As Mattijin said, I've found drinking chamomile tea right before bed to be most effective when I have troubles sleeping (which is often). Also, I've never tried it before but I've known people who take melatonin (which is already found in the body, it is the chemical that induces sleep) supplements to help fall asleep but I've heard about it having adverse effects when taking the supplements to long or in excess. You said you already knew about lavender, I like to take a bath with lavender oil in it, candles lit, soft music, and the lights off to relax. There are also lotions that contain lavender.
For me, I use valerian root (in a number of ways) to help me get to sleep, but also to help with muscle pain or menstrual pains. You can use valerian in a multitude of ways, but my number one way is to put some of the root in a hot bath and leave it to soak for a while, then have the bath before going to bed. Alternstively, putting a few drops of valerian essential oil on your bedsheet is said to help with sleep as well. You can also brew teas and things with valerian root/extract.
However! Even though valerian is only a very mild sedative, if you are going to ingest it PLEASE consult a doctor first!! Moreover, if you still have trouble sleeping after trying different herbal remedies, I would suggest seeing a doctor.
Re: Sleeping Herbs? By: Artindark Moderator / Adept
Post # 8 Jan 11, 2018
Other herbs that canhelp you to relax and fell asleep are:
-hops flowers (dried female stobiles). Latin name Humulus lupulus.
-passion flower (the flower of the passion fruit vine). The Latin name is Passiflora incarnata. Please note there are many different types and species of this plant.
-lemon balm leaves. The Latin name is Melissa Officinalis. You can make tea or tincture from them.
-linden tree flowers. These are the flowers of the Tilia Cordata. They are also known as Lime trees or basswood in North America. Not be mistaken with the tree that grows limes( citrus fruit similar to lemon). The tea made of the flowers is very delicious and sweet.
-Californian Poppy and Common poppy flowers and seeds. The seeds and flowers have mild sleeping effect on human body, but they are not as strong or addictive as the Opium Poppy (Papaver Somniferum). Never drink or consume anything made of the Opium plant. If you cannot make distinction between the different types of poppies, do not pick them yourself but order the herb from a reputable source, so no harm comes your way. I grow both Californian Poppies and Corn/Common poppy, so I am very familiar with both species.
I also use Ylang Ylang and Bergamot essential oils before going to sleep, if I feel restless. Some meditation and yoga before sleep helps as well.
If you keep having problems with sleep and cannot go to sleep naturally it is worth consulting your general practitioner. They might consider to send you to some centre for sleep science, if your sleeping cycle is really missing or disturbed significantly.
Also avoid any teas and drinks that act as stimulants of the nervous system.
I swear by using lavender essential oil over my clothes and pillow just a few drops.Never apply it directly on your skin.Also you can try and keep a chamomile tea bag under your pillow.Avoid drinking a lot of water just before sleep because it interrupts your sleep.
I make a lavander chamomile tea and I sleep like a rock. I usually meditate before i go to bed because that calms me down and its easier to fall asleep when you are relaxed. Meditating before bed is especially helpful when you've had a stressful day.
I would like to add catnip to the list. It is a close relative of mint (which can also be calming), and it more calming than chamomile flower tea. It may, however, be a little more bitter.
I find that if I am burning myself out and not resting well, it actually helps to shut off artificial lights as much as possible. -especially- tv's and computer monitors. Not only does the activity of watching them keep you awake, but the light wavelength they emit actally play havoc with your body's natural rhythms. What you are watching or doing can also stir up the mind and if if you are doing something that gets the nrain moving it is harder to get it to quiet down when you want it to.
Work on being consciously aware of the time, and disciplining yourself to shut down at least 20 minutes before you head for bed. Have some time in stillness and let your system power down with a mundane task. Something simple like a spot of meditation, or personal grooming, or a short journal entry to put your thoughts on paper(and thusly out of your head).
If this has been an ongoing problem it might be a good idea to examine what exactly is keeping you awake. IE: are you failing to go to bed on time? Is your mind running rampant and not shutting down? Do your thoughts get engaged with different emotions or cycles of thinking? Is your body being physically restless? Do you share the bed with someone and do they keep you awake? In the quiet of where you live do you get knocked from slumber by sounds, appliances, light, outside noises like cars, ringing in the ears, etc?
Each of these sources of the problem have their own solutions. Understanding the puzzle usually reveals the answer.
I want to add avoiding caffeine before bed. I never used to react to caffeine and slept like a baby no matter what I drank, but the older I get, the more caffeine affects me. They say to avoid drinking it around 5 pm.
I also want to second not having artificial lights on at night in the room. Screws with our circadian rhythm (what keeps us awake during the day and makes us sleep at night).
I use to listen to Binaural Beats on YouTube, you can find certain ones for deep sleep, etc. I use s to take Melatonin, but it only works for so long. If you live in a Medical Marijuana state and are able to get a card, that helps me sleep. I have started exercising every day in the morning so i have energy to do stuff all day. Then, by the end of the night I am tired and fall asleep easily.
