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There is nothing more annoying and at the same time destructive to the health than insomnia. To toss and turn wide awake at two in the morning when you should be sleeping because you need to be alert at work early next morning is nothing short of frustrating. It also can’t be great for your bed partner when you're thrashing around keeps them up, too. It’ll certainly make for angry bedfellows plus put a strain on your relationship.
Let us assume you have done all the correct things to ensure a good night’s sleep. You go to bed and awaken at the same time every day even on weekends. (Yes, I know, that is a hard one but it does help and therefore should be the first step.) You mustn’t do strenuous exercise or watch thrilling TV shows just before bed time and you should never watch TV in bed. Soothing music, dim lighting, a soothing bath, a boring book and sex are all quite conducive to signaling the brain that it is time to rest. No, sex is not considered strenuous exercise no matter how energetically you go at it. When done properly, it has the effect of bringing out all sorts of wonderful chemicals in the brain to help you relax. But if all these things haven’t helped, there comes the time for other methods to help you get to dreamland.
It is very easy to pop a pill and get knocked out for the night but that isn’t the best thing to do and you know it. There are always side-effects, morning grogginess and often times the “Miracle” pills won’t let you sleep through the night. What good is that? Resorting to over-the-counter medications is not what a person such as yourself wants anyway. Healing herbs are.
These medicinal or healing herbs can be used in making soothing teas, infusions, tinctures or in the bath to create a calming environment which naturally brings on relaxation and with that sleep. To use in the bath merely place the soothing herbs in a drawstring bag made of cheese cloth and allow this to run under the warm bath water as the tub fills. For added enjoyment leave it in while you soak your tension away, breathing in the lovely scent.
A tea is simply taking a teaspoon of herbs, pouring boiling water over them and letting it steep 3-5 minutes. Depending on how strong you want the tea and the herbs in question, you can use more or less herbs to taste. Up to 3 cups of medicinal teas can be taken per day. A bit of honey or sugar can be added if wished. Teas have a very short shelf life, only 2-3 days if refrigerated and therefore should be made as needed.
For an infusion you do the same as for a tea but allow to steep 10-20 minutes. You may drink this at room temperature or it can be warmed in the microwave. This makes a bit stronger concoction bringing out more of the herbs healing powers. Again like the tea, infusions should be made as needed because of the short shelf life.
A tincture, on the other hand, is the way to go for a lasting concoction and a way to use herbs before they go bad if you have too much of a good thing. It is by far the most time consuming way to use healing herbs, however. It makes a much more concentrated form and half to one teaspoonful is all you need at bedtime. To prepare a tincture take 5 ounces of 100 proof vodka or brandy and allow 1 ounce of dried herbs to steep in this for six weeks in a sealed canning jar. For fresh herbs the general rule is to use half as much as dried.
Now that you know the various way to prepare the herbs, which ones are best for inducing sleep? Let us go over a few.
Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) - This herb, also called Sweet Melissa, is a lemon scented, 2 foot tall perennial with light green, heavily veined leaves. Lemon Balm is extremely hardy and easy to grow and can become quite invasive but as you plan on using it, that may be a welcome thing. Since most of its flavor diminishes after drying, Lemon Balm is best used fresh from the garden or picked , washed and dried to store in the freezer. One teaspoon of Lemon Balm leaves per cup of boiling water, steeped for 10-20 minutes make a pleasant tasting infusion. For a lighter taste use less herbs or steep for less time.
Bee Balm ( Manarda Didyma) - Also called Oswego Tea, Monarda Bee Balm looks nice enough, with its vibrantly colorful flowers, to leave the herb garden and grace any perennial bed. These perennial 2-4 feet tall plants look pretty planted in sweeping drifts but they can become invasive where water is plentiful. The leaves are 4-6 inches long with a mint-like taste and smell. Prepare as you would Lemon Balm.
German Chamomile ( Matricaria Chamomilla)- Anybody who has read about Peter Rabbit’s harrowing adventure in Mr. McGregor’s garden knows that Peter’s mother made him a belly-soothing tea with Chamomile but what is not known as widely is its power as a calming sedative for anxious feelings and to induce sleep. German Chamomile, an annual standing 3 feet high is rather easy growing in full to part sun and well draining soil on the sandy side. It is the tiny, daisy-like, apple scented flower that is harvested. Continual harvesting will keep the plant producing all summer but leaving a few flowers to go to seed will ensure some for the following year. For quick drying, place fresh blossoms in single layer on cookie sheet and place in warm oven (no more than 95 degrees F) until dry, approximately 20-30 minutes. Dried flowers should be sealed in dark, glass jars. Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup of water for a heavenly tea or infusion.
Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) -Not just for the kitty cat in your life anymore, Catnip is as soothing for you as it is for felines. Dry same as Chamomile and Balms and use the same amount for teas.
Valerian (Valerian Officinalis)- This is not the bluish-purple flowering Garden Heliotrope but it’s medicinal cousin. It is the roots that are needed to make a rather bitter tasting but extremely effective tranquilizer very similar to Valium yet without the nasty side effects. Drying these roots would be best done outdoors as it smells horrible, rather a bit like dirty socks. Once thoroughly dried the roots should be powdered. Use 2 teaspoons to a cup of water and allow to steep 10-15 minutes for an infusion that’s guaranteed to take you to La-La Land. To improve the taste combine with other more pleasant tasting herbs and don’t be afraid to add a bit of sugar or honey.
Hops ( Hululus Lupulus) - That’s correct, the same Hops used in making beer can be made into an infusion with sedative properties. Back in the day, Hops were used inside pillows as it was believed the warm fragrance induced sleep. Strangely, Hops is related to Marijuana but don’t go smoking it! It won’t work that way. 2 teaspoons of dried Hops per cup of boiling water and steeped for 5 minutes makes a warm and slightly bitter tasting tea. The Hops vine is a hardy perennial and vigorous grower, up to 25 feet high, with hairy, slightly prickly twinning stems. Harvest female flowers when they turn an amber color and are covered by a yellow dust. As soon as harvested, dry them in an oven no more than 150 degrees F until thoroughly dried, 15-30 minutes.
Passionflower ( Passiflora Incarnata)- This is a tropical vine growing to 30 feet high if given adequate support. The beautiful flowers are white with purple and nicely fragrant. It produces edible fruits egg-sized, yellow to orange in color and sweet tasting. The perennial roots can survive winters that don’t go down below 15 degrees F. If planted in a big pot, cut back and allowed to winter over inside, it can be brought out in spring to grow the leave which make a tranquilizing tea. Harvest the 4-6 inch long leaves when in bloom. Use 1 teaspoon of dried leaves per cup of boiling water, steeped 10-15 minutes.
Yarrow ( Achillea Millefolium)- This perennial herb gets its name from the legendary soldier Achilles and the “thousand leaves” that make up the fern-like foliage. Achilles used Yarrow to heal his fellow soldiers’ wounds as it was quite effective in stopping bleeding. It’s not certain he used it as a tea but he should have to help his pals rest more comfortably. Leaves, stems and flowers can all be used . 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water steeped for 10-15 minutes makes a tangy, slightly bitter and astringent-type infusion.
Drinking one cup of any of these teas or infusions 15-30 minutes prior to bedtime should calm you into a restful sleep and the best part is you won’t have the nasty, groggy feeling you may get from over-the-counter drugs. But honestly, wouldn’t you much rather have a nice tea instead of popping a pill? I thought so. Sweet dreams.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 Visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more fascinating gardening lessons, amusing short stories and intriguing novel excerpts.
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