Natural Sleeping Aids: Which herbs are most effective for insomniacs?

Which herbs are most effective for insomniacs?

Written by clive on 2:53 AM

Velerian Root. Valerian root has been used for centuries as a mild sedative. Before barbiturates were invented in the early 1900s, valerian root was the most widely used sedative. In World War 1 it was used by troops on the front lines to prevent shell shock, and in World War 2 it was used by civilians experiencing stress and anxiety from air raids. Valerian root is most often used to treat sleep disorders that stem from anxiety and nervousness.

Hops. Hops are usually combined with other herbs (such as valerian root and passion flower) to calm nerves and induce sleep. A combination of hops, passion flower, valerian root, and Melissa is used to form Vita-Dor, a sleeping aid marketed in Germany. Hops have also been stuffed into pillows, taking the place of down to help induce sleep. In high amounts hops are such a potent sedative that Clement, working as an herbalist, offers them to dental patients.

Passion Flower. Passion flower was discovered in Peru by a Spanish doctor named Monardes in 1569. The herb became very popular in Europe, where it was used to brew tea. Passion flower is employed around the world as a mild sedative that reduces nervous tension and anxiety. In Europe and Russia passion flower is coupled with valerian root to create some very popular sleeping aids. Passion flower is also effective in combating muscle cramps that disrupt and limit sleep.

Chamomile. Chamomile (sometimes spelled chamomile) is the most frequently used of the sleep-inducing herbs. Both chamomile tea and chamomile preparations are used for the depressive effect they have on the central nervous system. “If you took chamomile and extracted it and put in a tincture [alcohol solution] and you had just the medicinal part of the plant, you would have a very strong sedative,” says Clement. Also, because chamomile has the ability to act as a carminative (expels the gas from the stomach or bowel), it may be effective to those who lose sleep due to indigestion or gas pains.

Lavender. A study out of the University of Leicester in England and published in the British medical journal Lancet reported that the sweet smell of lavender oil helped four elderly insomniacs fall asleep more quickly and sleep longer. Three of them stopped talking sedatives. “The results are very intriguing and very consistent with what we and others have found,”, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell and Taste Research Center in Chicago. Hirsch says the olfactory bulb, the nose’s nerve center, lies close to the brain’s reticular activating system, which controls the sleep-wake cycle. The speculates that chemicals in the lavender oil flow through the nose into the brain, somehow altering the biology of the sleep center.