Catching Z’s Left and Right: The Top Herbal Remedies for Better Sleep

Having trouble drifting into a peaceful slumber each night? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Did you know that more than 60 million Americans suffer from poor sleep quality?

Maintaining a decent night’s sleep is important for your health, and a disturbed sleep schedule is more than an inconvenience that leaves you feeling drained the next day. Bad quality sleep can affect your emotional and physical health and can affect your memory, concentration, and mood.

Luckily, there are plenty of natural herbal remedies that can improve the quality of your sleep. Read on to discover the best of the bunch!

Lavender

We all recognize lavender as the familiar garden flower that produces a soothing sweet fragrance. But did you know that this scent induces sleepiness? Found in almost all continents, lavender’s dry purple flowers can be produced into products such as lavender oil to improve sleep quality among insomniacs.

A small study in elderly people showed that lavender aromatherapy was as effective as conventional sleep medications. However, a bonus is that it offers fewer side effects. To reap the benefits of using lavender oil for sleep, sprinkle a few drops on your pillow 30 minutes before you go to sleep. You’ll soon find yourself in a heavenly snooze!

Valerian Root

A herb native to Asia and Europe, the Valerian root is commonly used as a natural treatment for anxiety, depression, and menopause. It’s also a popular herbal remedy for those suffering from a lack of sleep, too.

Drink it as a tea before you go to bed or take it in pill form to improve the quality of your sleep. However, for the best results, it’s more effective to use Valerian over a period time – such as over four weeks – rather than taking it for one night only.

Likewise, people who are consistently poor sleepers may find more benefit from Valerian root than those that are usually good sleepers but experience the odd occasional night of insomnia.

And the best part of consuming Valerian root? Unlike more traditional sleep medications, most people won’t experience any morning grogginess the morning after taking Valerian. So, you can enjoy a better night’s sleep, and feel fresh and prepared for the day ahead in the morning!

Chamomile

Chamomile has famously been used as a herbal sleep remedy for centuries. It’s believed to possess flavonoids that interact with benzodiazepine receptors in the brain that are involved with the sleep-wake transition.

As well as combating poor sleep habits, chamomile also provides anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties – great if you’re stuck with the common cold.

If you’re a tea-drinker, opt for German Chamomile to sip before bed. Roman chamomile has a bitter taste and better works as a herbal tincture.

Whichever method of consuming chamomile you choose, both provide a calming effect which can make people feel more relaxed and ready for bed.

Passionflower

Passionflower, also known as Passiflora incarnata or maypop is another popular herbal remedy to combat poor sleeping habits. These flowers are native to North America and are closely linked with inducing sleep. They’re also currently grown in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Like many of the herbal supplements on this list, passionflower can be consumed as a tea or in pill form, depending on the user’s preference.

CBD Oil

Although not technically considered a herbal remedy, the use of natural CBD oil is one of the most effective and easiest ways to induce a relaxing slumber for those that suffer from insomnia.

CBD, also known as cannabinoid, is a group of chemical compounds found in cannabis. It’s one of the most relaxing and stress-reducing of all the cannabinoids, making it the type that’s most likely to improve sleep. And unlike THC – another famous cannabinoid – CBD has no ‘high’ accompanying it.

CBD oil works well to improve sleep quality for those that suffer from chronic pain in particular. Likewise, in small doses taken during the day, CBD oil stimulates alertness and reduces sleepiness. This improves the quality of the overall day for those that suffer from tiredness during the day due to their lack of sleep.

As well as improving sleep quality, CBD oil also works well to reduce anxiety, ease symptoms of depression, and improve mental focus. Likewise, CBD holds anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties meaning CBD oil may offer protection for the brain and prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

To improve your sleep quality using CBD oil, check out the best CBD for sleep here.

Which of These Herbal Remedies Will You Try?

By taking one of these popular herbal remedies either as a tea or supplement, you can expect to improve sleep insomnia with ease.

As we know, maintaining a quality level of sleep is as important for overall health as consuming a healthy diet and exercising regularly. While it’s worth taking these herbal remedies if you have trouble falling asleep, wake up frequently during the night, or consistently wake up feeling tired, it’s important to balance such remedies with positive sleep practices.

Try not to go to bed too late and allow yourself plenty of time in bed to for around eight hours of sleep. If you’re consistently heading to bed late and only setting yourself limited hours for rest, this certainly isn’t going to help the situation. As you can understand, natural remedies are most effective when used in combination of healthy sleeping habits.

To learn more about natural remedies that can improve your health, head to the remedies section at the top of the page. For now – sweet dreams!