Sleepy Herbs
Just about everyone can relate to this feeling: it’s 2 am and you’ve been tossing and turning, but you just can’t seem to drift off to sleep. Or maybe you managed to fall asleep easily some hours before but a bump in the night - or a cat or a restless child - has woken you up. Not being able to sleep is frustrating and can exacerbate anxiety and depression as well as contribute to low energy and function at home and at work.
A heavy heart, a stressed mind, an aching body - all of these can contribute to our spirit not being in a place where we can access the restorative rest that we need. Sleep truly is a portal, not just to rest but to the dream world where we can spend time exploring our day, cataloging our memories, and accessing ourselves in a way that we aren’t able to in the waking world. Being able to not just fall asleep but to stay asleep means that we can complete sleep cycles and wake truly refreshed.
Often when we want to go to sleep, we are inclined to reach for the heavy hitters, the sedatives that will “knock us right out.” And while most sleep formulas are going to use a stronger sedative or two as a primary herb, it is also important to address the underlying cause of why we are struggling to fall and/or stay asleep. We can think about it like this - if we have a headache caused by dehydration and we take ibuprofen but don’t increase our water intake, we will manage the sensation but not the cause of the pain.
Herbs that we consider hypnotic or sedative in their actions include chamomile, lemon balm, skullcap, California poppy, hops, passionflower, and valerian. Some of these herbs are also nourishing and healing for the nervous system, such as skullcap and lemon balm. Other herbs that are helpful include St. John’s wort (in the case of depression), rose, and lavender (to ease anxiety). It is worth noting that some hypnotics and sedatives are contraindicated with some types of depression and medications; please choose wisely and connect with an appropriate practitioner if necessary.
What is the best way to take these plant medicines? Tinctures are always a very efficient and easy means, but sometimes what our body wants is a hot cup of tea at the end of a long day. Or maybe we want to slip into a bath with some essential oils like lavender, rose, chamomile, or lemon verbena. When we listen to our bodies, we find that we have the wisdom to choose what we need with very little direction.
Beyond plants, it’s good to connect back into our bodies so that we can disconnect from the outside world at the end of the day. This can look like putting our phones away at least an hour before sleep, a gentle restorative or meditative yoga practice before bed, or ensuring that during the day we have activated our bodies enough through physical activity that when the time to rest comes, our bodies are ready for it. Practicing a sleep schedule that focuses on a consistent waking time is also very helpful.
Ultimately, our times of sleep and rest are when we come full circle, visiting parts of ourselves that we could never find with our busy minds in a wakeful state. Being mindful throughout the day and digging into what the abundant plant world has to offer, can help us achieve rest we need when the sun goes down.