Is drinking milk effective for insomnia? Drink herbal tea to relieve stress and relax!
Can drinking hot milk help you sleep?
Insomnia can be alleviated by drinking milk in moderation:
1. Milk has high nutritional value: Milk contains a variety of nutrients, which can protect the gastric mucosa and improve immunity.
2. Milk contains tryptophan: Tryptophan can regulate mental rhythm and improve sleep. Drinking hot milk before going to bed can relieve insomnia symptoms.
3. Milk can only assist in the treatment of insomnia: If insomnia is severe, it is recommended that patients use medication, pay attention to relaxing body and mind, and avoid irritating drinks.
The tryptophan contained in milk is the raw material for synthesizing the sleep hormone ─ melatonin, and the calcium in milk plays a role in calming nerves and relaxing muscles. Therefore, it is said that drinking a cup of hot milk before going to bed can help you fall asleep. However, just eating tryptophan is not enough. It must take time to pass through the brain's defense line, the blood-brain barrier, before it can produce melatonin.
Is drinking it effective? In fact, it also depends on the diet and living habits of each person. It may be a placebo effect, or it may become a sleep ritual and cause drowsiness. However, drinking milk before going to bed may cause gastroesophageal reflux, or you may not be able to try it because you are lactose intolerant and may cause diarrhea, so it is not a good choice for everyone.
Not sleeping well? Try Western Healthy Tea Drinks
In European countries, many people use vanilla plants to improve their physical and mental conditions. Just like "Western Chinese medicine", it is a natural therapy that integrates vanilla plants into their diet and life. Herbal Tea is one of its applications. The tangy aroma has its own fragrance, which is not only rich in taste but also has unique therapeutic effects.
Modern people have high work pressure and a tight pace of life. Herbal tea has various effects on health adjustment. Nutritionists recommend 3 types of caffeine-free herbal tea, which can help relax and relieve stress, so that you no longer count sheep before going to bed!
3 Best Herbal Teas for Sleeping
1. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile has been cultivated for medicinal purposes since ancient times. It contains a variety of biologically active phenolic compounds, such as apigenin, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, quercetin, naringenin, etc. Among them, some studies have pointed out that apigenin has antidepressant effects and can improve the mental status of patients with chronic insomnia during the day.
In a study with elderly subjects, the group using chamomile extract had better sleep quality than the control group; while postpartum women with sleep disorders found that their overall sleep status was better after drinking chamomile tea. It can be seen that chamomile tea has the effect of regulating mood, relaxing and soothing.
2. Lavender Tea
Everyone should be familiar with the application of lavender essential oil in aromatherapy. It is said that in ancient Rome, lavender was used for bathing. The elegant and gentle fragrance can make people relax. Many studies have shown that lavender essential oil can help you fall asleep. It is suitable to put a few drops of essential oil on your pillow and smell it to help you sleep.
Studies have shown that women with postpartum depression drink lavender tea for two consecutive weeks and must savor the aroma before drinking, which is effective in improving depression and reducing fatigue. A study on the elderly found that lavender tea can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. These two factors also play a decisive role in sleep.
3. Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm's scientific name means bee and balm. It looks like mint leaves but has the aroma of lemon. It has been used as medicine since the Middle Ages and is believed to have the effect of reducing stress, regulating mood, and improving sleep.
Studies have shown that lemon balm has a stimulating effect on the neurotransmitter GABA. GABA can reduce anxiety and calm emotions when we are stressed or over-excited, allowing us to relax and fall asleep more easily. So a cup of lemon balm tea may be beneficial for insomnia.
Nutritionists remind you to avoid drinking too much herbal tea before going to bed to avoid drinking too much water, which may cause diuresis and make you want to get up to go to the toilet, which may interfere with your sleep. Recommended to consume during the day or 3-4 hours before bed.
In the meantime, here are a few things you can try:
1. Increase physical exercise. You can do aerobic exercise such as jogging and swimming to improve your physical fitness, and you can also use meditation, yoga, meditation and other methods to recuperate;
2. Soak your feet before going to bed. Foot soaking can effectively promote blood circulation and metabolism in the feet, relieve physical fatigue, and help improve sleep and dreaminess. When soaking your feet, you can put some Chinese herbal medicine bags for better results, such as ginger, safflower, mugwort leaves, etc.;
3. Drug treatment. Some stubborn insomnia can be treated with some drugs, and the specific drugs can be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.