Due to the recent persistent heatwave in China, a trend of “hugging winter melons to sleep” has emerged on social media. It is said to effectively help in cooling down, is long-lasting, and not expensive. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that this method can indeed lower body temperature to a certain extent, but it is not recommended for people with weak spleen and stomach or for women during menstruation.
In fact, the practice of hugging winter melons to sleep dates back to ancient times. There is even a poem titled “Sleeping with a Melon on a Summer Night” as proof. The poem mentions, “It’s hard to sleep on a hot summer night, embracing a winter melon brings relief.” This demonstrates that the cooling and sleep-aiding effects combine both physical properties and principles from TCM.
Winter melon contains more than 95% water, making it like a “natural water pillow”. When the human body comes into contact with a winter melon, it can quickly absorb body surface heat.
Moreover, from the perspective of TCM, winter melon skin is used as a medicinal material, and when boiled in water and taken orally, it can help to clear heat and relieve summer heat.
So, does hugging a winter melon to sleep actually help in cooling down, or is it just a psychological effect? Yang Zufuwu, Director of the TCM Rehabilitation Department at China Rehabilitation Research Center, stated in an interview with the People’s Daily that this method can indeed effectively lower body temperature to some extent, and is generally recommended for the elderly, children, and pregnant women who are unable to use air conditioners or fans.
However, for those with a cold spleen and stomach or a yang-deficient constitution, this method may worsen abdominal pain or cause diarrhea.
Elderly or children who are physically weak and sensitive to cold can use a thin cotton cloth to wrap the melon before contact, or place it beside the pillow for localized cooling.
It is important to note before hugging a winter melon that the surface has white bristles which can irritate the skin if not careful. Therefore, clean the white fuzz from the winter melon before use, while retaining the outer skin. When sleeping, hold or cuddle the melon to focus on cooling the limbs, and avoid direct contact with the abdomen.