The world of herbs is a magical place with herbal cures and remedies for just about everything under the sun, including problems sleeping. Whether or not this is just a problem winding down for the night and calming all the thoughts in your head or a more serious issue such as insomnia, certain herbs can help. Many herbs contain natural sedatives and you can use them in tandem with other better sleep best practices. To read about numerous steps you can take to get better sleep check out my article on Creating a Sleep Sanctuary. It has a dozen different tips and techniques to help you sleep better.
But if you also want to include some herbal tricks to your sleep arsenal read on…
Herbal Remedies for Better Sleep
These herbs can be used in a variety of ways to aid in sleep. You can make herbal teas, infusions, and tinctures, add them to food, take capsules, and sew them into sleep pillows you can take to bed with you. You can also diffuse many in essential oil form.
Lavender – This flowery herb is soothing and sedative. It helps calm the mind and level out emotions. Scenting your sleep area with a candle, diffuser, or herb sachet under your pillow sets the mood for sleep. A long soak in the tub with lavender before bed is also very relaxing.
Chamomile – This herb can soothe issues that are preventing restful sleep such as digestive upset, tension, anxiety, or menstrual cramps. If you have a lot of nervous tension then this mild sedative is very helpful as an herbal infusion just before bed.
Dill – Ancient Egyptians used dill as a pain reliever, greeks covered their heads with it before bed for better sleep. Its name comes from the Norse word “dylla” which means to soothe and was commonly used for colicky babies. If pain or indigestion are preventing restful sleep, try dill.
Jasmine – Is calming and sedative. You can help release tension and create a calm and peaceful mind by drinking Jasmine tea.
Hops – If an overactive mind is your issue then try hops, with natural sedative valerianic acid, which calms a mind that is too stimulated by thoughts.
Passion Flower – Traditionally, it has been used to alleviate anxiety, improve overall sleep quality and insomnia. Often it is paired with Valerian Root to treat insomnia because it also seems to raise the levels of GABA in your brain…a neurological gateway for sleep-inducing chemicals.
Valerian – This is one of the most widely used herbs for curing insomnia. It calms the nervous system, making you feel calm and relaxed instead of stressed. In addition, since it helps you get a great nights sleep, youll feel more refreshed and ready to face the next day.
