Benefits of Sleep Herbs

Compared to prescription sleep medications, herbs win hands down! It is preferable to consume whole herbs rather than isolated active ingredients. Such processing makes the herb into a drug without the balancing effect of the other ingredients that neutralize potential toxicity. Herbs that are organic are recommended.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile originated in Europe, Asia, and North Africa and is an old standby that parents have felt comfortable giving their children for decades. Children and parents both probably learned about chamomile tea from the children’s classic by Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Peter’s mother gave him chamomile tea before bed, not necessarily for sleep but to settle his upset tummy. Even rabbits know that you can’t sleep if your tummy is upset.

There are many types of chamomile, also known by its genus Matricaria, with similar taste, smell, and benefits. Matricara is Latin for “womb”, and indicates its use for menstrual cramps and PMS in centuries past. These properties may also help relieve gas, bloating, and intestinal cramps and spasms.

The calming and relaxing properties of chamomile, along with its mild taste, make it an ideal tea to drink throughout the day. You won’t fall asleep during the day, but your nerves and muscles will be calmed so you won’t have trouble sleeping at night. People consume this this tea if they have at night that keeps you awake or on the edge of wakefulness. This soothing drink is also useful for daytime nervousness and anxiety, or for stomach cramps and spasms.

When you purchase chamomile tea, make sure it’s the flowering tops, which have the most potency. 

Warning: If you have hay fever, stay away. Chamomile is from the ragweed family and can cause allergic reactions.

Hops

The Hops flower originated in Europe and is a key ingredient in the making of beer. Consuming beer provides an example of the hops’ effects, making you feel more relaxed and drowsy after drinking a few. 

Although hops are essential to brewing beer, they do not contain alcohol and are mainly used for flavoring and balancing bitterness. It may surprise you to learn that hops are part of the Cannabaceae family, which also includes cannabis (hemp). As opposed to cannabis, hops do not contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), its main active ingredient. 

The hop herb is actually rather mild and would be best taken as an infusion to experience its effects. Hops could be used by anyone suffering from anxiety, restlessness, or insomnia. Even nursing mothers can benefit from this natural remedy for herself while providing a mild calming effect for the baby, who receives the benefits through breast milk.

Valerian

The Valerian plant is native to Asia and Europe. This herb was has been recommended for centuries, including by the greek physician Hippocrates and used in ancient Rome and Greece as an aid for sleep problems that were exacerbated by pain and migraines.

Chamomile and hops are prized for their flowers, but the calming properties of valerian arise from its roots. Valerian tea has mixed reviews, with many people complaining that it tastes terrible, and that spilled Valerian tincture is almost impossible to remove from fabrics and clothing. For this reason, it’s best to consume the whole root in capsule form. 

Start with half the dosage recommended on the bottle. And make sure you don’t take more than twice the recommended dose regardless of its benefits or effects.

Warning: Valerian should not be combined with sleeping medication. Don’t exceed the dose prescribed by your doctor or on the bottle. Excessive use may cause side effects such as drowsiness, headaches, itchiness, upset stomachs, dry mouth, and vivid dreams.

Skullcap

Skullcap is worth mentioning as it’s sometimes found in combination formulas containing other herbs like hops or valerian. Skullcap is native to North America, and provides anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and sedative properties that are similar to those found in chamomile.

Warning: Do not take during pregnancy. If overdosed, skullcap can cause confusion, dizziness, stupor, and twitching.

In terms of dosage, you should take skullcap as a tincture and mix 10 to 15 drops with a few ounces of water. (FHNE) You could also take a combination capsule of hops, valerian and skullcap, one to two at bedtime. (FHNE)