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A common flowering plant, Chamomile (Matricaria camomilla) grows in various parts of central and southern Europe (Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, and Slovakia), as well as in north western Asia. Chamomile is also now widely cultivated in Australia, North Africa, Argentina, Egypt, and the United States.

Normally packaged as a tea, the dried leaves and flowers can be bought over the counter in both loose and bagged form.

Throughout the ages Chamomile has proved a very effective sleep aid and it can be administered in numerous ways including being brewed as a tea and used in a sachet placed under your pillow.

Unlike some herbal sleep remedies, chamomile does not have to be used on a regular basis to enjoy its effects as a treatment for sleeplessness. It can be used when required to furnish speedy relief for sleeplessness and anxiety.

Chamomile tea, which is made from the dried flowers and leaves of this common plant, commonly proves most effective when taken a half an hour to forty-five minutes before getting into bed.

Chamomile can prove especially valuable in alleviating the symptoms of mild, or transient, insomnia.

Chamomile also reduces the histamine-based swelling produced by allergic reactions, and is a very effective solution when congested sinuses or food allergies contribute to sleeplessness.

It should be noted however that hay fever sufferers who demonstrate an allergic reaction to ragweed and its close botanical relatives (such as chrysanthemum and aster) sometimes display a similar reaction to Chamomile.

Passion flower is a flowering plant that is native to an area from the southeast US to Brazil and Argentina.

It gets its name because it reminded the early pilgrims of the passion of Christ.

Passion flower is often referred to as Maypops, Granadilla, Passion Vine, Maracoc and Apricot Vine. It has been used historically as a tranquilizer and tobacco substitute (in addition to other things).

As well as having a strong effect on the central nervous system, passion flower also acts as an anti-spasmodic on the smooth muscles of the body, including the entirety of the digestion system, which accounts for its ability to promote and ease digestion.

Some people consider the passion flower to be the herb of choice for treating insomnia as it does not produce side effects and means a relaxing, restful sleep with no grogginess the next morning.

It is also non-addictive and may be used in both children and the elderly without complication.

When used for its medicinal purposes, the whole plant may be used. It is typically collected after some of the berries have matured, then dried whole.

To prepare passion flower tea, pour a cup of boiling water onto a teaspoonful of the dried herb and let it brew for 15 minutes. Drink a cup 30 minutes before you climb into bed.

Lavender is a flowering bush indigenous to the mountains of the western Mediterranean which was 'domesticated' by the Arabians after which it was spread throughout Europe by the Romans.

Lavender was brought to the United States by the Pilgrims and it showed up as one of the first garden plants in Australia during the 1800s. It is found in abundance in the wild in many areas of the world as well as being garden grown in sunny, well-drained areas, preferably in a somewhat alkaline soil. The smaller species can also be grown quite easily in well-drained pots.

The essential oil in this popular flowering herb depresses the central nervous system in a manner that is similar to many pharmaceutical tranquilizers.

Lavender is both useful and effective when it is used as a sleep aid. As well as the use of lavender flowers in a brewed tea, it can also be used in the form of an essential oil distilled from the leaves, stems and flowers of the plant.

Lavender oil can be applied topically as a muscle relaxant or its aroma can be inhaled to produce a calming effect. Rubbing lavender essential oil on the feet is an especially effective method of application, as anything put on the feet is absorbed rapidly.

Lavender oil is widely used in aromatherapy and can also be added to bathwater, dispersed in a vaporizer or simply popped onto a tissue and breathed in. The essential oil from the leaves and flowers can also be used in a sachet underneath your pillow.

You should note that allergic contact dermatitis has been well documented in some people using lavender products externally. To safely detect an allergic reaction it is a good idea to do a spot test before administering a full application.

It should also be noted that not all varieties of lavender are tranquilizing - some, such as Spanish lavender, might have just the opposite effect.