curing insomnia

Native to the mountain regions of the western Mediterranean, Lavender is a flowering bush which was cultivated by the Arabians after which it was spread across Europe by the Romans.

Lavender was brought to the United States by the Pilgrims and it was seen as one of the very first garden plants in Australia in the 19th century. It is found abundantly in the wild in many parts of the world as well as being garden grown in well-drained, sunny areas, ideally in a slightly alkaline soil. The smaller species can also be grown quite easily in well-drained pots.

The essential oil from this flowering herb acts to depress the central nervous system in a manner comparable to many pharmaceutical tranquilizers.

Lavender is very useful and effective in its usage as a sleep aid. On top of the use of lavender flowers in a brewed tea, it can also be used in the form of an essential oil distilled from the flowers, leaves and stems of the plant.

Lavender oil can be applied topically as a muscle relaxant or its aroma can be inhaled for a calming effect. Rubbing lavender essential oil on the feet is a most effective method of application, as anything on the feet is absorbed quickly.

Lavender oil is used widely in aromatherapy and can 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 employed in a sachet placed under your pillow.

It should be noted however that allergic contact dermatitis has been seen in some people using lavender products externally. To safely detect an allergic reaction it is judicious to carry out a spot test before administering a full application.

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

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

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

Over the centuries Chamomile has been a powerful sleep aid and it can be used in many ways including 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 sleep aid. It can be used when needed to provide fast relief for both sleeplessness and anxiety.

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

Chamomile can prove particularly helpful in alleviating the symptoms of mild insomnia (sometimes referred to as transient insomnia).

Chamomile can also reduce the histamine-based swelling produced by allergic reactions, and is an excellent solution when food allergies or congested sinuses are a contributory factor to sleeplessness.

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

The California poppy contains a compound known as protopine, that can be thought of as similar in effect to a light form of morphine.

Unlike the Opium poppy, this flower doesn't contain the narcotic morphine, although its structure is similar. As a result of this, the California poppy doesn't have any of the addictive properties of its narcotic relative.

At this time dosage guidelines have not been established as very few clinical studies on the effects of the California poppy have been conducted.