Four Methods to Alleviate Insomnia
?1. Practice martial arts or qigong to induce sleep.
Exercising 30–40 minutes before bedtime helps promote falling asleep. However, avoid overexertion. A short period of pleasant and peaceful activity in the evening, such as walking, aids sleep. 2. Massage and acupressure for sleep induction.
Before sleep, gently massage the chest, abdomen, and limbs repeatedly with both hands, promoting full-body relaxation and enabling faster sleep onset. Rubbing the Yongquan point (Bubbling Spring) dozens of times is also beneficial. Covering both ears with your hands and tapping the back of the head with fingers about ten times also enhances sleep quality.
2. Food-based sleep induction methods.
1. Drink a cup of warm milk before sleep to fall asleep quickly. 2. Vinegar-induced sleep. Mix one tablespoon of vinegar with a cup of warm water and drink slowly while closing your eyes and relaxing. You will soon fall into a sweet slumber. 3. Bread-induced sleep. Eating two slices of bread helps induce sleep. 4. Millet porridge for sleep. Cook millet with water into porridge and consume before bedtime to quickly feel drowsy and sleep soundly. 5. Fruit-induced sleep. Eating apples, bananas, oranges, pears, or similar fruits about one hour before bedtime helps sleep; alternatively, cut oranges or apples in half and place beside the pillow—the emitted fragrance has strong sedative effects on nerves. 6. Sugar water for sleep. When feeling agitated and unable to sleep, drinking a cup of sugar water helps. 7. Peanut butter for sleep. Consuming two teaspoons of peanut butter before bedtime helps you fall asleep.
3. Avoiding stimulants for sleep induction.
1. Calm mind for sleep. Maintain harmonious relationships with others; avoid worry, anger, or frustration within one hour before sleep. Avoid watching football matches, thrilling TV shows, or movies before bed. Recall happy memories—it’s easiest to fall asleep this way. 2. Music-induced sleep. Listening to lullabies by Mozart, Mendelssohn’s “Midsummer Song,” or classical masterpieces like “Spring River Moonlight Night” and “Moonlight on Second Spring” before sleep promotes falling asleep. Beverage and lighting for sleep. Avoid coffee and alcohol before sleep—even though alcohol may induce sleep, it often causes intermittent awakenings or rebound insomnia. Do not drink strong tea or coffee before bed. Drinking a small cup of diluted salt water and turning on a low-wattage red light help promote restful sleep.
4. Sleep posture and orientation for sleep induction. For those with mental tension or emotional excitement making sleep difficult, try lying supine.
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