How to Use Herbs to Treat Insomnia

Insomnia is the habitual or occasional inability to sleep. The disorder can occur when an individual is unable to fall asleep at all or when a person wakens during the night and is unable to fall back asleep. One way of treating insomnia is to use herbal remedies. Certain herbs, like kava kava, hops and passionflower, are considered particularly useful for easing insomnia. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Hops
• Catmint or chamomile tea
• Passionflower
• Kava kava

Treat Insomnia with Herbs

1. Drink catmint or chamomile tea several times a day to calm your nerves and settle your body. While you may notice results immediately, it may take a few days before you really feel the effects of these teas.
2. Use the herb hops nightly to fall asleep faster. Hops leaves or flowers placed inside your pillowcase at night may relieve any anxiety, restlessness or nervousness you may be experiencing.
3. Relax your mind and body with kava kava. The active ingredients in kava kava have been shown to help reduce tension and stress, both physical and mental.
4. Forego harsh sedatives in favor of passionflower. A mild natural sedative, passionflower could help you get to sleep quickly without the groggy side effects of prescription medications.
5. Rotate your herb choice for the best results. While all of the sleep-inducing herbs are mild enough to take on a consistent basis, change the herbs you use every few days for the best results.
6. Get more information about treating insomnia with these herbs by visiting the "Internal Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements" Web site (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• You can find moderately-priced herbs for treating insomnia at your local health food store. Online merchants may also offer the same herbs for lower prices.
• Don't use herbal remedies for situations requiring more immediate attention. If you haven't slept for several days, are experiencing hallucinations, paranoia, confusion or loss of equilibrium, contact your doctor immediately or go to the hospital.
• Although insomnia isn't considered a dangerous disorder in and of itself, long-term sleep deprivation can have serious consequences. Lack of sleep, for example, can help cause a car accident.
• Consult MayoClinic.com to learn how educate yourself about alternative medicine claims (see Resources below). Learn how to assess those claims before you make your treatment decision.