Five things to remember for good sleep and disease prevention

If you want to sleep well, you should not use your phone before going to bed - Illustration: TUONG VY

In the past 3 months, NTTN (20 years old, Hanoi), a 3rd year student, has had symptoms such as fatigue, stress, and difficulty concentrating during the day, but is very alert at night and can play on the phone continuously without tiring his eyes.

N. wondered if he had insomnia and how to improve it and get a good night's sleep.

Give up unhealthy habits

Doctor Dinh Minh Tri (University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City) suggests things you should not do before going to bed to have a good night's sleep, good health and prevent disease.

- Don't snack : If you snack late at night, your stomach will have to "stay up all night" to work. Snacking after 9pm will increase stomach acid secretion, causing the stomach to work continuously.

The stomach cannot work as efficiently as during the day, because this is its resting time. Slow digestion will cause indigestion, and easily lead to overweight and obesity.

- Don't drink too much water before going to bed : It's best not to drink too much water before going to bed, because waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom will disrupt your sleep. If you're thirsty, take a small sip.

Many people have the habit of drinking milk in the evening, so to avoid getting up in the middle of the night, you can drink it earlier or just drink half a glass of milk. You should also avoid drinking coffee after 9 pm, because caffeine can stimulate the nervous system and cause insomnia.

- Avoid using mobile phones : Many people like to lie in bed at night, playing games on their phones, watching the news or chatting with friends. These seemingly relaxing and comfortable habits actually make you feel more tired.

Research shows that using your phone for 20 minutes after 9pm significantly increases fatigue levels and negatively affects concentration at work the next day.

- Avoid watching programs with stimulating content : The period from 11pm to 6am is the "golden time" for sleeping. For a good night's sleep, it is best to go to bed before 11pm. According to traditional Chinese medicine, sleep is only truly effective when the mind is calm before closing your eyes to sleep.

Therefore, after 9pm, avoid overly excited emotions. Do not watch stimulating programs such as horror movies or gunfights because they cause the cerebral cortex to be highly active, making it difficult for the brain to turn off in time, leading to difficulty sleeping and frequent dreaming.

- Do not take calcium tablets or vitamin supplements : Many people have the habit of taking calcium tablets, multivitamins and other health supplements before going to bed. However, this will put an unnecessary burden on the digestive tract and make it difficult for you to sleep.

These supplements should be taken with three main meals, unless your doctor has told you to take them in the evening. Because when you sleep, your body's metabolic functions are also at rest, so nutrient absorption at this time is not effective.

Unexpected effects of prolonged insomnia

Doctor Than Thi Minh Trung, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that prolonged insomnia affects psychology, makes people easily irritable, frustrated, reduces adaptability in life, reduces the ability to concentrate and remember, affects productivity, quality of work and study;

Reduced reaction time, a sleepy person while driving can nod off for a few seconds without even realizing it, while these are very dangerous moments when participating in traffic.

Prolonged insomnia also causes balance problems such as loss of balance, easy falling, heart rhythm disturbances, high blood pressure, high risk of myocardial infarction, risk of obesity, diabetes, besides, it also has negative effects on skin and hair.

Doctor Trung also suggests some foods that people with chronic insomnia should add to their diet such as:

- Magnesium-rich foods : Magnesium minerals help the body relax, fight stress and improve sleep. Magnesium-rich foods such as avocados, nuts, tofu, legumes, etc. should be added to the diet to help treat insomnia.

- Walnuts : Walnuts contain high levels of melatonin - a hormone that helps the body regulate sleep cycles. Patients can eat walnuts about an hour before bed to help the body relax and sleep more deeply.

Some fruits and seeds should be added to the diet to help treat insomnia - Illustration photo

- Bananas : Bananas are a fruit that provides a rich amount of magnesium to the body. In addition, bananas also contain tryptophan - an amino acid that directly participates in the production of serotonin and melatonin. Therefore, eating a lot of bananas will help patients fall asleep easily and sleep more deeply.

- Foods rich in vitamin B6 : Vitamin B6 helps actively synthesize and produce serotonin - a substance that helps treat and balance sleep. Therefore, foods rich in vitamin B6 such as: salmon, tuna, potatoes, beef, eggs, green beans, ... are very good for people with insomnia.

- Kiwi : This fruit is rich in essential nutrients and good for sleep such as: Vitamins, folate and serotonin.

- Lotus seeds, lotus heart, lotus root : Lotus is known as a sedative, bringing the effect of relaxing the mind, reducing fatigue, headaches, anxiety, stress, helping patients fall asleep more easily.

- Fatty fish : Fatty fish contain a lot of vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, tuna, and mackerel, which are very good for health. These two substances are also related to the process of regulating serotonin in the body.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nam-ghi-nho-de-co-giac-ngu-ngon-phong-tranh-benh-tat-20240530195815475.htm