Does "habit-forming" have a concrete medical definition when referring to sleep medicine or is it more of a colloquialism?

Sleep habits

Sleep habit refers to the normal physiological process of sleep or awakening, but it is not an activity that humans can completely control but a passive process. It is not like certain activities of the human body that can be carried out according to human will, which can be said to come and go. Insomniacs often struggle to induce themselves into sleep and become distressed. Early mild Insomnia can usually benefit from self-adjustment methods.

Mild insomnia self-regulation

A normal and natural mindset：

There is no need to worry too much about Insomnia. The more nervous you are, the more you force yourself to fall asleep, which can backfire. Some people are even more nervous about experiencing Insomnia for multiple consecutive days, believing that if the brain does not rest, it is not a short lifespan, and it will also lead to illness. The excessive anxiety caused by such concerns poses a greater threat to sleep itself and its health.

Seeking and eliminating the causes of Insomnia:

Many factors can cause Insomnia, as mentioned earlier. With a little attention, it is not difficult to detect. Eliminate the cause, self-heal Insomnia, and seek timely medical attention for insomnia symptoms caused by diseases. It cannot be considered that Insomnia is just a minor problem that cannot be considered a disease and delays treatment.

Beneficial Sleep:

Take a walk outdoors before going to bed to relax, shower so,ak your feet in hot water before bed, and then go to bed. It is beneficial but not harmful for a smooth sleep. There are many specific methods to induce the human body to enter a sleep state, such as relaxation techniques, which have been widely circulated among people and can be used.

Quick Sleep Method

Closing the eyes and entering stillness method：

After going to bed, please close your eyes first and then open them slightly to maintain some contact with the outside world. Although mental activities are still functioning, the tension of sympathetic nervous activity has greatly decreased, inducing the human body to enter a state of drowsiness The Heavenly Drum Technique gradually. After going to bed, lie on your back with your eyes closed, cover your left ear with your left palm, and cover your right ear with your right palm. Use your fingers to tap the back of your head to hear the sound of exhalation. The number of bullets fired until one feels slightly tired. After stopping the bouncing, slowly approach the sleeping pillow with your head and place it on both sides of your body, and you will quickly fall asleep.

Sleep induction：

Listening to flat and rhythmic audio tapes, such as trains running, crickets chirping, dripping water, and the pattern of spring rain, or music hypnotic tapes, can help with sleep and establish conditioned reflexes that induce sleep.

Drinking hot milk method：

Drinking a cup of hot milk with sugar before going to bed, according to research, can increase the secretion of insulin in the human body, improve the entry of ammonia into brain cells, and promote the secretion of sleep serotonin in the human brain; At the same time, milk contains trace amounts of morphine-like substances, which have a calming and calming effect, thereby promoting the body to fall asleep peacefully.

Appropriate sleeping posture：

The sleeping posture is naturally comfortable and can vary from person to person. But sleep is best when lying on the side. Health expert Cao Cishan pointed out in his "Sleep Secrets": "Lie on the left side, bend the left foot, bend the left arm, use your hand to support your head, extend your right foot, and place your right hand between your right thigh. The right side-lying position is the opposite." This sleep posture is conducive to relaxing the whole body and sleeping peacefully.

Tired and unable to fall asleep:

Eating apples, bananas, oranges, oranges, pears, etc is better. Because the fragrant aroma of these fruits has a calming effect on the nervous system, The sugar in fruits can inhibit the cerebral cortex and enter a sleep state.

Travellers

When not adapting to the environment and causing Insomnia, one should first be mentally prepared, actively adjust, be prepared, and avoid worrying about not sleeping well due to nervousness. At the same time, the above sleep aid methods can also be used to prevent Insomnia. Adopting the above techniques to avoid talking or contemplating during bedtime, Sleep first in the heart, then in sleep; do not use your brain excessively before going to bed; eliminate all distractions after bed; and keep quiet. In addition, paying attention to a peaceful bedroom environment, fresh air, and a soft and suitable bed can improve sleep quality. Sleep well and wake up naturally with plenty of energy.

Food therapy for Insomnia

Modern medical experts have confirmed that dietary therapy is the best treatment for Insomnia, superior to sleeping pills, and has no side effects. Here are some examples for trial use:

(1) Pour a tablespoon of vinegar into a glass of cold boiled water. It can hypnotize and make you sleep soundly.

(2) Those who often have Insomnia can use lotus seeds, longan, lily and sorghum (millet) to make porridge, which makes people fall asleep.

(3) Those with blood deficiency and Insomnia can often take lotus root powder or simmer the lotus root over low heat with honey to eat in moderation. You can also eat 10g of longan meat, five red dates with pits removed, and one steamed egg once a day.

(4) For those with heart deficiency, excessive sweating, and Insomnia, cut open a pig's heart and add 25g of Codonopsis pilosula and Angelica sinensis each. Steam them together, remove the medicine, eat the pig's heart and drink soup, which has a good effect.

(5) Insomnia caused by high blood pressure can be hypnotized by taking 50g of banana root and 100g of lean pork cooked together.

(6) For patients with anxiety and Insomnia, take 50g of banana root and 100g of pork lean meat, boil them together, and use them to hypnotize and fall asleep.

(7) For insomnia patients with neurasthenia, take a tablespoon of lettuce syrup and dissolve it in a glass of water. Due to its calming and calming properties, this milky white juice has a certain hypnotic effect.

(8) Eat an apple before going to bed. Alternatively, placing a peeled or cut citrus on the bedside table for insomniacs to sniff its fragrant scent can calm the central nervous system and help them fall asleep.

(9) Mash the onion in moderation, put it into a bottle and cover it well. Before bed, place it by the pillow to smell its air, and usually fall asleep afterwards.

Ten Bad Sleep Habits

Pillow too high:

Physically, it is advisable to use a pillow of 8-12 centimetres. If it is too low, it can easily cause a 'pillow drop', or due to excessive blood flowing into the brain, it can cause swelling of the brain and eyelid the next day; If it is too high, it will affect the smoothness of the respiratory tract, making it easy to snore, and long-term high pillows can easily cause neck discomfort or hunchback. Sleep habits: When sleeping with hands on the pad, placing both hands under the head can not only affect blood circulation and cause numbness and pain in the upper limbs but also increase abdominal pressure. Over time, it can also lead to "reflux esophagitis". So, using both hands as pillows is not advisable when sleeping.

Cover your head with a quilt:

Being masked can easily cause difficulty breathing.; At the same time, inhaling the carbon dioxide you exhale harms your health. Infants and young children should not do this. Otherwise, there is a risk of suffocation. Sleep habits: Breathing with the mouth open and sleeping with the mouth closed is the best way to maintain vitality. Breathing with the mouth open not only sucks in dust but also easily stimulates the trachea, lungs, and ribs with cold air. It is best to breathe through the nose. Nose hair can block some dust, and the nasal cavity can warm the cold air inhaled, which is beneficial for health.

Vigorous exercise:

Intense activity before bedtime can cause the nerve cells that control muscle activity in the brain to appear excited, which cannot calm down quickly and prevent people from falling asleep fast. So, it would be best to keep your body calm before bed, but doing light activities, such as walking, is also advisable.

Sleeping in front of the wind:

When the human body sleeps, its ability to adapt to environmental changes decreases, making it susceptible to coolness. The ancient people believed that wind is the root of all diseases and that good deeds lead to changes. Those good at regulating, even if the heat is not strong enough and the wind is not strong enough, may lie in the dew. So, the place to sleep should avoid air vents, and the bed should be far from the windows and doors.

Sitting and sleeping:

Some people sit on the sofa after having a full meal and turn on the TV to make a pot of tea, which is comfortable enough. Perhaps I was too tired from work and fell asleep while watching TV, which leads to the second biggest hidden danger. Because sitting and sleeping can slow down the heart rate, dilate blood vessels, and reduce the amount of blood flowing to various organs. In addition, digestion in the stomach requires blood supply, which exacerbates brain hypoxia and leads to dizziness and tinnitus. Some people say they should take a break at noon. Who else should bring a blanket to work? Just find a place to stay.

Get angry before bedtime:

Anger and anger before bedtime can make a person's heart beat faster, breathing faster, and thinking more, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Full meal before bedtime:

If you overeat before bedtime, your stomach and intestines must digest more quickly. A belly full of food will constantly stimulate the brain. If the brain has an excitation point, people will not fall asleep peacefully; as traditional Chinese medicine says, "If the stomach is not harmonious, it will make it difficult to lie down.

Drinking tea before bedtime：

Tea contains caffeine, stimulating the central nervous system and excites people. If you drink tea before bedtime, especially strong tea, the central nervous system will be more excited, making it difficult for people to fall asleep.

Cultivate good sleep habits.

The sleep cycle of newborns is irregular, with an average of 16-18 hours of sleep per day and only 1-2 hours each time. As the age increases, the daily sleep time decreases, and each sleep time prolongs. By around six months, the sleep habits are driven back to normal (sleeping more late and sleeping less during the day), but some children often wake up several times at night. However, the time to wake up is usually very short, and soon, they naturally fall asleep again.

Develop good sleep habits:

1. Try to maintain a quiet environment. When breastfeeding or changing diapers at night, do not let the child wake up completely (preferably in a semi-sleep state). This makes it easier to fall asleep after breastfeeding and changing diapers.

2. Don't let children sleep too much during the day. If they sleep too much during the day, they will naturally not have a good night's sleep.

3. When a child is found to be drowsy, place it in the crib promptly. It is best to let the child fall asleep independently if you always hold or shake them to sleep. So whenever you wake up at night, he will make you pick him up or shake him to fall asleep.

4. Do not let the baby fall asleep with a pacifier. The pacifier is used for sucking milk, not for sleeping. Some children fall asleep with a pacifier. Before placing it on the bed, please gently pull out the pacifier.

5. For babies aged 4-6 months who cry, do not react promptly and wait for a few minutes, as most children wake up a few minutes at night and fall asleep naturally. If you keep crying, parents should go over and comfort your child but do not turn on the lights or tease, hold, or shake them. If you call more and more, wait two minutes to check again and consider whether you are hungry, urinated, or have any symptoms such as fever.

6. Let the child sleep in a separate room. As children age, they become playful and unwilling to fall asleep, especially before their older brothers or sisters fall asleep. But it should be noted that from toddlers to preschool children, the sleep time should be guaranteed to be 10-12 hours per night.

7. Children should not sleep on soft beds and choose mattress products that are developed and designed according to their ages and heights. Effectively suppressing hunchback by supporting and assisting spinal growth.

TCM treatment for Insomnia

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Insomnia is a disease caused by various factors, including emotional disorders, dysfunction of the organs, and insufficient qi and blood. Therefore, treating Insomnia requires a comprehensive analysis of the patient's condition and dialectical therapy.

Generally speaking, Insomnia can be classified into different types based on the specific symptoms of the patient, as follows:

1. Anxiety type: Patients have Insomnia due to excessive thinking, mental tension, and other reasons, often with symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, easy awakening, excessive dreaming, and irritability. Treatment should focus on calming and calming the mind, and drugs such as dragon bones, oysters, and polygala can be used.

2. Spleen and stomach weakness type: Patients have Insomnia due to poor spleen and stomach function, improper diet, and other reasons, often with symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, irritability, dry mouth, and bitter mouth. During treatment, the main focus should be strengthening the spleen, benefiting the stomach, nourishing yin, and nourishing blood. Medicines such as ginseng, astragalus, and prepared Rehmannia can be used.

3. Liver Depression Transforming Fire Type: Patients have Insomnia due to long-term emotional distress, Qi Depression Transforming Fire, and other reasons, often characterized by difficulty falling asleep, irritability, bitter and dry mouth, and irritability. The treatment should mainly focus on clearing the liver and purging fire, soothing the liver and relieving depression. Drugs such as Bupleurum, Fructus aurantii, and Salvia miltiorrhiza can be used.

4. Blood deficiency and palpitations type: Patients have Insomnia due to long-term overwork, malnutrition, and other reasons, often characterized by symptoms such as palpitations, forgetfulness, excessive sweating, and pale complexion. During treatment, the main focus should be tonifying the heart and spleen, nourishing blood and calming the nerves, and drugs such as Angelica Sinensis, white peony, and sour jujube kernel can be used.

In short, treating Insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine requires differentiation of symptoms and treatment based on the specific symptoms of the patient and the selection of corresponding drugs and treatment methods. At the same time, attention should be paid to lifestyle habits such as combining work and rest and maintaining emotional stability to promote recovery.

Herbal remedies for Insomnia:
https://www.chinesepatentmedicine.com/collections/calm-mind-help-sleep