elder insomnia remedies

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

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

Throughout the ages Chamomile has proved a very good sleep aid and it can be taken in a number of ways including as a tea and used in a sachet placed under your pillow.

Unlike some herbal sleep remedies, chamomile does not need to be used on a regular basis to enjoy its effects as a treatment for sleeplessness. It can be used when needed to supply quick relief for both sleeplessness and anxiety.

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

Chamomile can be particularly useful in remedying the symptoms of mild insomnia (often referred to as transient insomnia).

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

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

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

The Pilgrims brought Lavender to North America and it was seen as one of the very first garden plants in Australia in the 1800s. It is found abundantly in the wild in many parts of the world as well as being garden grown in sunny, well-drained areas, for preference in a slightly alkaline soil. The smaller species also grow quite easily in well-drained pots.

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

Lavender is very 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 as an essential oil distilled from the flowers, leaves and stems of the plant.

Lavender oil can be applied topically to relax the muscles or its aroma can be inhaled if you want 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.

Extensively used in aromatherapy, Lavender oil can also be added to bathwater, dispersed in a vaporizer or simply put onto a tissue and breathed in. The essential oil from the flowers and leaves can also be employed in a sachet under your pillow.

It should be noted however that allergic contact dermatitis has been described in some people applying lavender products externally. In order 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, such as Spanish lavender, may have just the opposite effect.

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

The passion flower gets its name because it reminded the early pilgrims of the suffering (or passion) of Christ.

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

As well as having a profound 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 ease and promote digestion.

It is considered by some to be the herb of choice for treating insomnia as it doesn't produce side effects and means a restful, relaxing sleep without grogginess the next morning.

Further, it is non-addictive and may be used in both the elderley and children without leading to complications.

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

To prepare a passion flower tea, pour a cup of boiling water onto a teaspoonful of the dried herb and let it infuse for fifteen minutes. Drink a cup a half hour before retiring.