Herbal Sleep Remedies

Sleep remedies

When you wake in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep perhaps the answer might be to try a herbal sleep remedy instead of a pill. We all need to sleep and there is no worse feeling than to be staring at the bedroom walls without any sign of sleep beckoning. The more you fret and worry about getting back to sleep the more awake and restless you become. One of the biggest concerns with sleeplessness or insomnia like this is that we reach for a sleeping pill.

Sleeping medication

Unfortunately, sleeping pills are a short term remedy and can lead to more problems regulating your sleep. The hormone that regulates sleep is called melatonin which is also a key hormone that concerns depression. Doctors are trying to establish a link between insomnia and depression and insomnia is sometimes treated with melatonin type drugs. Finding a natural way to a comfortable night’s sleep is so important to our overall well being.

Plants and herbs to help sleep

There are several species available which are believed to aid a good night’s sleep. The most well known of these are chamomile (usually in tea form), lavender, lemon balm and the passionflower. Less well known are kava kava, valerian root and St. John’s Wort (the most debated of them all).

Chamomile tea

Many people imbibe these in tea drinks such as chamomile tea but many green teas are available that purport to aid sleep and are said to have mild sedative properties. Some teas may cause allergic reactions depending upon the general well being of the individual so do always make your doctor aware of any self help remedies you are taking as they may react with prescribed drugs in your system.

Herbs and herbal sleep remedies

A lot of people who experience difficulty sleeping choose natural aids and herbal remedies to alleviate the problem. Some herbal sleep remedies like chamomile tea, ginger tea or lemon balm are considered harmless but others can be harmful if used in conjunction with other medication. For instance St. John’s Wort is a very strong herb but it can interfere with some prescriptive drugs, so consult your doctor before you embark on any course of self administered herbs and be aware of the dangers.

Tea is a common herbal sleep remedy

The safest and most common herbal sleep aids are lavender, peppermint and chamomile. A tea can be made from chamomile which is renowned for its soothing and sedative properties. Many of the herbal teas are also used for weight control. Peppermint tea is an equally refreshing green tea beverage. Lavender oil can be sprinkled on a pillow case (or special pillow bag inserted into the pillow) to give a refreshing, relaxing and pleasant odor at bedtime but there are numerous other herbs that may have beneficial effects too when sleep is required.

Insomnia treatment concerns

Persistent insomnia might be symptomatic of an underlying problem (medical or psychological) that cannot be successfully cured with medication. There may be potential side-effects if sleep medication is used for long periods of time and you should be aware of them. Dependency and intolerance are the main ones but in the first instance you should consult your doctor as your primary care professional. Perhaps you have high or low blood pressure or other minor symptoms that are contributing which can be easily cleared up and might well help you to obtain a good night's sleep. You should do your uttermost to help yourself by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet by eating fruit and home grown vegetables. The addition of herbal sleep pouches (I use lavender) to your pillow case will assist you to sleep more naturally than any medication.

Essential oils as alternatives to aid sleep

If you decide to use essential oils as a means of relaxation or an aid to a good night’s sleep then you should opt for the ‘therapeutic grade’ of essential oils because they are completely natural and organic, so they contain no chemicals whatsoever. They will be a bit more expensive than lower grade essential oils.

Each essential oil has its own distinctive scent and they are often used in candle making to create the extra ambience of low lighting combined with the relaxing smell pervading the room. Candles scented with essential oils are good for reducing stress which consequently may lead to a peaceful night’s sleep with sweet dreams.

Herbal sleep Vs Drug induced sleep

While there may be some concerns with herbal remedies for sleep they are minute relative to the effect of prescribed drugs, especially self prescribed over the counter drugs. Prescribed drugs can still affect your behavior long after you have taken the medication. Some sleep medication helps you to get to sleep, but other medication helps keep you asleep for longer by staying in your system longer. Do you know the difference? Ask your doctor to clarify, if you are taking medication to help you to sleep. Some of the very serious issues that can result from sleep drugs are:

• Sweating, shaking, frightful dreams and nausea
• Withdrawal symptoms if you want to stop
• Clumsiness, blurred vision and forgetfulness and trouble concentrating
• Dosages may keep increasing for the sleep to continue working
• You may develop a reliance on the specific medication to get to sleep
• Headache or muscle aches, dizziness and unsteadiness the following day

If you cannot mange to sleep then some of these drugs may help in the short term but if you can moderate the amount of drugs required so much the better. On balance, a herbal sleep potion or remedy will not be as dangerous as taking medicated pills but in all treatments your doctor should be informed.