Waking up to puffy eyes can dim your confidence and signal underlying fluid imbalance or inflammation. Incorporating targeted foods and herbal brews into your diet can promote fluid homeostasis, support lymphatic drainage, and calm inflammation—both from a Western biomedical standpoint and through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Here are seven top recommendations to include in your daily routine.

Best Practices for Avoiding Post-Meal Drowsiness 1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals to reduce digestive load. 2. Chew thoroughly to ease stomach burden and support Spleen Qi. 3. Take a gentle walk (10–15 minutes) post-meal to promote circulation and Qi movement. 4. Ensure sufficient nighttime sleep to prevent brain fatigue during the day. 5. Include foods that support digestion and Spleen function, such as oats, pumpkin, black sesame, and jujube dates.

Many people have experienced unintentionally dozing off during a car ride—whether as a silent passenger or even, alarmingly, as the driver who must open windows or blast music to stay awake. But falling asleep in the car isn’t merely a sign of fatigue. Rather, it may reflect a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and energetic systems within the body.