel cold in their feet. The coldness in the feet not only affects the feet, but also reflexively causes abnormal respiratory function, significantly reducing the body's resistance. Pathogenic bacteria can take advantage of this and cause colds, bronchitis, and other diseases. Soaking your feet in hot water can unblock the meridians throughout the body and accelerate blood circulation.
Tips for soaking feet before bed
The temperature of the water for soaking feet is generally around 40°C, and it is advisable to soak for about half an hour. The depth of the water should reach the lower leg, and the principle is that the water should immerse more than half of the lower leg. It is best to use a wooden bucket for soaking feet.
