Herbs and soups for Insomnia
As humans, we spend one-third of our lives sleeping. Sleep is so important, yet many people fail to enjoy it properly. Whether that is caused by high work stress, or a restless mind, there are many ways to combat this issue. Traditional Chinese Medicine has done much work on providing different solutions to this plaguing matter. Here's how you can get a good night of sleep using Traditional Chinese Medicine. 3 recipes, with an explanation for each herb's purpose below.
(Note: These recipes can also help with chronic stress, as well as anxiety. Try these out if you have a restless mind.)
(Another Note: These recipes are heavy on PURPOSE and not taste. Proceed with caution if you are picky with flavours.)
Suan Zao Ren Drink
Ingredients: (1 serving)
- 6g - Suan Zao Ren
- 6g - roasted Suan Zao Ren (stir-fry in pan until dark brown, 5+mins, or roast)
- 9g - Bai He/lily bulb
- 9g - Long Yan Rou/longan
- 6g - Dang Gui/angelica root
- 6g - Fu Shen/spirit poria
- 3g - Chen Pi/tangerine peel
Instructions:
Place raw and roasted Suan Zao Ren in a grinder/mortar and pestle and grind into bits/powder. Place the ground Suan Zao Ren in a tea bag/secured cheesecloth and place it in a soup pot along with the other ingredients. Add 800 ml of water, boil for 30 minutes, and serve hot/warm. Drink 1 hour before bed.
Benefits:
Bai He nourishes yin and moisturizes the lungs, calms the mind, and is suitable for people who are nervous, anxious, emotionally unstable, and have difficulty relaxing before bed. Suan Zao Ren nourishes the heart and calms the mind, improves shallow sleep and excessive dreaming, and is a classic sleep-inducing herbal ingredient. Fu Shen tonifies the spleen and replenishes Qi, calms the mind, and improves fatigue, forgetfulness, and palpitations. Suitable for those with weak heart and spleen and restless sleep. Yuan zhi calms the mind, improves memory, and relieves insomnia caused by stress. It's especially suitable for those who experience high work pressure and are often troubled. Longan replenishes blood and nourishes the heart, helping to relax the mind. Suitable for those experiencing postmenopausal symptoms or those who are physically exhausted and prone to palpitations.
Huang Lian Ginseng Jujube soup 黄连人参须酸枣仁汤
If you are impatient, and are in a constant state of anxiety; prone to symptoms such as mouth sores, oral ulcers, and bitter taste in the mouth, this is the soup for you. These are manifestations of 'heart fire inflammation' as described in TCM. You may experience difficulty falling asleep, or have a shallow sleep, and often wake up in the middle of the night.
Ingredients:
- 1.5g - Huang Lian/coptis root
- 10g - Ren shen Xu/Chinese ginseng
- 15g - Suan Zao Ren/sour jujube seeds
- 100g - spare ribs or lean meat
- a little seasoning of your choice
Instructions:
Grind the Suan Zao Ren into small pieces, make sure to not make into powder. Clean and prepare the spare ribs or lean meat, add Huang Lian, Chinese ginseng, and Suan Zao Ren, and an appropriate amount of water (enough to cover all the ingredients), and simmer for 20 minutes. Add your preferred seasonings. Serve hot/warm, drink 1 hour before bed.
Benefits:
Huang Lian can remove accumulated heat from the heart and spleen; Chinese ginseng can help clear the mind and relieve restlessness; Suan Zao Ren can calm the mind and stabilize the spirit. When combined, stewing these three ingredients can effectively clear the mind and reduce internal heat.
Angelica Senega Root soup 当归远志阿胶汤
'Heart blood deficiency" is often caused by chronic illness, insufficient blood production, chronic blood loss, or excessive fatigue, leading to heart blood depletion. People with this condition are prone to palpitations, restlessness, and insomnia. Daily conditioning focuses on improving this heart blood deficiency.
Ingredients:
- 10g - Dang Gui/angelica root
- 15g - Yuan Zhi/Chinese senega root
- 10g - E Jiao
Instructions:
Wrap the Dang Gui and Yuan Zhi in a cheesecloth/tea bag and simmer in 700ml of water for 30 minutes. Remove the bag, then add the E Jiao to the broth and simmer for about an hour. Serve hot/warm, drink 1 hour before bed.
Benefits:
Chinese senega root helps calm the mind, while Angelica root and E Jiao nourishes the blood. Together, they can prepare you for a good night's rest.
Alternatively, we also carry a few herbal formulas in pill form, for those of you requiring more convenience.
- the deficiency in Liver Blood and false heat with internal disruption marked by symptoms of insomnia, palpitations, dizziness, dry mouth, red tongue and thin pulse,
- help dream disrupted sleep, night sweat and promote saliva.
Gan Mai Da Zao Wan 甘麦大枣丸 (Heart Calming, Anxiety):
- helps invigorate the heart and the spleen, tranquilize the heart and the mind. It can be effective in treating anxiety and depression.
Anshen Buxin Wan 安神補心片 (Heart Nourish & Calming):
- used to nourish the heart and calm the nerves. To help relieve symptoms associated with Yin-Blood deficiency: insomnia or restless sleep, dizziness and tinnitus.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us: support@theherbdepot.ca
Source: Chinese National Admin. of T.C.M.
Images: The Doctor's dream by Thomas Rowlandson, 竹榻憩睡图 by 佚名