Night-Blooming Vine, Longan, Red Date & Millet Congee

Why people make this congee

Sleep problems in the modern city come in several flavours. Some people lie awake for hours unable to switch off the mental chatter; others fall asleep easily but wake at 2 or 3 am and cannot get back to sleep; still others sleep lightly and dream constantly. Traditional Chinese food therapy distinguishes between these patterns. The type that this congee addresses most directly is what practitioners call “heart-spleen deficiency” insomnia — where the person also tends to feel slightly breathless, eats little, and wakes feeling unrested rather than wired. There is also a “blood-deficiency with yin deficiency” pattern, marked by dry mouth, heart palpitations, and waking in the early hours — this congee helps that too. The key ingredient, ye jiao teng (the vine stem of He Shou Wu), specifically nourishes blood and calms the spirit through the heart channel. A warm footbath in water just hot enough to be comfortable for 10 minutes before bed, while the congee is digesting, amplifies the effect nicely.