What helps with sleep? Sleep aids.

by sudan7d5 on 2012-02-29 10:54:57

At middle age, sleep becomes restless... sometimes leading to insomnia. What can help with sleep?

1. Millet: Among all grains, millet is the richest in tryptophan. Additionally, it contains a large amount of starch, which easily creates a feeling of fullness after eating, promoting insulin secretion and increasing the amount of tryptophan entering the brain.

2. Walnut: Clinically, walnuts have been proven to improve sleep quality and are often used to treat symptoms such as neurasthenia, insomnia, forgetfulness, and frequent dreaming. The specific method of consumption involves mixing walnuts with black sesame seeds, grinding them into a paste, and consuming 15 grams before bed for significant results.

3. Good dietary habits lead to better sleep: When and how much you eat for dinner is also an important factor affecting sleep. Studies show that if someone wants to sleep at 10 PM, the ideal ratio of meals should be 4:4:2, ensuring energy supply during activity while allowing the gastrointestinal tract to rest during sleep. In general, dinner should not be too heavy, which is most beneficial for sleep. Moreover, dinner should ideally be scheduled around 4 hours before bedtime. Eating immediately after a meal can cause gas retention and affect sleep. People with neurasthenia should eat simple-tasting foods for dinner, avoiding mixed flavors; food temperatures should be even. Developing good eating habits can further aid sleep.

4. Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds contain various amino acids and vitamins, which can regulate metabolism, improve brain cell inhibition functions, and serve as sedatives. Eating some sunflower seeds after dinner can also promote digestive fluid secretion, aiding digestion and sleep.

5. Milk: Milk contains two substances that induce sleep: one is tryptophan, which promotes the secretion of serotonin by brain nerve cells, making people feel drowsy; the other is peptides with regulatory effects on physiological functions, among which "opioid peptides" can bind with the central nervous system, exerting anesthetic and analgesic effects similar to opium, making people feel comfortable overall, relieving fatigue, and aiding sleep. For those suffering from neurasthenia due to physical weakness, milk's sedative effect is more pronounced.

Additionally, jujubes, honey, vinegar, and whole wheat bread are also foods that help with sleep: Jujubes are rich in proteins, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients, having spleen-nourishing and calming effects. Drinking jujube soup after dinner can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. According to traditional Chinese medicine, honey has the effects of replenishing qi and harmonizing the five organs. Drinking a cup of honey water before bed can play a certain role in sleeping well. Vinegar contains various amino acids and organic acids, showing significant effects in eliminating fatigue and aiding sleep. Whole wheat bread is rich in vitamin B, maintaining the health of the nervous system, eliminating irritability, and promoting sleep.

Certain foods can have sedative effects, pointed out by nutritionists, related to some of their components. The most effective foods in this regard include:

1. Milk: Contains two substances that induce sleep: tryptophan, which promotes the secretion of serotonin by brain nerve cells, making people feel drowsy; and peptides with regulatory effects on physiological functions, among which "opioid peptides" can bind with the central nervous system, exerting anesthetic and analgesic effects similar to opium, making people feel comfortable overall, relieving fatigue, and aiding sleep. For those suffering from neurasthenia due to physical weakness, milk's sedative effect is more pronounced.

2. Millet: Among all grains, millet is the richest in tryptophan. Additionally, it contains a large amount of starch, which easily creates a feeling of fullness after eating, promoting insulin secretion and increasing the amount of tryptophan entering the brain.

3. Walnut: Clinically, walnuts have been proven to improve sleep quality and are often used to treat symptoms such as neurasthenia, insomnia, forgetfulness, and frequent dreaming. The specific method of consumption involves mixing walnuts with black sesame seeds, grinding them into a paste, and consuming 15 grams before bed for significant results.

Moreover, jujubes, honey, vinegar, and whole wheat bread are also foods that help with sleep: Jujubes are rich in proteins, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients, having spleen-nourishing and calming effects. Drinking jujube soup after dinner can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. According to traditional Chinese medicine, honey has the effects of replenishing qi and harmonizing the five organs. Drinking a cup of honey water before bed can play a certain role in sleeping well. Vinegar contains various amino acids and organic acids, showing significant effects in eliminating fatigue and aiding sleep. Whole wheat bread is rich in vitamin B, maintaining the health of the nervous system, eliminating irritability, and promoting sleep.

Eating certain types of food can easily lead to insomnia. Many people know that caffeine-containing foods stimulate the nervous system and have a certain diuretic effect, being common causes of insomnia. In fact, besides these, eating spicy foods for dinner is also an important factor affecting sleep. Spices like chili, garlic, and onions can cause a burning sensation in the stomach and indigestion, thereby affecting sleep. Greasy foods increase the workload of the intestines, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, stimulating the nervous center and keeping it active, also leading to insomnia. Some foods produce a lot of gas during digestion, creating a bloated feeling and hindering normal sleep, such as beans, cabbage, onions, corn, and bananas.

Drinking alcohol before bed was once believed by many to promote sleep, but recent research shows that although it makes people fall asleep quickly, it keeps sleep in the light sleep phase, making it difficult to enter deep sleep. Therefore, even if people who drink alcohol sleep for a long time, they still feel tired when they wake up.

Good dietary habits lead to better sleep. When and how much you eat for dinner is also an important factor affecting sleep. Studies show that if someone wants to sleep at 10 PM, the ideal ratio of meals should be 4:4:2, ensuring energy supply during activity while allowing the gastrointestinal tract to rest during sleep. In general, dinner should not be too heavy, which is most beneficial for sleep. Moreover, dinner should ideally be scheduled around 4 hours before bedtime. Eating immediately after a meal can cause gas retention and affect sleep. People with neurasthenia should eat simple-tasting foods for dinner, avoiding mixed flavors; food temperatures should be even. Developing good eating habits can further aid sleep.