Featured, Health Care, Herbal Remedies, Insomnia

9 Effective Herbal Remedies For Insomnia

Herbal Remedies For Insomnia

[toc]Insomnia or sleeplessness is a major issue for people nowadays. Excessively high levels of stress and anxiety are often the cause of restlessness and inability to sleep at night. Herbs which can be used to combat insomnia are Passionflower, Nutmeg, Chamomile, Hops, Valerian, Kava, Lavender, Wild Lettuce, California Poppy and Winter Cherry. Herbal remedies can be used to improve the quality of sleep at night.

Herbal remedies are also effective in lessening the time taken to sleep at night. Herbs can work wonders for those of you who find it difficult to sleep at night. Herbal remedies are also useful in preventing abrupt breaks in sleep. Some of the best herbal remedies for insomnia are discussed in this article.


Herbal Remedies For Coping With Insomnia

California Poppy

California Poppy For Insomnia

Eschscholzia Californica is the Latin name of this herb. It is a natural sedative and sleep inducing herb. It improves sleep latency as well as the overall quality of sleep. This herb contains chemicals which promote sleepiness and restfulness. Isoquinoline alkaloids found in this herb activate the serotonin receptors in the brain and help to promote sound sleep. California Poppy can be consumed in the form of a tincture. Experts recommend that about 35 to 40 drops of tincture should be taken in a day to improve the quality of sleep.


Hops

Hops For Insomnia

Humulus Lupulus or Hops is a powerful remedy for sleeplessness at night. Hops is even an ingredient in beer because of its ability to relax a person and calm his or her mind. Hops leaves are especially beneficial in promoting sound sleep. Hops pillows are also used for warding off insomnia.

You can make a paste of the leaves and place it near you when you sleep in order to get the benefits of this herbal remedy as well. This herbal remedy for sleeplessness was first discovered in the early eighteenth century.


Wild Lettuce

Wild Lettuce For Insomnia

Lactuca Virosa is the Latin name by which this herb is referred to. It is very effective for warding off insomnia and restlessness in the night because a bitter sap called lactucarium is present in this herb. This sap is rich in medicinal alkaloids which help to induce sleep in persons by preventing energy levels from rising. As this herb is bitter to taste, it may be best to take this remedy in the form of a tincture, extract or supplement. Wild Lettuce was used by the Romans and Egyptians as a cure for sleeplessness since ancient times.


Lavender

Lavender For Insomnia

The botanical name of Lavender is Lavandula Officinalis. Lavender oil can be used to promote sound sleep and a good night’s rest. You can add a few drops of Lavender oil to your bath water and take a soothing bath at night before going to sleep.

You can also use Lavender oil to massage your body as it can relax the tension in your muscles and prevent lack of sleep. Use Lavender oil in an infusion with olive oil for the massage. You can also add some Lavender oil to a vaporizer and inhale the steam in order to avail of the soothing benefits of this herbal remedy.


Valerian

Valerian For Insomnia

The root of this herb is a natural sedative. Valerian is also known by the botanical name Valeriana Officinalis. This herbal root can be crushed and added to tea or a hot drink for obtaining sleep inducing benefits. This sleep promoting herbal root leads to drowsiness and sleepiness when consumed.

Valerian root has been proved by many researchers to be as effective as the medicine Valium in relaxing the body and calming the mind, as well as ensuring good quality sleep at night.


Chamomile

Chamomile For Insomnia

Chamomile is also known by the botanical name Matricaria Recutita.. This herb can be consumed in the form of a tea or hot drink for lulling the body to sleep and relaxing the limbs and muscles of the body. Chamomile is an adaptogen which strengthens the body’s healthy response to stressors and numbs the effects of mental, emotional and physical stressors on the mind and body.

Drinking Chamomile tea before you go to sleep at night can also help you to get better sleep and reduce the time taken for you to sleep. Use dried leaves of this herb for making the tea or drink. Chamomile should not be taken by pregnant or lactating women. It should also be avoided by people who are allergic to Rag Weed.


Kava

Kava For Insomnia

Piper Methysticum is the botanical name of this herb. Kava is used as an ingredient for ceremonial drinks in the South Pacific Islands. This herb is native to Fiji and it has healing powers. It can also induce sleep. Kava leaves should be added to hot water and made into a tea or hot drink which should be consumed at night to ensure sound and restful sleep.

Kava relaxes the mind without affecting mental clarity. This makes it more effective than sleep medication which disorients the mind. Also, this herbal remedy can be taken over a period of time to ensure that sleeping patterns return to normal. People suffering from insomnia can take this herbal remedy to improve their quality of sleep and sleeping patterns.


Nutmeg

Nutmeg For Insomnia

This herbal cure for insomnia is well known. You should add freshly ground Nutmeg to a cup of hot milk and consume this about a few hours before sleep. When this herb enters your body, it causes chemical changes in the brain’s neurochemistry which then leads to sound sleep without any breaks at night, according to researchers.  You can also soak freshly ground Nutmeg in hot water and strain the liquid.

Consume this liquid for warding off insomnia. People who have insomnia and want to use Nutmeg as a herbal remedy should take care not to use dried Nutmeg. Dried Nutmeg does not have the same beneficial impact as freshly ground nutmeg.


Passionflower

Passionflower For Insomnia

Passiflora Incarnata or Passionflower is a natural sedative which relaxes the body and mind and results in sound sleep. Passionflower tea can be consumed to ease the mind and ensure good sleep at night. You should add the leaves of this herb to boiling water. Add the sweetener and strain the liquid. This herbal tea can be drunk regularly to ensure that the body becomes calm and restful at night and you get uninterrupted sleep. Passionflower tea does not have any side effects and can be safely taken for chronic as well as acute insomnia.

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