What foods help with sleep according to TCM?

In TCM dietary therapy (药膳, Yao Shan), foods are classified by their thermal nature (warm, cool, cold, neutral), flavor (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, salty), and organ affinity. For sleep, TCM dietary recommendations focus on foods that nourish Heart Blood and Yin, calm the Shen, and reduce internal Heat. Commonly recommended foods include: Long Yan Rou (longan fruit) for nourishing Heart Blood and calming the Shen; Bai He (lily bulb) for clearing Heart Heat and calming the spirit; Lian Zi (lotus seed) for supporting the Heart and Spleen; Sang Shen (mulberry) for enriching Blood and Yin; and warm milk with honey for its gentle nourishing quality. TCM dietary therapy also emphasizes eating habits: avoiding heavy meals late at night (which can cause "food stagnation" and disturb sleep), limiting spicy and caffeinated foods that generate internal Heat, and consuming warm, easily digestible foods that support the Spleen. These recommendations are pattern-specific — for example, someone with Heart Fire would be advised differently from someone with Heart Blood deficiency.

Research on TCM-specific food recommendations for sleep is limited. However, some individual foods mentioned in TCM dietary therapy have been studied in nutritional science. Tart cherry juice (a source of melatonin) and kiwi fruit have shown modest sleep benefits in small randomized trials. The general principle of avoiding large meals close to bedtime is supported by sleep hygiene research. The concept of thermal nature of foods does not have a direct equivalent in Western nutrition, making cross-cultural research challenging. The current TCMIO reference set did not identify robust clinical trials specifically evaluating TCM dietary therapy protocols for insomnia.