Foot bath to help sleep
Why does foot bath have hypnotic effect before going to bed?
Washing feet with hot water is called "foot bath" and "foot bath". Ancient people also knew the relationship between hot water washing feet and health and the hypnotic effect. When Lu You was 82 years old, he still insisted on washing his feet with hot water before going to bed: "Old people no longer farm and mulberry, and don't forget to count chickens. It' s really fast to wash your feet and sleep, and the little grandson has gradually learned to make soup. " China has a folk song: "Wash your feet in spring, and the sun rises and takes off;" Washing feet in summer can dispel summer heat and dampness; Wash feet in autumn, moisten lungs and intestines; Washing your feet in winter makes your abdomen warm. "This folk song also succinctly expresses the benefits of washing feet in the four seasons. So, why does washing feet before going to bed have the effect of hypnosis and fitness?
Chinese medicine believes that the internal organs of the human body have corresponding projections on the feet. More than 60 acupoints on the feet are closely related to the five internal organs. People's insomnia, dreaminess and diseases are all manifestations of the decline or prosperity of Yin and Yang after the dysfunction of the internal organs. Washing feet with hot water, just like moxibustion with moxa sticks at these acupoints, can promote qi and blood circulation, relax tendons and activate collaterals, support the internal organs and restore the balance of yin and yang, thus playing the role of hypnosis, disease removal and fitness.
Modern medicine believes that there are many blood vessels in the soles of people's feet. Washing feet with hot water can dilate the capillaries of feet, accelerate blood circulation, supply more nutrients to feet, and make the metabolism of feet and legs vigorous. Hot water has a slight stimulating effect. Because countless nerve endings on the soles of the feet are closely connected with the brain, stimulating the nerves on the soles of the feet can inhibit the cerebral cortex, make people feel comfortable and relaxed in the brain, not only speed up sleep, deepen sleep, but also effectively eliminate the fatigue of the day.
To wash hot feet, the water temperature should be 42℃ ~ 45℃, and it should be warm and comfortable. Heat the water while washing, and keep the water temperature, 1 time, about 15 minutes. After coming out of the basin, gently rub and massage your toes and palms with a dry towel, and the hypnotic effect will be better.
What is the modern mechanism and method of foot bath sleep in traditional Chinese medicine?
Chinese medicine foot washing is a simple and effective method to treat insomnia, which is well received by patients. So, what is the modern mechanism of foot bath sleep in traditional Chinese medicine?
Modern medicine shows that the human foot has some important characteristics of the human heart, which is called the "second heart" of the human body and is an important part of the human body. Modern anatomy tells us that the human foot consists of 26 bones, 33 joints, more than 20 tendons and 100 ligaments. There are hundreds of nerve endings in the sole of the foot connected with the brain, which have a specific relationship with the internal organs of the human body, and the internal organs also have corresponding projections in the foot. As early as 19 17, Fitzgerald, an American doctor, put forward the theory of human body zone reflex and the figure of human body zone reflex, and founded foot reflex therapy, which are strong evidence of special connection. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, there are as many as 65 common acupoints on the palm, which connect the meridians inside the human body and directly reach the "heart" in charge of thinking function. Soaking your feet is tantamount to bathing your heart. Based on the above knowledge and theory, it shows that the foot bath sleep theory of traditional Chinese medicine is rooted in traditional and modern medical science. The role of foot bath sleep therapy in traditional Chinese medicine is as follows: when soaking feet, the liquid medicine containing effective pharmaceutical ingredients will penetrate into the pores of the feet after a certain period of time at a proper temperature, and the effective pharmaceutical ingredients will act on the nerves of the feet to promote vasodilation, thus making the blood in the brain flow downwards, relieving the blood filling state of the brain, leading to the relaxation of the nerves of the brain, and then entering a state of inhibition. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it can be considered that the liquid medicine stimulates the acupoints of the feet and reaches the "heart" through the meridians, which plays a calming role. In short, through the above process, a good physiological sleep can be formed, and then the neurological function of the brain can be improved, thus alleviating insomnia caused by temporary disorder of brain function regulation.
Traditional Chinese medicine foot bath and sleep method are very simple to operate. Before washing feet every night, patients should dissolve the foot bath medicine in boiling water, and after about 2-3 minutes, pour the solution into the foot bath water to keep the foot bath water temperature at about 30℃-40℃, or make the feet tolerable, and then rub their feet in the medicine. Wash your feet for about 25 minutes every night until your lower limbs and back sweat slightly, then dry your feet and sleep. According to this method, after more than one month, the sleep quality of most patients has been improved. Because washing feet before going to bed is a hygienic habit, this method will not bring trouble and pain to patients. After this treatment has achieved curative effect, it still needs to last for 3 to 6 months until it is cured and no recurrence. Tian Jisheng used the above method to observe 300 patients. The effective rate is 100%, the cure rate is over 75%, and there is no side effect.
Why is soaking feet before going to bed a good health care prescription?
Foot bath means washing feet with hot water. Practice has proved that foot bath is a simple and effective self-care method. Therefore, the folk in our country are known as "a pot of soup before going to bed" and "washing feet in spring, rising sun, keeping fit; Wash feet in summer, remove dampness and clear heat; Wash feet in autumn, moisten lungs and intestines; Washing your feet in winter makes your abdomen warm.
Chinese medicine attaches great importance to foot health care. The five internal organs of the human body have corresponding projections on the feet. There are 12 meridians connecting human organs, 6 of which originate from the foot, which is the beginning of the foot's three yin and the end of the foot's three yang. There are more than 60 acupoints on the feet to communicate with the internal and external environment. If you can insist on washing your feet with hot water before going to bed, you can stimulate these acupoints, promote blood circulation, regulate the function of viscera and relax the meridians of the whole body, so as to achieve the purpose of eliminating diseases and pathogens, benefiting qi and removing blood stasis and nourishing vitality. Modern medicine believes that the foot is the "second heart" of the human body, and there are countless nerve endings in the foot closely connected with the brain, which is closely related to human health. Therefore, often washing feet with hot water can enhance the body's immunity and resistance, and has the effects of strengthening the body and prolonging life.
From the point of view of physical therapy, hot water foot washing is a kind of bath therapy. When washing feet, the appropriate water temperature is 40-50℃, the appropriate amount of water is to submerge the ankles of the feet, and soak the feet for 5- 10 minutes. At the same time, massage your feet slowly, consistently and easily with your hands, first instep and then instep, until it gets hot. This can dilate local blood vessels, excite peripheral nerves, accelerate blood circulation and enhance metabolism. If it can be persisted for a long time, it not only has health care function, but also has good curative effect on dizziness, insomnia, dreaminess and other symptoms caused by neurasthenia. If you add some drugs to the bath water, you can also prevent colds, foot diseases, frostbite and joint pain.