Most people experience occasional loss of sleep, but if you have persistent trouble falling asleep, or sleeping through the night, you probably suffer from insomnia. The Mayo Clinic recognizes stress, anxiety and depression as three possible causes of insomnia. There are prescription and over-the-counter drugs to treat insomnia, but they may have unpleasant side effects or be habit forming. Psychoactive herbs for insomnia are not habit forming, have no narcotic effects and can be taken over a long time. Try these herbs before bedtime as teas or in your bath for a relaxing sleep.
Valerian
Valerian (Valeriana officinales) is a central nervous system depressant. In his book on psychoactive herbs, Marcello Spinella, Ph.D., states that valerian calms the nerve cells and relaxes the muscles. A cup of valerian tea before bedtime will reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and let you sleep longer. Unlike prescription anti-anxiety drugs, valerian has no hangover effect. Valerian tea should be drunk one to two hours before going to bed. Do not drive after taking valerian, and do not combine valerian with other sedative drugs.
Kava
Kava (Piper methysticum) is native to the South Pacific, where the roots are used to make a relaxing drink. Its main constituents are called kavalactones, which are all psychoactive. Kava can relax muscles and induce a deep, restful sleep. It can also produce a mild euphoria. Kava works well for mild cases of insomnia and has no narcotic-like after effects. A 2003 report in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews confirms that kava has anti-anxiety actions and is safe for treatment up to 24 weeks.
Lime blossom
Lime blossom (Tilia platyphyllos) is a relaxing herb that tones the nervous system and reduces tension. Add lime blossom essential oil to jojoba or wheat germ oil and put a few drops in your bath before bedtime.
California poppy
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) grows in the western United States and Mexico, and the bright yellow poppy is the state flower of California. California poppy contains alkaloids similar to the opium poppy, but it is not addictive. It has a strong relaxing effect and you can drink a cup of the tea or take a dose of the tincture before bedtime for a good night's sleep.
Jamaican dogwood
Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia erythrina) is a powerful psychoactive herb from the West Indies, where it is used traditionally as a fish poison. A tea of Jamaican dogwood root is the herb to take if your insomnia is caused by nervous tension or nerve pain. Do not take this herb if you are pregnant or if you are taking other central nervous system depressants.
Lavender
Use lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) to treat the stress, anxiety and depression that cause insomnia. You can drink lavender tea mixed with chamomile in the evening for a restful sleep. You can also put a few drops of lavender essential oil on the underside of your pillow to promote sleep. Do not rub lavender essential oil directly on your skin or take it internally.
References
- Mayo Clinic
- Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs: Medicinal Herbs for treating Psychological and Neurological Problems; Marcello Spinella, Ph.D.; 2005.
- "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"; Kava extract for treating anxiety. Pittler MH, Ernst E; 2003.
