How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
If you are one of the many people suffering from occasional sleep problems, you are not alone:
58% of adults experience minor sleep problems one night each week.*
Sleep problems affect more than 25% of the United States population annually.**
Sleep problems affect more women than men (40% vs. 30%).*
Older adults tend to suffer from chronic (constant) sleep problems.*
Younger adults tend to suffer from transient (short term) and intermittent (on and off) sleep problems.*
To get the rejuvenation your body needs, deep and relaxing Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is critical. It is during REM sleep that dreaming occurs. A wealth of research has shown that dreams are essential for us to process the daily events of our lives.
Luckily, there are a medicine chest of herbs that can help people with a variety of sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night, inability to fall back to sleep, waking up too early in the morning and not getting REM sleep.
Here is a list of the herbs that makes wonderful remedies for troubled sleep:
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica, fresh whole herb in flower) is specific for those who awaken during the night or too early in the morning.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis, fresh root) reduces sleep latency, which means it reduces the time it takes to fall asleep.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata, fresh flowering herb tip) is especially helpful for those with active minds that won’t quiet down at night.
Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita, fresh flower) is a useful herb for mild to moderate uneasy sleep.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, fresh whole herb) produces a sedative action that calms and normalizes respiration, cardiac rhythm and blood pressure.
Oat (Avena sativa, fresh seed in the milky stage) is an excellent nervous system tonic.
Orange (Citrus sinensis, dried whole peel) is considered a mild sedative in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Even more good news is that these herbs aren’t habit forming and don’t have any side effects. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and alert, not lethargic, groggy or tired. Start getting a great night’s sleep tonight. Sweet dreams!
*National Sleep Foundation, 2002-2003. **National Institute of Health, 2004.
Daniel Gagnon, owner of Herbs, Etc., has been a practicing Medical Herbalist since 1976. He furthered his studies in herbalism, pharmacognosy, and related subjects at the Santa Fe College of Natural Medicine and the College of Pharmacy at the University of New Mexico. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Herbal Medicine and his Master’s Degree at the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine. You can find Herbs, Etc.’s Deep Sleep supplement containing all the above mentioned sleep-supporting herbs at Marlene’s.






