Common Foods for Quality Sleep

Millet: Slightly cold in nature, known for "strengthening digestion, harmonizing the spleen, and promoting sleep." Studies show millet contains abundant tryptophan, the highest among all grains. Tryptophan promotes the secretion of serotonin—a neurotransmitter that induces sleep—temporarily inhibiting brain activity and creating drowsiness. Additionally, millet is rich in starch, producing a feeling of fullness after eating, which stimulates insulin release and increases tryptophan uptake into the brain. Cooking millet into porridge and consuming it before bedtime helps induce peaceful sleep.
Longan: Sweet taste, warm nature, known for nourishing the heart, benefiting the brain, enriching blood, and calming the spirit. Drinking longan tea before bed or preparing longan with sugar and drinking the decoction can improve sleep.
Fruits: Fruits contain fructose, malic acid, and rich aromatic flavors, triggering physiological responses that produce serotonin, aiding in falling asleep.
Lotus seeds: Lotus flesh is slightly astringent and neutral, lotus heart is bitter and cold, both have health and calming effects. The "Great Dictionary of Chinese Medicine" states it treats "frequent dreaming at night." Research shows lotus seeds contain lotus alkaloid and rutin, which have sedative effects, promote insulin secretion from the pancreas, and aid sleep. Before bedtime, boil lotus seeds in water with a little salt, or cook them and eat with sugar.
Mulberry: Sweet taste, cold nature, nourishes blood, moistens yin, tonifies the liver and kidneys. As recorded in "Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu," "mulberries benefit hearing, improve vision, calm the soul, and stabilize the spirit." Commonly used to treat dizziness and insomnia caused by yin deficiency and yang excess. Prepare mulberry juice by decocting, then boil into a paste in a ceramic pot, mix with honey, store, and take 1–2 spoonfuls daily with warm water.
Sunflower seeds: Contain various amino acids and vitamins, regulating brain cell metabolism and improving inhibitory function. Eating a handful before bed promotes digestive juice secretion, aids digestion, relieves stagnation, calms the nerves, and promotes sleep.
Walnuts: Sweet taste, warm nature, excellent for nourishment. Treats neurasthenia, forgetfulness, insomnia, and vivid dreams. Mix rice, walnut kernels, and black sesame, simmer slowly into porridge, sweeten with sugar, and consume before sleep.
Red Dates: Warm nature, sweet taste, red color, juicy texture. Known for nourishing the five organs, strengthening the spleen and stomach, enriching blood, and calming the spirit. Highly effective for insomnia, vivid dreams, and mental confusion caused by blood and qi deficiency. Remove pits from red dates, boil until soft, add rock sugar and donkey-hide gelatin, simmer slowly into a paste, and consume 1–2 spoonfuls before bed.
Honey: Nourishes the center, strengthens the five organs, harmonizes all medicines, detoxifies. Highly effective for insomnia. Take 50 grams of honey each night, dissolve in warm water, and drink.
Milk: An ideal nourishing food. Drinking a glass before bed helps induce sleep, especially suitable for the elderly.