We will introduce useful ``food information'' for those concerned about insomnia.
☆Insomnia☆
◆Things you can do right now for good quality sleep☆
Recommended recipes in collaboration with [Oishii Kenko Co., Ltd.]
◆Mint chai syrup
◆Fresh herb cream cheese
If you want to know more recipes, click here ↓ Oishii Health HP Co., Ltd.
In fact, it is said that about one in five Japanese people suffer from insomnia (according to the 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey).
Many people find it difficult to get as much sleep as they want due to various reasons, such as becoming unable to sleep as they get older or having difficulty falling asleep due to a change in their living environment.
Insomnia can be broadly divided into four types. (See Japanese Sleep Society)
◆Difficulty falling asleep: A type of person who has trouble falling asleep at night and takes more than two hours than usual to fall asleep.
◆Intermediate wakefulness: A type of person who wakes up easily during the night and wakes up more than once.
◆Deep sleep disorder: This type of person does not feel like they have slept soundly when they wake up in the morning.
◆Early morning awakening: This type of person wakes up more than two hours earlier than usual in the morning.
① Any of the above conditions occur at least twice a week and last for at least 1 month.
② Feeling distressed or having trouble with social life or work due to insomnia.
If both ① and ② are met, you will be diagnosed with insomnia.
*The state of being temporarily unable to sleep due to mental stress or physical pain is not called insomnia.
Medical institutions treat insomnia by reviewing sleeping habits, psychotherapy, administering anti-anxiety drugs, and using sleep-inducing drugs.
So what can you do to improve your insomnia?
There are various countermeasures, but let's borrow the power of scent as one that can be easily started !
Scents act directly on the brain, making it easy to relax. Try using your favorite scents in cooking and aromatherapy.
●Use herbs and spices in dishes and drinks!
☆ When you want to refresh your mood ☆
Lemongrass, peppermint, lemon...
Rosemary (for removing the aroma of strong foods such as lamb meat, and adding flavor to bland ingredients such as chicken and potatoes!Click here for dishes that use rosemary⇒ <Oven-roasted lamb meat and chunky vegetables>)
☆ Before bed ☆
Chamomile (also compatible with milk), lavender, linden...
☆ When you want to warm up and relax ☆
Cinnamon (can be added to homemade sweets or coffee/tea) Click here for sweets using cinnamon ⇒ <Cinnamon Chocolate Rusk>
Cloves, cardamom (also used in the syrup introduced in this recipe)
●Balance your mind and body with aromatherapy!
☆ When you want to relax ☆
Grapefruit, marjoram, bergamot, orange sweet, frankincense, horwood, coriander...
There are also ylang ylang, mandarin, geranium, grapefruit, etc...
Having your favorite scent next to your pillow will help you relax and sleep better. Research has shown that by smelling the scent of orange sweet before going to bed, you can sleep soundly and wake up refreshed the next morning. Reference: Japan Aroma Environment Association
You can find one type that you like, or you can also find aroma oils that are blended with multiple scents, such as ``for sleep'' and ``for relaxation.''
However, scent preferences vary from person to person. The important thing is to choose a scent that you like . Avoid strong scents as they can actually stimulate your brain.
How to easily enjoy aroma at home
You can easily enjoy the aroma without any special equipment such as a diffuser!
☆Drop 1-3 drops of oil into a basin filled with hot water
☆ Put 1-2 drops of oil on a tissue paper or handkerchief and place it on your desk or bedside.
*If you are receiving treatment from a doctor, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have small children, please check with a specialty store or doctor before using this product.
<Others>
・Let's eat breakfast.
Breakfast is very important for resetting your body clock .
Dairy products and soy products are known to be high in tryptophan, and the body uses this tryptophan to produce melatonin, a sleep hormone.
Click here for a quick breakfast that you can make even on busy mornings ⇒ < Granola Yogurt Parfait >
・Do aerobic exercise and light stretching in the evening. It is known that people who exercise regularly have less insomnia.
・It is ideal to take a bath in the evening to night (2 to 3 hours before bedtime). There are various opinions regarding the temperature of the water, so adjust it to suit your physical condition and preference.
- Avoid meals, coffee, green tea, and alcohol before going to bed, and drink non-caffeinated drinks.
・Set the times for getting up, going to bed, and eating at the same time, and bathe in the morning sun when you wake up.
・As bedtime approaches, switch the lighting in your room to warm colors and refrain from using smartphones and computers, which are said to have the same intensity of light as the morning sun .
・Create your sleeping environment. Ideally , the bedroom temperature should be around 20℃ and the humidity should be around 40-70% .
・When you can't sleep, trying to force yourself to fall asleep can cause stress and make it difficult to sleep. Read a book or stretch until you feel sleepy. (However, avoid using smartphones or computers.)
- Only go to the bedroom when you want to sleep. By doing so, you will be able to turn on the switch that ``the bedroom is a place to sleep''.
- Elderly people may have trouble falling asleep or wake up easily during the night even if they are healthy, but if you are concerned, please consult a specialist.
lastly···
It is not necessary to take all the measures described here. Let's start by consciously changing our lifestyle habits.
Sundrug also carries Chinese herbal medicines related to sleep. It is important to use Chinese herbal medicine according to the type, so please consult with us.
⇒Herbal medicine for insomnia
In addition to insomnia, "hypersomnia," "circadian rhythm sleep disorder," "sleep breathing disorder," "other sleep disorders," and "insomnia associated with physical or mental illness" are collectively referred to as sleep disorders. . If the quality of your sleep does not improve even after improving your lifestyle, consult a medical institution (internal medicine, neurology, psychosomatic medicine, etc.). In that case, it will be easier to inform the doctor if you have notes about your sleep (times when you woke up and went to bed, time and number of times you woke up during the night, and your activities during the day).