Recipe: Chinese Sleeping Tea

I often experience mild insomnia on hot summer days (no A/C in our home) or during times of increased stress, but fortunately I've found some relief in the form of this Chinese sleeping tea. My wife discovered this herbal remedy earlier this year and it helped me get the sleep I needed during final exams in law school. Since then, we've shared this recipe with a number of people who have also found that it helps. As a bonus, it is easy to make and most people find it to be very pleasant tasting. I've decided it is time to share it with my friends on the Internet. Bon appétit et bonne nuit!

Clockwise from the top: dried dates; dried goji berries; and dried longan.
All should be easily found at a decent Chinese grocery store or herbalist.

Ingredients:

• 25 grams of dried dates, pitted;
• 15 grams of dried goji berries (AKA wolfberries);
• 30 grams of dried longan, pitted; and
• 16 ounces of boiled, pure drinking water.

Directions:

1. If the dried dates are whole (as pictured above) then slice them in half and remove the pit as cleanly as possible;
2. Place all the dried ingredients in a thermos, rinse with hot tap water, and then drain;
3. Pour in the 16 ounces of boiled drinking water and seal the lid;
4. Steep for a minimum of one hour and a maximum of four hours; and
5. Drink immediately after steeping, approximately 30 minutes before bed time.