Natural Sleep Aids

Do you have difficult time getting to sleep and staying asleep? Then a natural sleep aid might provide what you need. But are they safe? Here's an article from Rose Sheepskill discussing some natural sleep aids and its pros and cons. She is dedicated in giving some tips and techniques to help people to get sleep and stay sleep all night.

The pro: it is not habit forming like prescription sleeping pills or over-the-counter medications. The con: these herbs are not regulated by the FDA; therefore they have not been proven to cure any disease. Natural sleep aides have been used for generations and the five that are used for sleep disorders like insomnia are; California Poppy, Valerian, Hops, Catnip and the extracts of Passionflower.

California poppy or Eschscholzia Californica a perennial herb that does not contain opium, but is used as a sleep aid. The best way to take this herb for a good night's sleep is by a tincture. You can make the tincture out of the leaves and the flowers gathered as the plant is blooming. The plant blooms in the late spring and early summer. To make the tincture, take one ounce of freshly ground herb (leaves and flowers) to two ounces of 190 proof alcohol and let it sit in the sun for one to two weeks then strain the liquid and bottle it. A tablespoon of the tincture before bedtime will help you to fall asleep. One word of warning though, this tincture will cause you to be drowsy so you should not operate a vehicle or do anything else that may be dangerous.

Valerian root is the strongest of the five herbs and is known as the 'sleeping grass'. If you take a high dose of valerian you might feel the same effects as the prescription drug Valium. I would advise that you take valerian in pill form due to the strong odor that has been described as garbage or rotten cheese. Valerian has been also used for stomach upset and spasms, ADD, ADHD and seizures. Nevertheless, since the FDA has no control over natural supplements there are no proven claims for relieving with any of these conditions. Valerian is not recommended for women that are pregnant/nursing or for those that have low blood pressure or hypoglycemia.

Hops, the main ingredient of beer, has diuretic and soothing properties that aid sleep. In oil form it produces a sedative or hypnotic effect and when it is mixed with a more potent herb such as valerian it helps with insomnia. Hops alone can be taken as a hot tea or in a pill or capsule.

Passion Flower is known as a calming herb that is a mild sedative and helps relieve stress. Passion Flower has been used for over 200 years to soothe nerves. You can purchase Passion Flower extract as a tea or in capsule form.

You wouldn't think that Catnip would be used as a sleep aid, because it makes your cat overexcited and a little frenzied. With people Catnip has quite an opposite effect and is known as a mild tranquilizer and sedative. Catnip is in the mint family and makes a nice tea before bedtime to calm the nerves, relax the brain, relieve headaches and helps with insomnia. It is the mildest of the four herbs, but if combined with any or all of the other four can produce a great sleep aid.

The five major sleep aides can be used alone or in combination to promote a more restful sleep. If purchasing the herbs in pill form please read the dosage instructions carefully, especially if you are already taking a sleep medication. Consult your physician before taking any supplements, especially if you are being treated for a sleeping disorder or are scheduled for any type of surgical procedure. Some supplements have been known to hinder the healing process causing additional bruising or bleeding. We want you to be safe as well as have a good night sleep. Even though scientific studies on these herbs have been brief there are reasons to believe they are the five best natural sleep aides used today.

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