Foods That Promote Good Sleep
Sorghum: Slightly cold in nature, it helps “stomach health, spleen harmony, and sleep promotion.” Research shows sorghum contains abundant tryptophan—highest among all grains. Tryptophan promotes the secretion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that induces sleepiness by temporarily suppressing brain activity. Additionally, sorghum’s high starch content creates a feeling of fullness after consumption, stimulating insulin release and increasing tryptophan uptake into the brain. Eating sorghum porridge before bedtime helps induce peaceful sleep.
Longan: Sweet taste, warm nature, nourishes the heart and brain, enriches blood, and calms the spirit. Drinking longan tea before bed or consuming longan boiled with rock sugar can significantly improve sleep quality.
Fruits: Contain fructose, malic acid, and aromatic compounds that trigger bodily reactions leading to serotonin production, helping one fall asleep.
Lotus Seeds: Lotus flesh is slightly astringent and neutral; lotus heart is bitter and cold—both have calming and sleep-promoting effects. According to the *Great Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine*, they treat “nighttime dreaming.” Studies show lotus seeds contain lotus alkaloid and rutin, which have sedative effects and stimulate insulin secretion, aiding sleep. Before bedtime, boil lotus seeds with a pinch of salt, or eat cooked lotus seeds with rock sugar.
Mulberry: Sweet taste, cold nature, nourishes blood, moistens yin, and supplements liver and kidneys. As recorded in *Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu*, “mulberries enhance hearing, improve vision, calm the soul, and stabilize the spirit.” Commonly used to treat dizziness and insomnia due to yin deficiency and yang excess. Prepare mulberry decoction, reduce to paste in a ceramic pot, mix with honey, store, and take 1–2 teaspoons daily with warm water.
Sunflower Seeds: Contain various amino acids and vitamins, regulating brain cell metabolism and improving inhibitory functions. Eating a few sunflower seeds before bed promotes digestive fluid secretion, aids digestion, relieves stagnation, calms the nerves, and promotes sleep.
Walnuts: Sweet taste, warm nature—excellent for nourishment. Effective for neurasthenia, forgetfulness, insomnia, and vivid dreams. Cook rice, walnut kernels, and black sesame seeds into a thin porridge, sweeten with sugar, and consume before sleep.
Dried Red Dates: Warm nature, sweet taste, red color, moist flesh—beneficial for nourishing the five organs, strengthening the spleen and stomach, enriching blood, and calming the spirit. Highly effective for insomnia, vivid dreams, and mental confusion caused by blood and qi deficiency. Remove pits, boil dates until soft, add rock sugar and donkey-hide gelatin, simmer gently into a paste. Consume 1–2 spoonfuls before bed.
Honey: Tonifies middle energizer, boosts qi, harmonizes the five organs, balances all medicines, and detoxifies. Highly effective for insomnia. Take 50g honey nightly, dissolve in warm water, and drink.
Milk: An ideal tonic. Drinking one glass before bed helps induce sleep—especially suitable for the elderly.