To get a good night's sleep

When you suffer from insomnia, your body doesn't have time to replenish the energy lost during the previous workday. Many people frequently find themselves in this situation, even when trying the "counting sheep" method (counting from 1 to 100 to make themselves tired and sleepy), but still unable to fall asleep.

On average, an adult sleeps between 4 and 8 hours. However, sleep quality isn't judged solely on the number of hours slept; it also depends on sleep quality—that is, whether one feels comfortable and energized enough for the next day's work. If someone sleeps eight hours a night but still feels tired and sluggish the next morning, then their sleep quality is considered inadequate. Conversely, if someone sleeps only five hours but feels refreshed and energetic to start a new workday, then their sleep is considered satisfactory.

Young water spinach cooked in soup is a "medicinal dish" that significantly improves sleep (Photo: Kikitran).

Why do we suffer from insomnia?

There are many factors and causes of insomnia:

- External factors: stress at work or finances; conflicts with others; major life events; fatigue from work or shift work.

These include medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases (coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure); respiratory diseases (asthma, sleep apnea); chronic pain; endocrine diseases (diabetes, hyperthyroidism); digestive diseases (gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease); neurological diseases (Parkinson's disease, epilepsy); and pregnancy.

- Neuropsychiatric disorders: personality disorders (depression, psychosis); anxiety disorders; drug and alcohol withdrawal syndromes.

Insomnia can be caused by the use of certain medications: anticonvulsants; antihypertensive drugs (sympathetic inhibitors); diuretics or steroids; and stimulants.

Depending on the severity and cause of insomnia, modern medicine offers various generations of medications, from first-generation H1 receptor antihistamines to sedatives and hypnotics, to treat insomnia; however, prolonged use often leads to certain unwanted side effects.

Several measures to help improve sleep.

In traditional medicine, both non-drug and drug-based methods can significantly improve sleep:

- Without medication: establish a consistent sleep and wake schedule at the same time each night; avoid long afternoon naps (15-30 minutes is sufficient); the bedroom should be quiet and well-ventilated (without too many objects, books, etc.), with appropriate lighting (not too bright); avoid eating too much or being too hungry, as this will affect sleep; avoid drinking strong tea or coffee a few hours before bed; practice deep breathing, especially diaphragmatic breathing (breathe in deeply, the abdomen moves with each breath while limiting chest movement: shoulders do not lift, neck and chest muscles do not contract strongly); practice relaxation (lie down and relax the muscles of the face, neck, chest, abdomen, arms, and legs; avoid excessive thinking).

Focus your thoughts on the regular inhalation and exhalation. Tell yourself that your hands, feet, and entire body feel warm and heavy. If you practice relaxation well, sleep will be easier and of better quality. Massage and press certain acupoints that have a calming and soothing effect on tension, such as: Yintang acupoint (the point between the inner ends of the eyebrows), Anmian acupoint (about 1.5 cm behind the left ear), Neiguan acupoint (about 3 cm between the two tendons above the wrist crease), Sanyinjiao acupoint (about 4 cm above the highest point of the inner ankle, close to the posterior edge of the tibia), and Zusanli acupoint (about 4 cm below the lower corner of the patella, on the outer edge of the tibia). Warm your feet by rubbing both the soles and backs, or soak your feet in warm water at about 50°C.

- Using herbal remedies: Several readily available herbs have a calming effect and help with sleep, such as water spinach (young water spinach is used in soups with fish, meat, shrimp, etc.); lotus root (the part of the plant that grows under the mud has a calming and nourishing effect); lotus seeds (rich in nutrients and have a calming effect on the nervous system); lotus embryo (the green core in the middle of the lotus seed, which helps combat anxiety and insomnia); water lily tubers (beneficial for people with mental and nervous exhaustion and sleep disorders); longan pulp (boiled in water or combined with lotus seeds and apples to make a dessert that helps with sleep); neem leaves (have a strong calming effect when steamed in a rice cooker or boiled or cooked with other herbs); passionflower (the leaves and stems are used, have a calming effect on the nervous system, and help improve sleep quality); eating or drinking tomato, carrot, avocado, pineapple, and banana juices, as they contain many vitamins B2, B3, B6, and C, which help the body produce serotonin, a neurohormone that aids sleep.

According to SGTT - PC