Sleepless? Here Are Five Herbs For Sleep

Sleepless again? Instead of reaching for a pill, you may want to consider trying herbs for sleep instead. People have been using herbal sleep remedies for centuries. Sipping a warm cup of soothing herb tea may help you drift off to dreamland sooner than you expected. Read on to find out which herb may be best to help you sleep. Valerian Valerian for sleep is a time-honored remedy. This herb has been shown to help people fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. The main drawback is that it has a pretty funky smell. Some people compare it to old socks. To get around this, you may want to take this herb as a pill. Or try it mixed with lemon balm, another calming herb with a pleasant lemony fragrance and taste. It's best taken right before bedtime. It works right away for some folks, but others need to take it for at least a month before seeing any results. Chamomile People have been sipping chamomile tea as a cure-all for centuries. A calming herb that helps to relieve insomnia, this herb tea has a pleasant apple flavor. It's great for upset tummies, and menstrual cramps, too. When making tea, to get the most out of it, use two or three teabags. Cover the pot with a lid while it's steeping so the oils don't evaporate. If you're allergic to ragweed, you may be allergic to this herb, too. Also avoid it if you're pregnant, as it can stimulate the uterus. St. Johnswort It would be hard to miss all the buzz about St. Johnswort. Many people take it for symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as for trouble sleeping. It seems to work by boosting serotonin levels in your brain. And of couse, serotonin is essential for regulating your sleep cycle. This herb can interfere with antidepressants, so if you take them, check with your doctor before using this herb. Schizandra Also known as schisandra, this herb is a staple of traditional Chinese medicine. This versatile herb is an adaptogen, which means it helps return you to a balanced state. If you're too hyper, it will help you calm down, and if you're too sleepy, it can help wake you up. If you're dealing with a lot of stress in your life, this herb comes highly recommended to help you stay on an even keel. Kava Although this herb is known to help people relax so they can fall asleep faster, it does seem to have a black cloud hovering over it right now. It's been assciated with at least 30 cases of liver damage in Europe. It's not known whether kava caused the damage by itself or in combination with other herbs. Liver damage is serious business. Since there are questions about how safe this herb is, it's probably best to avoid it until these questions are answered. One of these herbal sleep remedies may be just what you need to help you sleep.