Seeking Joyful Simplicity

Your best life after 40 - living with purpose and vibrant health. Empowering you with a holistic approach: nourishing foods, herbal remedies, and self-care to reduce overwhelm, manage your weight, and enjoy vibrant health in your 40's, 50's, and beyond.

how to sleep better

5 Herbs for Better Sleep

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Do you have trouble sleeping? I experienced chronic insomnia for years and it was devastating. Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep has long term affects on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. Using simple, gentle herbs for better sleep can offer profound relief. These herbs changed my life, and I believe they can help you too.

Do you have trouble sleeping? I experienced chronic insomnia for years and it was devastating. Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep has long term affects on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. Using simple, gentle herbs for better sleep can offer profound relief. These herbs changed my life, and I believe they can help you too.

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The Devastating Affects of Insomnia

I experienced chronic insomnia for years, and it was devastating.

Some nights I would lie awake in bed for hours, tossing and turning until morning. Every morning I stumbled from bed feeling completely wasted.

I became this tired, angry person, and had difficulty functioning at work, struggled with my relationships, my parenting, and to simply make it through my days.

Caffeine, food, and sugar propped me up, which of course made everything worse.

Does this happen to you? Is it a frequent part of your life?

I want you to know, you are not alone. 

I tried everything to get more sleep, and followed all the standard advice, including many good things like exercise, diet, and meditation. And I tried some not-so-great things like medications (the side-effects were worse than the insomnia), and alcohol, which made everything worse.

I have been free of my insomnia for three years now, and I feel like a new person. I want to share some of what I have learned from my research, personal experiences, and the wisdom of my mentors. And I want to guide you to finding the right herbs to help you sleep.

If you want a convenient way to use herbs for better sleep, consider making your own herbal sleep tincture. It’s really quite simple and a very effective way to use herbs for sleep!

Finding Your Herbs

Not all herbs work the same for every person. Plants are like people – they each have their unique characteristics, and like people, we don’t always “get along” with everyone we meet. I encourage you to try different herbs, or combinations of herbs.

There are many herbs to choose from to improve our sleep. Some act as mild relaxants helping us to let go of our thoughts and worries, others are more sedative and foster restful sleep.

 

Five Herbs for Better Sleep

These are the herbs I am most familiar with, either using them myself, for my family, or shared experiences from my herbal teachers and friends. Many of these herbs can be found in tinctures, pill form, or sold as restful tea blends. Often the herbs are combined with each other, providing greater benefit.

1. Chamomile – Matricaria recutita

Do you have trouble sleeping? I experienced chronic insomnia for years, and it was devastating. I became this tired, angry person, and had difficulty functioning at work, struggled with my relationships, and used food and caffeine to keep myself going. I finally found lasting relief with herbs. There are many herbs to choose from to improve our sleep. Some act as mild relaxants helping us to let go of our thoughts and worries, others are more sedative and foster restful sleep.

 

Chamomile is a familiar herb, and is often included in tea blends. Chamomile acts as a mild relaxant for the nervous system and for muscles. Chamomile is so mild, it’s suggested for toddlers and children.

My Experience

My youngest daughter often drinks a simple tea with chamomile, lavender, and honey. This combination is especially useful for those times when she is overly tired and having a hard time settling down for sleep.

Chamomile is enjoyable as a simple tea, combined with other herbs in a tincture or capsule, and can even be added to a bath for its soothing effects.

 

Do you have trouble sleeping? I experienced chronic insomnia for years, and it was devastating. I became this tired, angry person, and had difficulty functioning at work, struggled with my relationships, and used food and caffeine to keep myself going. I finally found lasting relief with herbs. There are many herbs to choose from to improve our sleep. Some act as mild relaxants helping us to let go of our thoughts and worries, others are more sedative and foster restful sleep.
Milky Oat Tops

 

2. Milky Oats – Avena sativa

The more we know about the chemistry of plants, the more we begin to understand their complexity and pharmacological usefulness for a variety of discomforts. As I described in Stress and Adrenal Fatigue:

Milky oats act on the nervous system by gently calming the mind and strengthening the adrenal systems. Experienced herbalists recommend milky oats for people with nervous exhaustion – feeling exhausted but unable to relax due to the nagging sense they should be getting things done. For people who have difficulty focusing, and feel overwhelmed and unable to complete simple tasks.

There are many potential causes for poor sleep. If you suffer from nervous exhaustion and find yourself unable to shut down your brain to allow for a restful night’s sleep, or you find yourself chronically nervous and exhausted, milky oats might be the herb for you.

Milky oats is useful as a simple infusion with the dried tops, or in drop doses with a tincture. The advantage of tinctures is they are a more concentrated medicine as the constituents are extracted from the plant into the alcohol, and the alcohol helps carry the medicine directly into the blood stream.

My Experience

I started with milky oats in a tincture, taking 1 teaspoon three to four times daily for several months for stress and anxiety. The effects were subtle – I felt as though the volume was turned down on my anxiety, and I was more relaxed at bed-time.

Eventually I switched to a daily infusion with several tablespoons of dried oat tops added to a quart of water steeped for several hours and consumed during the day. I feel as though the use of the milky oats is cumulative over time – the longer you use it, the better your results.

Dosing

Each herbalist approaches dosing a bit differently. Honestly, it depends on your particular constitution. Just as some people can tolerate a lot of spicy foods without ill-effect, while others suffer heartburn and discomfort at the slightest bit of spice, herbs work differently depending on our sensitivity to them.

Milky oats are mild and safe for everyone, offer many nourishing benefits, and are safe to use long-term. Experienced herbalist David Hoffman suggests an adult dosage for tincture is 3-5 mL (3-5 mL is equal to approximately 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) three times a day. Dosing for an infusion is typically 1-4 cups of  infusion per day (Hoffman, Medical Herbalism, 2003.)

Milky oats is safe for children and adults, short-term and long-term use.

 

 

3. Skullcap – Scutellaria species

Despite its ominous name, skullcap is a soothing and relaxing herb commonly used to relieve nervous tension, pain, especially from tension headaches, and is often used in combinations with other herbs to improve sleep. Both of my local herb mentors enjoy significant success with skullcap for treating a variety of nervous disorders for their clients and students.

Skullcap is especially beneficial for people with a busy mind and tense muscles. It is often combined with sedative herbs to promote restful sleep. Herbalist Susan  Weed recommends keeping a tincture of skullcap close to the bed at night to take when you find yourself awake and your thoughts keeping you from falling asleep again:

As little as ten drops in a cup of warm milk (or hot chocolate) is quite effective. Light a candle, cuddle up in bed, drink your skullcap nightcap, and get ready for pleasant dreams.

People addicted to sleeping pills (and other addictive substances) find skullcap tincture an ally when they are ready to get off drugs. Make sure there’s a glass of water with another dose of skullcap already in it next to your bed, in case you need it. Then blow out the candle, say your prayers, and good night.

My Experience

As much as I want to enjoy skullcap, it never produces any effect for me. As I mentioned, not every herb works for every person.

So why am I recommending it? For three reasons:

  1. I know many people who benefit from skullcap
  2. it has a great reputation among respected herbalists
  3. skullcap has a long documented history of use

Dosing

With skullcap tincture, regular tonic doses somewhere between ½-2 dropperfuls, 2-5 times daily. If you find yourself waking at night, use anywhere from a ½ dropper to a teaspoon. Experiment.

Contraindications

Respected herbalist Rosalee reports:

Skullcap side effects are rare and it is considered a safe herb that can be used by most people.

A few decades ago skullcap was wrongly accused of causing liver damage. We now attribute these claims to adulterated herbs. As always, it’s important to buy your herbs from reputable sources.

~ Rosalee de la Foret

Do you have trouble sleeping? I experienced chronic insomnia for years and it was devastating. Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep has long term affects on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. Using simple, gentle herbs for better sleep can offer profound relief. These herbs changed my life, and I believe they can help you too.

 

 4. Passionflower – Passiflora incarnata

Passion flower is an exotic appearing flower, native to the southern United States to Guatemala. The bumblebees absolutely adore it! It is a strong perennial climbing vine and the vines, leaves, and flowers are used in medicine-making.

Scientists believe passion flower’s calming effects are due to specific flavonoids and their ability to increase production of the amino acid gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter and produces a sense of relaxation. In addition, experiments show passionflower has direct effects on the area of the brain that coordinates sleep.

My Experience

I enjoy passionflower after a particularly stimulating and hectic day. Passionflower is a gentle sedative and common ingredient in many sleep blends. Although calming and quieting to the mind, it does not make you sleepy and is useful during the day when we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Herbalist Matthew Wood, in his book the Earthwise Herbal, says this about passionflower:

Passionflower is one of the most important remedies for insomnia from over-stimulation of the mind, excessive thinking, and chatter in the brain.

Does this sound like you? Perhaps passionflower is your herb.

Passionflower is beneficial as a simple infusion using dried leaves and flowers, a tincture in moderate to large doses, or as a capsule (often in combination with other relaxing nervines.)

5. Valerian – Valeriana officinalis

Valerian has a long history of use for treating “nervous conditions”. Valerian is a relaxing nervine, sedative, and anti-spasmodic and has chemical constituents that relieve muscle tension as well as pain.

My Experience

Valerian is my favorite herb when I have difficulty falling asleep. Even on the nights when I take my valerian and still don’t sleep well (my six-year old is quite restless!), I enjoy a pleasant sense of well-being the next morning.

As I mentioned before, not every plant is right for every person, and valerian is definitely an herb you either love or hate. For most, valerian is a relaxing sedative, and works on both the nervous system and relaxes the muscles. But for some people, valerian produces the opposite effect and can increase alertness and agitation.

Dosing

Because valerian has sedative effects, it is best taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed-time, and valerian makes an excellent addition to your sleep routine.

Dosing varies, depending on your response. I suggest starting with the smallest dose, and experimenting. Valerian has a strong and distinctive odor, and is difficult to take as a tea or infusion. We use capsules of the dried root, either as a single ingredient, or combined with other herbs.

 Summary

Sleep is as essential to good health as diet, exercise, clean air and water. Humans cannot live without sleep, and even small disturbances can create havoc on our physical and emotional health.

Herbs are a wonderful way to improve our sleep – they are gentle, non-addictive, work with our bodies, and offer many benefits as well as a good night’s sleep.

But simply taking herbs to help us sleep is not enough – we need to explore the causes for our sleep problems. Do we have an underlying imbalance or disease process that needs addressing? Perhaps we need to examine our lifestyle and situations that are interfering with our ability to experience deep, restful sleep?

The herbs are one tool to aid us as we work on our health and our lives, and even small improvements in sleep can help us find the clarity and perseverance we need to make changes.

~ Michelle

 

If you enjoy learning about herbal medicine, the Herbal Academy offers in-depth courses for all levels.

Herbalist Courses for all levels

How to Sleep Better – Simple Strategies for Better Sleep

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Do you have trouble sleeping? Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep can have devastating consequences on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. I know, because I suffered for years. But I recovered and now enjoy peaceful, restful sleep. Let me share how to sleep better and the simple strategies for better sleep that can help you sleep so you can enjoy life again.

 

Do you have trouble sleeping? Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep can have devastating consequences on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. I know, because I suffered for years. But I recovered and now enjoy peaceful, restful sleep. Let me share how to sleep better and the simple strategies for better sleep that can help you sleep so you can enjoy life again.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Seeking Joyful Simplicity ~ Michelle

 

There are simple but often overlooked steps you can take for improving your sleep. But sometimes these changes are not enough. Herbal remedies are a wonderfully natural way to create restful sleep. Visit my post: Five Herbs for Better Sleep for more information on useful herbs for supporting your health and addressing some of the common causes for insomnia. And read here to learn how to make your own herbal sleep tincture – tinctures are easy to make and effective.

Exhausted

So exhausted I am near tears, I roll over in the bed, smashing my fist into the pillow. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to find a comfortable position and more importantly, I can’t seem to quiet my mind. I have to get up in a few more hours, get the kids ready for their day, and I have a class to teach at work. But I can’t sleep.

This scenario continually repeats itself until I feel myself moving through my days in a brain-fog; weary, overly sensitive, and quick to anger. I feel ashamed at the way I speak to my children and spouse, and I find myself forgetful and making unnecessary mistakes at work. I have no motivation and zero self-discipline, and daily I prop myself up with caffeine and comfort foods. I’m gaining weight, my hair is falling out, and I wonder how I will drag myself through another day.

Causes of Poor Sleep

If this sounds familiar, please know that you are not alone.

I never realized just how common, and how serious sleeping problems were until two things happened. One, I started having significant sleep problems that went on for years, and two, I started health coaching and learned through my conversations with hundreds of people that many of them were suffering significant health and personal problems because of chronic sleep difficulties.

Perimenopause and Menopause

One of the things I learned is that insomnia is much more common in women and is often related to hormones, especially declining levels of estrogen and progesterone that begin in perimenopause and continue through menopause.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can wreak havoc on our bodies, including alterations in cortisol. Stress and hormone levels are linked, and this combination can create the perfect storm for significant insomnia.

There are simple things we can do to help reset our body’s biorhythms, and there is research to support these strategies.

Simple Strategies for Better Sleep

How to sleep better – These simple strategies address three areas – your environment, your routines, and your lifestyle. Small changes in each area can get you sleeping better. Some changes will improve your sleep right away, others will take a little time.

Step One – Change the Environment

Plan to reduce your exposure to bright lights 1-2 hours before bedtime. Yes, I know that means reducing your screen time – television, computer, phone, but all this artificial light affects our production of melatonin, which our body needs to achieve a long restful sleep.

Reduce the amount of light in the bedroom from sources like outside street lights (use dark curtains to block), clock radios (turn away from the bed to cut glare), computer and other electronic lights (turn off or cover the lights).

Try “pink noise” to reduce outside sounds from disturbing your sleep. You have probably heard of white noise before, which is similar to what scientists describe as pink noise, but pink noise is a consistent frequency (think rain falling on pavement). Research has shown pink noise synchronizes brain waves for a deeper, more restful sleep. If you don’t have a noise machine, a fan works too.

And please, keep the cell phone alerts turned off or in another room to avoid distractions of incoming messages during the night.

Step Two – Change Your Routine

  • Caffeine –One place to start (that we often forget) is avoiding caffeine later in the day. “Later in the day” will mean something different to each of us, depending on our schedules and our ability to metabolize caffeine. Find a cut-off time that works for you. Reducing overall caffeine intake, while uncomfortable at first, is crucial for enjoying better sleep (which means you will need less caffeine anyway right?!).
  • Evening Meal– Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime. “Heavy meals” are ones with a lot of fat, or too large portions. (You know what I’m talking about.) Keep evening meals balanced and light. At the same time, don’t skip dinner. Going to bed on an empty stomach can lead to low blood sugar levels during the night, interfering with restful sleep. Susannah at Healthy Green Savvy has a great article on foods that can help you sleep.
  • Consistent sleep and wake times– I know you have heard it before, but consistency in bed times and waking times helps your body’s biological rhythms. These biological rhythms regulate the ebb and flow of chemicals that cause alertness and sleepiness. Don’t underestimate how important consistency is.
  • Bedtime Routine– Having a sleep routine can help you “switch on” the chemicals that promote sleep. Try to establish a bedtime routine you can do consistently each night, even if it is a short 15 minutes before bed.

One pleasant way to incorporate a relaxing routine, while reducing light exposure, is to give yourself 10 minutes with candlelight. Just before bed, light a candle (lavender-scented would be great!), turn off all the lights, and lie on your bed in a comfortable position.

Spend 5 to 10 minutes on a relaxing visualization, or simply focusing on your breath.

For a simple visualization exercise, imagine all the stress, anger, and worry of the day leaving your body in a gray cloud of energy. Move from head to toe imagining all the pent-up negativity leaving you.

Do you have trouble sleeping? Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep can have devastating consequences on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. I know, because I suffered for years. But I recovered and now enjoy peaceful, restful sleep. Let me share how to sleep better and the simple strategies for better sleep that can help you sleep so you can enjoy life again.

Then imagine a calming, peaceful light filling your body, from head to toe. Breathe deeply and feel yourself relax. Imagine yourself extinguishing the candle and falling into a deep, restful sleep. When you are ready, extinguish the candle and fall into that deep, restful sleep!

For a simple focus on breath, smile (research shows the simple act of smiling increases endorphins), inhale to a slow count of four, then exhale to a slow count of four. Repeat three times (and keep smiling!)

Step Three – Lifestyle

  • Exercise– Consistent exercise, or at least some form of physical activity daily can promote restful sleep. As humans our bodies were meant to move, and we often forget this simple truth. Walking, yoga, gardening, and biking are all great ways to move the large muscle groups of the body. This helps stimulate the flow of our lymph system, promotes the production of endorphins, reduces our stress, and improves our overall self-confidence.
  • Time in Nature– Time outside is another lifestyle change that can make a tremendous impact on our health, and specifically help us to sleep better. Exposure to sunlight daily helps regulate our circadian rhythms, which often become out of tune with too much time spent indoors and under artificial lighting. Spending time in nature is another way to slow down, enjoy mindfulness, and relieve stress. All of which can improve our sleep.

Do you have trouble sleeping? Tossing and turning all night, rising each morning exhausted and irritable, sleep problems can make us a little crazy. Lack of sleep can have devastating consequences on our health, our relationships, and the quality of our lives. I know, because I suffered for years. But I recovered and now enjoy peaceful, restful sleep. Let me share how to sleep better and the simple strategies for better sleep that can help you sleep so you can enjoy life again.

 

Summary

There are so many things that can negatively impact the quality of our sleep, including lifestyle, stress levels, and hormones. Not everyone shares the same causes, or experiences the same type of insomnia. Knowing that, we need to understand there is no single solution.

I no longer punch my pillow in frustration as I struggle to sleep at night. My health, sanity, and life have improved with my sleep, and I try to stay on track with the strategies for better sleep.

In the next post, we will go a little deeper and talk about the common herbal remedies for supporting good sleep, and how each of them works. Using herbal remedies changed my life in so many ways, and I believe if used wisely, herbs can change yours too. Visit my post: Five Herbs for Better Sleep for more information.

Wishing you peace and restfulness,
Michelle

Do you experience difficulty sleeping?
Take action now – what changes can you make to enjoy better sleep?