Staying up on New Year's Eve is a traditional Chinese custom, where people await the arrival of the new year to pray for safety and happiness in the coming year. As a result, many choose to stay up late or go to bed very late on this ceremonious night. Additionally, frequent visits to relatives and friends, gatherings, and travel during the Spring Festival can lead to insufficient sleep or disrupted sleep cycles, affecting the body's natural rhythm.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, staying up late can damage liver and kidney essence. When kidney essence is deficient, it can cause hair loss, fatigue in muscles and bones, and decreased mental capacity. Insufficient liver essence can lead to hyperactivity of liver yang, discomfort in emotions, irritability, anxiety, and restlessness. Furthermore, staying up late can impair the heart's function of governing the mind, leading to listlessness, an inability to focus, and affecting cognitive abilities such as thinking, memory, and judgment. Many people also experience decreased appetite, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea after staying up late.
How can one avoid sleep disturbances after staying up on New Year's Eve or during the holiday? Try the following methods.
Adjust Your Schedule
Before staying up on New Year's Eve, plan your time in advance and try to ensure adequate sleep in the days leading up to and following the event. If possible, take a nap at noon, ideally lasting around one hour. Even if you need to stay up late, avoid doing so continuously. During the Spring Festival, maintain regular sleep schedules by waking up at the same time each day, which helps adjust the body's natural rhythm and alleviate sleep problems.
Moderate Your Diet
During the Spring Festival holiday, avoid excessive consumption of greasy and spicy foods. Instead, increase intake of healthy foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, soy products, lean meats, and foods rich in vitamins and fiber. Refrain from heavy drinking, especially while staying up late, as it places a significant burden on the liver, spleen, and stomach. Some people smoke or consume excessive amounts of caffeine to stay awake, which should also be avoided. Sudden overconsumption of alcohol and smoking can trigger changes in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, potentially leading to cardiovascular diseases.
Tonic Teas
When staying up late, it is recommended to replenish fluids promptly to accelerate the elimination of metabolic waste. Warm water is preferable for rehydration, avoiding large quantities of cold drinks and sugary beverages. Rehydration should be moderate to prevent swelling the next day. Below are four tonic tea recipes suitable for drinking while staying up late.
Goji Berry Tea
Steep 3-5 grams of goji berries in boiling water, cover, and let steep for 3-5 minutes before drinking. Honey or jujubes can be added according to personal taste. Goji berries nourish the liver and kidneys, benefit the eyes, and are suitable for consumption when staying up late.
Chrysanthemum and Cassia Flower Tea
Steep 6 grams of chrysanthemum and 3 grams of cassia flower in boiling water. Chrysanthemum clears the liver, brightens the eyes, and detoxifies, alleviating dryness and fatigue in the eyes after staying up late. Cassia flower refreshes the mouth and eliminates bad breath when used alone as a mouth rinse.
Jasmine and Mint Tea
Steep 5 grams of jasmine flowers and 2 grams of mint in boiling water. Jasmine flowers soothe the liver and regulate qi, while mint invigorates the mind and relieves fatigue.
Lemon Tea
Place 2-3 slices of fresh lemon (or dried lemon) in warm water with an appropriate amount of honey. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, boosting immunity and skin whitening, making them suitable for drinking when staying up late.
Massage and Acupressure
When tired from staying up late, self-massage can help alleviate fatigue. Here are some simple methods:
Tapping the Top of the Head
Lightly tap the Baihui acupoint (located 5 cun above the center of the forehead) on the top of the head with the fingertips of both hands for 1-3 minutes. This opens the orifices and awakens the mind, helping to relieve emotional tension and mental fatigue.
Massaging the Forehead
Using the thumbs of both hands, massage from the Yintang acupoint (between the eyebrows) along the forehead to the Taiyang acupoint (one finger-width lateral to the outer corner of the eye) with moderate pressure. Repeat the motion for about one minute to alleviate headaches and dizziness.
Eye Massage
Close your eyes and use the fingertips to gently press and rub the Zanzhu acupoint (in the depression at the inner end of the eyebrow), Jingming acupoint (at the inner corner of the eye), and Si Bai acupoint (at the infraorbital foramen). Use a circular motion moving inward, and then use the second phalanx of the index fingers to stroke around the eye socket, moving outward from the inner corners. Maintain consistent pressure for about one minute to relieve eye strain and dryness.
Ensure hands are clean, nails are trimmed and smooth to avoid scratching the skin. Do not apply excessive pressure during massage; adjust to a comfortable level. Consult a specialist before performing self-massage if you have any eye conditions. In short, while enjoying the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival, don't forget to prioritize sleep health. If experiencing sleep difficulties, seek medical attention promptly and take measures to improve the situation to prevent worsening of symptoms.
Editor: Zhang Jing