Herbs: 5 Amazing Ones That Can Help You Sleep Better

Looking for herbs to help you sleep better? This article features 5 herbs that you can make use of.

Getting a night of good sleep can instantly make your day better and brighter. It gives you the rest that you need, replenishes the energy, and ensures you can carry out everyday tasks with ease. Sleep can also impact your physical and emotional well-being, and it is crucial to get a sound sleep of 7-8 hours each night.

Are you finding it hard to get sufficient sleep? While there are many ways to help you with insomnia, nothing beats organic herbs. Here are a few useful herbs that can help you drift off to the land of dreams each night.

Which herbs can induce better sleep?

1.   Valerian

Valerian is a flowering plant originating from the European and Asian countries. It bears pink or white flowers which have a distinct smell to them. People have been using the roots of the valerian plant for centuries to relieve anxiety and get better sleep at night.

How it helps: Apart from being a relaxing agent, valerian also works as a sedative for your brain as it increases the level of GABA or Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. It reduces the time your body takes to fall asleep, helping you get more time to sleep each night. If you keep tossing and turning in your bed due to restlessness, valerian can also help you drift off to sleep by alleviating the anxiety.

How to use it: Valerian is available in the form of dietary supplement powder and tablets, and you can consume 300-600mg two hours before sleeping.

2.   Cannabis

Cannabis or marijuana is a medicinal plant that people use for both recreational and therapeutic reasons. The plant has three different subspecies, Indica, Sativa, and Ruderalis. Cannabis contains over 600 different chemicals, among which CBD and THC are predominant.

While THC makes the plant psychoactive, meaning that it can induce a euphoric high, it is the presence of compound CBD that helps combat many physical and mental ailments.Similarly, research conducted at the University of New Mexico shows that cannabis can significantly improve insomnia.

How it helps: THC and CBD are the cannabinoids or chemicals present in the plant. Upon consuming cannabis, these cannabinoids enter the body, and they can interact with the endocannabinoid system and receptors that are in your body. It can reduce pain, anxiety, and stress, which are the major culprits behind insomnia.

How to use it: People have been smoking cannabis for centuries for its medicinal benefits. It is an instant way of ingesting cannabinoids and falling asleep. If smoking is not the thing for you, vaping cannabis can also be effective. You can use cannabis-infused edibles or topicals to improve the quality of sleep. You can get quality cannabis from top  Weed Dispensary and stors near you and drift to the land of dreams.

3.   Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an ayurvedic herb that comes from the roots of a plant called Withania Somnifera. The plant, used primarily in India in traditional medicine, boasts of many health benefits. Although people conventionally use the herb for keeping their skin healthy, it is also emerging as an effective treatment for sleep disorders.

How it helps: Ashwagandha has a high level of a compound called Triethylene glycol. The chemical promotes sleep induction and also improves the quality of sleep. It can even take care of restlessness or paranoia and let you enjoy a peaceful night of sleep.

How to use it: You can consume 300-500mg of the herb every day, which is available in the form of liquid extract, powder, and capsule. Drinking it with milk at night can help you sleep quickly.

4.   Lime flower

Lime flower, also known as Linden Blossom Flower, is a flower with a delicate, sweet scent. The flowers have been a part of European traditional medicine for centuries, owing to their ability to heal a cold, cough, and even flu.  Also called as the ‘Nectar of Kings,’ lime flower is a relaxant, sedative, and antidepressant. Similarly, the flowers can even help you enjoy 7-8 hours of blissful sleep.

How it helps: Since the lime flowers are nervine, it can impact your mental health, improve your mood and sleep. The linden flowers also contain an ingredient called Farsenol, which is a sedative and can help improve your sleep schedule. Besides that, it impacts the cardiovascular system to reduce stress and calm your mind.

How to use it: You can either consume the herb mixture directly or brew a lime flower tea. All you need to do is boil 1-3 teaspoons of the herb in hot boiling water for 5-10 minutes, and your lime flower tea is ready.

5.   Lavender

We are all familiar with the soothing, rich, floral scent of lavender. But did you know that it can provide you ample health benefits? The perennial and evergreen lavender plants are known for their therapeutic effects. Such is the relaxation provided by lavender that the aromatherapy professionals also rely on it.

How it helps: A study by Kate Louise Fismer in 2012 shows evidence that lavender can benefit people who have trouble sleeping. The soothing aroma of the plant helps to calm the mind. It can reduce stress or anxiety, which are responsible for insomnia. By relieving you of the stress, lavender can help induce sleep and improve the quality of sleep you get.

How to use it: You can consume edible lavender oil orally, with a dose of 80-160mg. Or, you can put the lavender oil on your pillow and a Pillow Protector before you sleep. Taking a shower with lavender oil before going to bed can also prove beneficial.

Final Thoughts

We live in an era of fast-paced life, where the never-ending deadlines and mounting social pressure often leaves us short on time.

The easiest way for us is to cut-short the sleep time. When done for a long time, it can lead to severe sleep disorders. With medical advancements, there are plenty of ways to help you sleep better.

If you have tried and tested artificial medications and still don’t get sufficient sleep, it is time to move over them. You can try the herbs mentioned above to improve your sleep cycle, quality, and quantity of sleep in a natural way.

Watch this space for updates in the Hacks category on Running Wolf’s Rant.

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