17 Paths to Better Sleep: Advice from Traditional Chinese Medicine

In today’s stressful world, many people are prone to sleep problems. According to some studies, nearly 30 percent of people have trouble sleeping. And that number may have increased post-pandemic. COVID-19 is just one of many health conditions that can lead to insomnia and sleep problems.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines insomnia as difficulty either falling asleep or staying asleep, accompanied by daytime impairments related to those sleep troubles. Long-term insomnia can lead to depression, drug dependence, and poor cognitive function. In addition, it impacts cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.

How to get a good night’s sleep without resorting to medication.

1. Get some sun

The biological rhythm of the human body is heavily influenced by sunlight. To strengthen and normalize the biological rhythm, exposure to sunlight in the morning after waking up is the most effective. That could even mean getting sunlight through a window while you eat breakfast. Thirty minutes of sun exposure in the morning, and another hour or more in the afternoon, can aid in the production of melatonin, which helps sleep. Maintaining this routine for at least three days a week can strengthen your biological rhythm and improve sleep overall.

2. Pamper your feet

Using a foot spa can quickly improve blood circulation in the feet and aid the body’s thermoregulation.

3. Watch your diet

Consuming foods that are rich in tryptophan and vitamin B6 can improve sleep quality by encouraging the body’s production of melatonin and serotonin. Soybeans, bananas, carrots, spinach, and potatoes are good sources of B6. Tryptophan can be found in cheese, fish, milk, sunflower seeds, and turkey.

In addition, it is also important to have fixed meal times. According to traditional Chinese medicine, eating at regular times throughout the day can adjust the functions of the liver and small intestines in order to control the body’s circadian rhythm. Strengthening circadian rhythms can promote metabolic heat production, which generates body temperature rhythms. The result is deeper and better sleep.

Ideally, eat dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed, and avoid overly fatty foods, eating too much, and hard-to-digest foods.

4. Reduce screen time

Turn off your computer or phone at least an hour before bedtime. Blue light from digital screens inhibits the secretion of melatonin, affecting sleep negatively.

5. Reduce sympathetic nervous system activity

Staying focused on anything, whether it’s a computer screen, driving, or physical exercise, increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. That in turn prompts the brain to reduce melatonin secretion, making it harder to fall asleep.

6. Switch indoor lighting to warm colors

Research has found that warm light tones actually increase production of melatonin. However, bright lights of any color can decrease sleepiness, so switch indoor lighting to warmer colors, but keep lights dim. Make the switch at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

7. Aromatherapy

Research shows that aromatherapy can significantly increase sleep quality. However, even if a fragrance has a calming effect, it may still hinder sleep if you dislike its aroma. So choose a scent that you are comfortable with.

8. Take a warm bath

Approximately 30 minutes before bedtime, soaking your body in a warm bath (about 105ºF) can slow down the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. According to traditional Chinese medicine, calming the sympathetic nervous can regulate excess heat in the body and hasten sleep. The warm water will actually help to lower your body’s core temperature, signaling the body that it’s time to sleep.

Keep the water temperate: a bath that is too hot (above 110ºF) will raise the body temperature, and you will have to wait until the body temperature drops below a certain level before you can fall asleep.

9. Use the bathroom before bed

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth stating: going to the bathroom within 20 minutes of bedtime can reduce the need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

10. Head to bed as soon as you feel sleepy

If you feel sleepy ahead of your scheduled bedtime, try to go to bed right away. Otherwise, you may find the sleepiness receding and have difficulty falling asleep.

11. Avoid drinking and smoking before bedtime

Small amounts of alcohol have a stimulating effect; nicotine can also keep you awake. And, although a drink at bedtime might cause you to nod off faster, alcohol can actually reduce deep sleep later on by reducing REM sleep. Both alcohol and nicotine can increase your heartrate during sleep, which further burdens your body and reduces sleep quality. Further, nicotine can increase blood pressure and even contribute to irregular heart rhythms at night.

12. Practice stretching exercises

By relieving muscle tension and encouraging slow breathing from the abdomen, stretching exercises can ease nerve tension and achieve a state of physical and mental relaxation which will help to induce sleep.

13. Adjust your mood

If you cannot sleep, trying to force yourself to sleep will only make you more stressed, which further prevents you from sleeping. If you can’t sleep, consider getting out of bed, taking a walk, or relaxing. Try to clear and calm your mind.

14. Adjust room temperature and humidity

Maintaining a sleep environment with the appropriate temperature and humidity is important. Generally, the most comfortable temperature for sleeping lies between 68 to 73°F, with humidity at 50 to 60 percent. However, the best temperature for sleep changes with the seasons. During winter, the appropriate temperature is lower, 61 to 68°F, with humidity above 50 percent. In summer, the best temperature is 77 to 82°F, with humidity at less than 70 percent.

15. Pay attention to sleep hygiene: the right bedding and pajamas

In winter, it is recommended to use beddings with light weight, good thermal insulation, and good moisture permeability. Overly soft mattresses should be avoided as they fail to support the back. Low rebound mattresses can better support the body. In summer, choose bed sheets and mattresses made from more breathable materials, such as linen. Choose pajamas that are loose and have good heat retention and moisture absorption. Poor moisture absorption will make the body sweaty and overly warm, which is not conducive to good sleep.

16. Choose the right pillow

Choose a slightly lower pillow, and add layers of sheets under the pillow to slowly raise it to the most suitable height. Side sleepers will need the support of slightly higher pillows on both sides to take pressure off the shoulders. Pillow height should allow the head and neck to be naturally straightened. Memory foam pillows are not recommended since they collapse after a long night’s sleep. The pillow needs to have a moderate degree of elasticity in order to properly support the head and neck during sleep.

17. Cultivate better breathing habits

If someone is snoring—whether it’s you or your bed partner—you can say goodbye to sleep. Abdominal breathing, also called deep breathing or belly breathing, can help reduce snoring. Abdominal breathing exercises involve breathing in and out through the nose, while fully engaging the diaphragm. Better breathing habits can help insomnia caused by open-mouth breathing, reducing or eliminating snoring.

Practicing deep breathing before going to bed can also reduce heart rate and blood pressure, calm the nerves, and promote relaxation—all factors in getting good sleep.

From:https://www.theepochtimes.com/advice-from-traditional-chinese-medicine-seventeen-paths-to-better-sleep_4770592.html