What is neurasthenia? It turns out that this is how it occurs.

Neurasthenia is a type of mental illness. It is a neurotic disorder characterized by easy mental excitation and fatigue, and often accompanied by emotional distress and psychological and physiological symptoms. It is caused by certain long-standing mental factors that cause excessive tension in brain function, resulting in a weakening of mental activity.

1. Definition of neurasthenia

"Neurasthenia" literally means "nervous weakness". Neurasthenia is a neurosis characterized by chronic fatigue, emotional instability, neurological dysfunction, easy excitability and easy fatigue or exhaustion, and accompanied by sleep disorders. Neurasthenia is a type of mental illness. It is a neurotic disorder characterized by easy mental excitation and mental fatigue, and often accompanied by emotional distress and psychological and physiological symptoms. Neurasthenia is a group of neurological functional disorders characterized by symptoms such as mental excitability and unstable brain emotions, which is caused by the long-term tense state of brain nerve activity, leading to dysfunction of brain excitation and inhibition.

2. Neurasthenia

Neurasthenia refers to the weakening of mental activity due to excessive tension in brain function activities caused by certain long-standing mental factors. Its main clinical characteristics are easy excitability and easy fatigue. It is often accompanied by various physical discomforts and sleep disorders. Many patients have certain susceptible qualities or bad personalities before the onset of the disease.

Currently, most scholars believe that mental factors are the main cause of neurasthenia. Any factors that can cause persistent tension and long-term inner conflicts, which make the nervous activity process in a state of intense and persistent tension and exceed the tolerance limit of the nervous system tension, can cause neurasthenia.

For example, being overly tired and not getting enough rest means over-tension in the excitement process; being dissatisfied with the current situation means over-tension in the inhibition process; frequently changing living environment without being able to adapt means over-tension in flexibility.

The activities of the human central nervous system play a leading role in all activities of the body. The nerve cells in the cerebral cortex have a very high tolerance and are generally not prone to neurasthenia or exhaustion. Although fatigue may occur after intense mental work, it can be recovered after a short rest or sleep. However, once the nervous activity in a state of intense tension exceeds the tolerance limit, neurasthenia may occur.

After suffering from neurasthenia, you not only need drug treatment, but you also need to pay more attention to your diet. Eating more tryptophan foods can reduce excitement, such as millet porridge; eating more foods rich in calcium and magnesium can relax your nerves, such as milk, walnuts, etc.

1. Tryptophan foods: reduce excitement

Representative food: millet porridge

Tryptophan is metabolized in the human body to produce 5-hydroxytryptamine, which can inhibit the excitability of the central nervous system and produce a certain sense of drowsiness. At the same time, 5-hydroxytryptamine can be further converted into melatonin in the human body, which has been proven to have a definite sedative and sleep-inducing effect.

Millet is the richest in tryptophan among all grains. It is a good idea to add some millet to your dinner, which helps increase the amount of tryptophan entering the brain. In addition, the tryptophan content in vegetables such as pumpkin seeds, bean curd sheets, tofu skin, dried shrimp, seaweed, and black sesame is also very high.

In addition, tryptophan will smoothly enter the brain through the dietary combination of carbohydrates and protein (that is, eating carbohydrates first and then protein), giving you a good sleep. Therefore, you might as well eat some carbohydrate foods before going to bed, such as honey whole wheat toast or fruit. "This method is effective for most people. It has the sleeping effect of sleeping pills, but it does not have the side effects of sleeping pills and will not make people addicted."

2. Foods with calcium and magnesium - relax your nerves

Representative food: milk, walnuts

Studies have found that calcium and magnesium can be used together as a natural relaxant and tranquilizer.

Milk rich in calcium is recognized as a "good sleep aid". Nuts contain a lot of magnesium. Clinically, walnuts are often used to treat symptoms such as neurasthenia, insomnia, forgetfulness, and nightmares.

"If these foods are eaten at the same time, the effect will be better, but whole wheat bread may interfere with the absorption of calcium in milk. It is recommended to eat these two foods at intervals." Experts remind, "Although a proper diet is effective for sleep, individual differences vary greatly. If the quality of sleep is very poor, you should see a doctor as soon as possible."

3. Vitamin B foods - relieve irritability

Representative food: whole-grain food

B vitamins work synergistically with each other, regulating metabolism and enhancing the function of the nervous system.

Whole-wheat foods are rich in B vitamins, which can eliminate irritability and promote sleep.

Oats, barley, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat biscuits, etc. are all whole wheat foods.