For centuries, herbs have been used to induce a good night’s sleep. Though ancient society relied on them heavily to cure insomnia, many today rely on pharmaceutical solutions. These can often leave one feeling groggy while herbal remedies typically do not. The most common way to consume herbs as a sleep aid is in tea form although capsulated forms are available. Perhaps the teas seem more effective due to the fact that sipping a hot beverage can have a relaxing effect that prepares the body for sleep. Herbal teas can be made from a variety of herbs, each one working differently toward the same effect, but the flavor of some can take some getting used to.
One type of herbal tea that is useful in gaining a good night’s sleep if stress is keeping you awake is kava. Although the taste on its own is not desirable to some, most brands add other ingredients to improve flavor and ease the stomach, creating a peaceful feeling that aids falling asleep. For example, one brand adds a carob pod and stevia leaves to create a slightly sweet, mild chocolate flavor. It also includes ginger, which in addition to improving flavor can help ease the stomach.
Another popular herbal tea sleep aid is valerian (valeriana officinalis). This is one of the best researched herbal sleep aids around. It has been used for over 500 years to induce a good night’s sleep. It works quite differently than pharmaceutical sleep remedies in that it take a lot longer to work. Sleep inducing drugs typically produce results in less than an hour. Studies performed in the last decade have shown that valerian is most effective in producing sleep when taking 600mg daily about two hours before bed time for at least two weeks with optimum results after about four weeks. Valerian is not generally associated with side effects, but in one study, there were two cases of a headache, and one person experienced restlessness. In 500 years of use, however, there have been no cases of dependency reported.
In all, herbal tea can be a good way to gain better sleep. It may take some experimentation to come up with the best combination and flavor, but it can be worth it. Another benefit is that many herbs that have a sleep inducing effect offer other benefits as well. In addition, it can be beneficial to not have the side effects associated with traditional pharmaceutical sleep aids.