Seven Simple Soups to Help You Sleep Better
If you want to sleep better, diet is the safest method. By properly using herbs with sedative and calming effects, you can naturally and healthily induce sleep through food. Here are seven recommended soups—give them a try:
1. Sour Jujube Seed Soup:
Crush 3 taels of sour jujube seeds, decoct in water, and consume one hour before bedtime. Sour jujube seeds inhibit the central nervous system and provide a stable sedative effect. They are particularly effective for insomnia due to blood deficiency, restlessness, or palpitations.
2. Calm Mind Soup:
3 taels each of longan flesh and Salvia miltiorrhiza, decocted with two bowls of water until reduced to half a bowl. Consume 30 minutes before bedtime. Achieves a calming effect, especially beneficial for those with heart blood deficiency and insomnia.
3. Calming Spirit Soup:
Steam 5 taels of fresh lily until soft, add one egg yolk, mix with 200 c.c. water, stir well, add a little rock sugar, boil again, then dilute with 50 c.c. water. Drink one hour before bedtime. Lily has functions of clearing the heart, calming the spirit, and soothing nerves. Regular consumption yields immediate results.
4. Three-Ingredient Sleep Aid Soup:
3 taels of sour jujube seeds, 1 tael each of Ophiopogon japonicus and Polygala tenuifolia, decocted with 500 c.c. water until reduced to 50 c.c. Consume before bedtime. All three herbs have tranquilizing and calming effects, and their combination produces a hypnotic effect.
5. Longan and Lotus Seed Soup:
Boil 2 taels each of longan and lotus seeds into a soup. It nourishes the heart, calms the spirit, strengthens the spleen, and supplements the kidneys. Ideal for middle-aged and elderly individuals, and those suffering from chronic insomnia.
6. Nourishing Heart Congee:
Use 35 grams of Codonopsis pilosula, 10 pitted dates, 10 grams each of Ophiopogon japonicus and Poria cocos. Decoct with 2000 c.c. water until reduced to 500 c.c., strain, then combine with washed rice and water to cook until rice is done. Add brown sugar for consumption. This provides nourishment to blood and Qi, calms the spirit, and significantly improves palpitations (rapid heartbeat), forgetfulness, insomnia, and vivid dreams.
7. Lily and Mung Bean Milk:
Use 25 grams each of lily and mung beans, a small amount of rock sugar. Cook until soft and thick. When consuming, add some milk. Particularly effective for summer insomnia, providing cooling, calming, and sedative effects. Milk contains tryptophan, which converts to serotonin in the brain to promote sleep.