Every year, at least 40 million people in the United States suffer from long-term, chronic sleep disorders, with another 20 million affected by occasional sleep problems, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or NINDS. Among the more than 70 sleep disorders known to doctors, insomnia is among one of the most common. Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep and not waking refreshed and rested. Passionflower may help improve the quality of your sleep if you suffer from this condition. Speak with your doctor before using passionflower to treat insomnia.
Causes
Short-term insomnia can affect everyone at some point in their life. If you suffer from chronic, long-term insomnia, it may be the result of depression, stress or your diet. According to NINDS, insomnia affects more women than men and is a condition that may increase with age.
Identification
Passionflower is a perennial vine that may grow to heights of up to 32 feet. The vine produces flowers with five petals that may range in color from blue to magenta. The passionflower has calming and sedative properties that make it helpful in treating insomnia, anxiety and other nervous conditions, though scientists are not certain as to how the herb works. It is believed that passionflower increases certain chemicals in the brain that help make you more relaxed.
Dosage
Passionflower is available in the form of tinctures, extracts, infusions and teas. The adult dosage is determined by the form taken. For example, to make a relaxing herbal infusion, add up to 2 g of dried passionflower herb to 1 cup of boiling water and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests drinking 1 cup an hour before you go to bed. Up to 30 drops of the fluid extract may be taken prior to bed as well as 10 to 60 drops of passionflower tincture. Passionflower is not recommended for use in children.
Warnings
So not take passionflower if you are currently taking sedatives such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates. In addition, do not take passionflower with blood-thinning medications or certain antidepressants. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use this herb unless otherwise directed by a physician.
