herbs for insomnia

Hops are the fruit of a member of the cannabis family native to North America, Asia, and Europe. Widely grown in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, hops appear as a primary ingredient in the flavoring of beer.

Hops are often used together with other flowers and herbs. They are commonly used with valerian, lavender or chamomile, but also holds their own as a natural relaxing sedative. The dried fruits, from which you can make tea, are frequently available, as are tinctures, tablets, and capsules.

In general, no side effects or adverse drug interactions are reported from the use of hops, though some individuals have experienced a rare allergic reaction or contact dermatitis from the pollen crystals in the fruits.

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

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

Passion flower is sometimes referred to as Apricot Vine, Passion Vine, Maypops, Granadilla and Maracoc. It has been used historically as a tranquilizer and tobacco substitute (together with 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 promote and ease digestion.

Some people consider the passion flower as the herb of choice for dealing with insomnia as it does not produce any side effects and results in a restful, relaxing sleep with no grogginess the following morning.

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

When used for its medicinal purposes, the entire plant may be used. It is ordinarily 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 15 minutes. Drink a cup half an hour before you climb into bed.

Indigenous to the mountain regions of the western Mediterranean, Lavender is a flowering bush that 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 appeared as one of the very first garden plants in Australia in the 1800s. It can be found in abundance in the wild in many parts of the world as well as being garden grown in well-drained, sunny areas, preferably in a slightly alkaline soil. The smaller species also grow quite easily in well-drained pots.

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

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

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

Widely 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 added to in a sachet underneath your pillow.

It should be noted that allergic contact dermatitis has been seen in some people applying lavender products externally. In order to safely detect an allergic reaction it is always a good idea to do a spot test before administering a full application.

You should also note that not all varieties of lavender are tranquilizing - some, like Spanish lavender, could have just the opposite effect.