Taking care of your 'second heart' will help you stay young longer and cure insomnia

foot bath - Photo 1.

Soaking your feet 30-60 minutes before going to bed helps you sleep well - Illustration photo

Ms. NPT (40 years old, living in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) said that she used to suffer from insomnia. Every morning around 1-2am, she would wake up and lie down for a long time before falling asleep again. Every time she woke up, she felt tired. Recently, 30 minutes before going to bed, she soaked her feet in herbs and she slept well.

Is soaking your feet before bed a secret to good sleep?

The foot is the "second heart" of the human being.

Doctor CK2 Ngo Thi Bach Yen, head of the treatment and skin care unit, examination department - Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, said In modern life, insomnia has become a common problem with many causes such as: prolonged stress, using electronic devices before going to bed, irregular living habits...

While many people turn to sleeping pills or modern medical remedies, traditional medicine offers a simple method: soak your feet before going to bed.

Herbal foot bath is a traditional medicine method that uses herbs to soak feet, thereby having the effect of curing and preventing diseases, suitable for the elderly, people with little physical activity such as office workers, or people with arthritis, sleep disorders, and cold symptoms in the body.

Not only a cultural feature, foot soaking is also recorded in many traditional medical documents, such as the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon - one of the classics of Oriental medicine.

According to traditional medicine, the foot is the "second heart" of the human body, where many important acupuncture points are concentrated, connecting to the internal organs. Soaking the feet helps stimulate blood circulation, regulate blood circulation, relax the nerves and especially support deep sleep.

Not everyone should soak their feet.

Foot soak herbs directly affect the acupuncture points along the meridians, making the blood and energy in the body circulate, helping to support blood circulation, especially good for people with cold feet and circulatory disorders.

Foot soaking stimulates the body's organs to control the immune system, helping to rebalance the body's condition. Warm temperatures and essential oils help the nervous system relax, making it easier to fall into a deep sleep.

When soaking your feet, the feeling of relaxation from your feet spreads throughout your body, reducing stress and pain in your bones and joints. Some herbs added to the foot bath water help detoxify the body, improve skin, slow down the aging process, and keep you young.

Herbal foot bath is also effective in treating diseases such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, cold feet, cold body, sleep disorders.

Although it brings many benefits, according to Dr. Bach Yen, not everyone should soak their feet or need to be careful in some cases.

For people with severe varicose veins, soaking your feet in hot water can make the condition worse. People with diabetes who want to soak their feet should consult a doctor because they are susceptible to damage to the skin of their feet due to reduced sensation.

"Pregnant women in the first 3 months should limit soaking their feet in hot water because it can affect circulation and blood pressure. When you have a high fever, are tired, or have just eaten, you should not soak your feet immediately afterwards. People with skin lesions, ulcers, or traumatic conditions such as broken bones should also not soak their feet," Dr. Yen recommends.

How to soak feet properly?

According to Dr. Yen, the ideal time to soak your feet is in the evening, about 30-60 minutes before going to bed is the golden time to soak your feet. Each soaking session of 15-20 minutes is enough.

Should use warm water from 38-43 degrees Celsius, moderately warm water, not too hot.

The water level should be ankle-deep or up to mid-calf for maximum effectiveness.

What to add to foot bath water?

Take 1-2 crushed fresh ginger roots added to foot bath water helps warm the body, stimulate blood circulation, good for people with cold feet and insomnia.

Adding salt to foot bath water has a mild antiseptic effect, cleans the skin, and reduces pain.

Or you can add powders and herbal foot baths to the foot bath water. These powders and herbs often contain ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves, ligusticum wallichii, star anise, etc., which are convenient and effective.

You can add essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, and cajeput to the foot bath to help relax the mind and improve sleep quality.