Herbal and Natural Remedies for Insomnia

With the increasing stress we are facing every day, insomnia is becoming an issue for more and more people. Natural and herbal remedies can help. I have done a series about specific herbal remedies beginning several years ago. You can read some of these posts at these links: A Natural Approach to Sleeplessness; Herbal Remedy for Sleeplessness – Shou Wu; Herbal Remedies for Sleeplessness – Valerian; What Is Insomnia.

I found an article on Natural Medicine, the New Zealand Journal of Natural Medicine that talks a little about some herbal remedies for insomnia, but also includes some other tips about natural treatments for insomnia, including some homeopathic remedies and some essential oils that may help treat insomnia. I have only a little experience with homeopathy, and none with essential oils, so I don’t know how well they work. But if you are suffering from sleepless nights, they may be worth a try.




If your insomnia is severe, please see a qualified medical professional, and rule out any medical problems. This is usually a good idea anyway, even if the problem is not severe.


“There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to make you feel tip-top. We ‘sleep on it’ when there’s a tough issue to resolve, or remind ourselves that ‘things will look better in the morning’ when we’re stressed. That’s because sleep is like the body’s own mechanic: it allows it to mentally and physically restore itself.

Sleep involves five stages, lasting a total of 90 - 110 minutes and repeating throughout the night…

What if sleep eludes you? Anyone who’s suffered from insomnia knows how slowly those dreadful minutes tick by while you lie awake. An estimated 30 - 50% of people suffer from insomnia, 10% chronically. Identifying the cause is the first step in resolving insomnia. Stress is the most common cause of short-term/acute insomnia, and if this isn’t addressed, it can become chronic.”


Read the full article here:  Insomnia

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations. Technorati Tags: herbal remedies, herbs, natural remedies, alternative remedies

Herbal Remedies for Sleeplessness and Anxiety- Lemon Verbena

Yesterday, I talked about Lemon Balm; today, I want to talk about a similar herbal remedy for sleeplessness, Lemon Verbena.

The botanical name of this herb is Aloysia triphylla. It is a popular herbal remedy in France, in fact, it is on many restaurant menus under the name, Vervaine Oderante.

The French use this remedy for relief of upset stomach, and other disorders of the digestive system, and for agitation and insomnia. It is also used as a flavoring agent in medicinal teas, since it has a pleasant lemony taste.

This herb is also a very safe herb, with no side effects or adverse reactions noted.

You can read a longer article I wrote  about Herbal Sleep Remedies here: http://ezinearticles.com/?Herbal-Sleep-Remedies&id=2372875.

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.





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Herbs For Sleeplessness-Lemon Balm

Today, I want to talk a little about the herbal remedy, Lemon Balm, also called Melissa (its botanical name is Melissa officianalis), which has a long history of use to treat sleeplessness, as well as nervousness and anxiety.

This herb is very safe, with no health hazards or side effects noted at therapeutic dosages, (300-400mg in capsules, or several cups of an infusion steeped in boiling water per day.)

Not only has it been used at least since the 17th century, but recently, it was included in the German Commission E monographs, and approved as a natural remedy for nervousness and insomnia.

It also has some calming effect on digestive disturbances, as well as some anti-bacterial properties.

It is a useful addition to the herbal medicine chest for insomnia and sleeplessness.
The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.





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Herbal Remedies for Sleeplessness-Valerian

The herb I wanted to talk about today has been used for centuries as a treatment for sleeplessness or insomnia. Unlike Chamomile, Valerian has been used to treat severe insomnia, as it more strongly induces sleepiness. In fact, some researchers say it appears as effective as some prescription sleep aids. (Unfortunately, it is not the most pleasant tasting herb, and for that reason, I usually recommend it as a capsule, or extract. See my post from November 15, 2006 for more information about Valerian.)

Taking Valerian about thirty minutes before retiring is usually enough to help you fall asleep, and to enter deep sleep cycles. If you are taking capsules, 400mg is a standard recommendation, but check the dosage recommendation on any product you use, for the correct dosage.

Side effects from Valerian are generally mild, and may include feeling sleepy the next morning, or stomach discomfort. Personally, I have never had any stomach discomfort, but I have occasionally have felt a little groggy in the morning, but that feeling passed quickly. If you are taking any herbal remedy (or prescription pharmaceutical remedy for that matter) and experience any strong side effects, stop taking them, and discuss the side effects with your doctor. Your doctor can tell you if the side effects are serious, and if there are other options you might consider without side effects. Never change your medication without talking to your doctor, and be sure to keep the doctor informed about any herbal remedies you may be taking.

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.





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A Gentle Herbal Remedy for Anxiety and Sleeplessness

Today, I want to talk about another herbal remedy with a long history of use, Chamomile. (I have written about this herb in another post, see January 2006 post on Chamomile and Dandelion.)

Chamomile is a very safe and mild herb, safe enough even for children, (but check with your pediatrician, first), the only real precaution is if you are allergic to ragweed and pollen, it may set off your allergies, as it is made from flowers. (I have hay fever, but I can take chamomile tea with no problem.)

One of the uses of chamomile is as a nerve tonic, it is used both to calm and tonify the nervous system. It is widely used as a natural sleep aid, because of its calming effect and mild sedative action. I have found it to be quite helpful for mild anxiety.

The flavor is mildly sweet, and tastes even better with a little honey, so it is an easy herbal remedy to take. And the ritual of making a cup of herbal tea can be very calming, along with taking the time to sip it.

I am talking about very mild remedies first, both because I always look for the least intervention that will give me the effect I am looking for, (in this case, calming and relaxing a nervous or anxious state) and , if you have a severe problem, with anxiety or insomnia, you should seek competent professional help.

I am always willing to answer questions from any readers, the easiest way to ask a question is with the form here.


The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.





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Herbal Remedy for Sleeplessnes- Shou Wu

I have been talking for several days about sleeplessness, stress, anxiety and insomnia. Today, I will begin talking about herbal remedies for these conditions.

One of the reasons I have researched these subjects is an experience I had several years ago.

Most of my life, I had absolutely no problem sleeping, I could decide that i was going to sleep, and be asleep in 10 minutes or less, and awaken within 10 minutes of whatever time I wanted to get up, without an alarm clock.

This all changed when I was injured by a tractor trailer crashing through the wall of a building I was standing in. The person I was talking to was killed, and I was hospitalized. I only spent several days in the hospital, but I was confined to a hospital bed at home for several weeks, because I could not get up or down without the help of the bed raising and lowering.

My injuries healed, but I had great difficulty sleeping, at first because of the intense physical pain, then later because of nightmares, and the psychological effects of the accident, (including survivor guilt). I spent several years working with a trauma counselor, who told me I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even now, years later, I still find it difficult to sleep through the night. So this is a subject where my experience is not from suggesting treatments to clients, but from my own experience using these remedies to help myself.

So the first herbal remedy that I would like to talk about is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy, and one of my very favorite herbs. It is known by various names, He Shou Wu, Ho Shou Wu, or simply Shou Wu; Fo-Ti; the botanical name is Polygonum multiflorum.

It is a famous tonic herb in China, said to have a rejuvenating effect on anyone who takes it for some length of time. Shou Wu has many tonic effects according to Chinese tradition, it is tonic to the blood, the Liver and Kidneys; it is said to keep the hair from turning grey, and restore it's color if it has already turned; and to be tonic to that part of the body called the Jing. Jing is difficult to translate, it is sometimes described as the "essence" of a human, the "original qi (chi); I don't want to say much more than that about Jing, I could write for pages about it, trying to explain it.

But the reason I bring up Shou Wu here is that it also is said to help calm the heart spirit, and in traditional Chinese medicine, restlessness, sleeplessness, and anxiety may all be related to a restless heart spirit. (In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they talk about different spirits inhabiting different body organs, Heart Spirit, Kidney Spirit, Liver Spirit, Lung Spirit, and Spleen Spirit; each having specific functions, as well as disorders.)

When the Heart Spirit is restless or unsettled, it may manifest as insomnia, anxiety, or restlessness; in extreme cases , even what we would call psychosis.

Shou Wu is a safe and gentle herb, with a calming and tonifying effect. (Some authors say it's calming effect comes from the tonifying properties, which make the Heart a more comfortable place for the spirit to reside.)

This talk about "spirits" may seem like hokum, but this herb does have a calming effect on whatever it is that produces the effect we call "restlessness", "anxiety", and "insomnia". It is generally one of the first herbs I suggest to people who are having trouble with these problems.
For myself, taking this herb helped me get past the nightmares; and, when I take it regularly, it helps me sleep.

Even though this is a very safe herb, you should discuss it with your doctor, or an experienced herbalist, before you begin using it, especially if you have any medical condition, or are taking any medications.

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.





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What Is Insomnia?

I wanted to start my series about sleeplessness and insomnia by talking about what "insomnia" is.

The easiest definition of insomnia is too little sleep; but it can also mean poor quality sleep. Some of the ways you experience insomnia are trouble falling asleep; waking up frequently, or not being able to stay asleep, waking up earlier than you want to, and not feeling rested even after sleeping for 8 hours or more. (Everyone's need for sleep is different, but 7-8 hours seems good for most people.)

There are different types of insomnia: short term insomnia (transient insomnia, if you need a more technical sounding term) which only lasts a little while, and may be the result of things like jet lag, and usually returns to normal by itself; intermittent insomnia, which comes and goes; and chronic or long term insomnia which can happen for many consecutive days. (I think the medical definition of chronic insomnia says 3 nights a week for a month or more.)

Chronic insomnia is divided into primary insomnia, which is not caused by another medical condition; and secondary insomnia, which can be caused by other medical conditions, or medications, or stress, or anxiety, poor sleep environment, or psychological conditions, such as depression.

Short term insomnia usually does not require any treatment, as it goes away on its own; chronic insomnia may require medical treatment, especially if it is related to another medical problem. It is a good idea to discuss any sleep problems with your doctor, or other primary caregiver, to rule out any other medical problems.

I will continue this discussion in my next post.

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations.






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Herbal Remedies for Sleeplessness

I have written previously about insomnia, but I have been getting more and more questions about sleeplessness, anxiety, insomnia, and stress. So I am going to write a series of articles on these topics, and go into a little more detail about them, and some traditional herbal remedies.

I wanted to start by listing a few herbs that I have found helpful generally for all these problems. Some are relaxing herbs, some are adaptogens (herbs that help the body adapt), some are general tonics.

A partial list of herbs follows: Siberian Ginseng (not a true ginseng, see my post,
More Than One Ginseng); Reishi Mushroom; Rhodiola rosea; Chamomile; Scutellaria; Vallerian; Hops; and He Shou Wu are the primary herbal remedies that come to mind.

I will post more specific information about these herbs, and how to use them safely and effectively, as well as some thoughts on dealing with stress, anxiety and sleeplessness.

If you have any questions, use the form here: Ask Your Herbal Remedy Questions.

The material presented in this blog is for informational use only and should in no way be used as a substitute for needed medical treatment. I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose or treat disease. If you need medical care, please consult the appropriate medical professional. And please discuss with your doctor if you are taking or planning to take any herbal preparations

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