Natural Insomnia Cures: Herbal Remedies for a Better Night’s Sleep

Commercially available over-the-counter or prescription sleeping pills can be overwhelmingly potent and can have negative side effects. Many people who have trouble sleeping would prefer to look into “natural insomnia cures”.

Unfortunately, insomnia isn’t something that really has a “cure,” natural or otherwise. However, as far as natural insomnia “cures” go, there are a number of commonplace herbs with sedative or anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects. These can be taken as capsules, or made into tinctures or teas. These plants contain naturally occurring chemical compounds that can help induce sleep.

Some herbs that can function as natural treatments for insomnia include:

·         Chamomile

·         Valerian

·         Hops

·         Lemon balm

·         Passion flower

·         California poppy

Alone or in combination, a tea or tincture made with these herbs can have soothing and sedating effects that are highly conducive to sleep.

  

Chamomile 

Chamomile tea is very commonly promoted as one of the best natural cures for insomnia. It can be bought at almost any grocery store in the tea aisle, or you can use loose dried chamomile flowers to make your own herbal infusions. Chamomile contains a number of chemical compounds, some of which have been demonstrated to bind to GABA receptors in the brain. In addition, it has a long history of use for its mildly sedative properties, and many people find that chamomile tea helps them sleep. 

Valerian 

Valerian root is a highly effective for inducing sedation and sleep. Scientists have not yet fully identified the mechanisms by which valerian has its sedative effects, but it is thought that GABA analogs contained within the plant, including valerenic acids and sesquiterpinoids, are responsible. Valerian root extract can be bought in capsules at vitamin stores. It can also be used to make tea. The commercially available Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea contains valerian and chamomile. 

Passion Flower

Passion flower is a common ingredient in herbal teas for insomnia. Its mechanisms are not yet entirely clear from a scientific standpoint, but they may be caused by beta-carboline harmala alkaloids contained in the plants. These compounds may lend passion flower its purported anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. As a component of herbal teas, it is said to soothe anxiety, which can help with stress-related insomnia. 

Hops 

Hops have a sedative effect, probably due to a chemical called dimethylvinyl carbinol. They also have a history of use as an herbal remedy for sleeplessness, and may be incorporated into herbal teas and tinctures meant to promote sedation and sleepiness. 

Lemon Balm 

Another component used in natural cures for insomnia is lemon balm. It has mildly anxiolytic and sedative properties, possibly due to rosmarinic acid contained in the plant. This compound has been shown to inhibit GABA transaminase, explaining lemon balm’s effects on anxiety. 

California Poppy 

California poppy extract has a sedative and anxiolytic effect. Its effect is far milder than that of opium, as California poppies contain a different class of alkaloids than opium poppies. At least one study using mice has demonstrated that the extract of this plant has affinities for the same receptors as benzodiazepines, which would explain its calming effects.