Sleep: valerian, kava, chamomile, skullcap, Mimosa.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Sleeping potion?
From: greeff.alf.zfn.uni-bremen.de (Oliver Greeff)
Date: 16 May 1995 12:56:24 GMT

For the last year I had quite a hard time emotionally, since some major changes happened to me and my life. The actual important thought sometimes even kept me from sleeping, although I was tired enough. It really isn't nice to lie around at night, your mind reeling with problems and a desire for nothing but sleep. I happened to meet people who gave me advice on herbs which might improve the quality of my sleep, and recently I have tried a tincture of valerian before I go to bed. It seems to work for the first half of the night, but after that it was the same story. Does any of you, dear readers/writers in this newsgroup have a herbal recipe for a sleeping potion that really makes you tired, so tired that you cannot do anything but sleep? If so, I'd really be grateful if you let me know.

Fini and thanx so much! Regards, Oliver

From: pixel.metronet.com (Steve Standeford)

>> The actual important thought sometimes even kept me from sleeping, although I was tired enough.

I have had success with kava kava it seems to relax me in a different way than Valerian, the Valerian seemed to make me a bit more uncomfortable at bedtime.

ss

From: jakiel.crl.com (Jennifer B. Jakiel)

>> The actual important thought sometimes even kept me from sleeping, although I was tired enough.

The best blend I've heard to date is a tea made from chamomile, spearmint, catnip, and skullcap. Brew, sweeten (with honey, sugar makes herbals taste weird), and drink.

-j

From: oatstraw.twain.oit.umass.edu (ROBIN F HOWARD)

A really effective (for me) combo is: tinctures of valerian, skullcap, and chamomile with a drop or two of chamomile flower essence. And a hot bath. And a cup of oatstraw tea. And a back rub.....

Any or all, YMMV.

Robin
a.k.a. "oatstraw"

From: Cathy <Cathy.tcd.net>

The replies on the newsgroup to your request for information are good ones. I use chamomile whenever I can't sleep. A cup of chamomile tea and a book usually has me sleeping within 20 minutes. Often I will take a chamomile bath if I am feeling physically strained (to much effort and time hand weeding my herb garden) and/or mentally stressed. The steam is soothing and the chamomile is relaxing.

Since chamomile has a nice gentle flavor I don't mix it with anything else. Sometimes I will add a touch of honey, about 1/4 teaspoon; sometimes not.

Of course I grow my own chamomile. I am finding out that it is really prolific. I have been pulling chamomile plants out of my flowerbeds! They didn't stay in that nice raised bed I prepared for them last spring. But I bet that dried chamomile purchased at your local health food store will work just as well as my home grown stuff.

Have you tried meditation to calm your inner self? Works well for me. I start by concentrating on relaxing my body and find that my mind will relax as well.

:-)
Cathy

From: p_iannone.pop.com (Paul Iannone)

Steve Standeford <pixel.metronet.com> wrote:
: I have had success with kava kava it seems to relax me in a different way than Valerian, the Valerian seemed to make me a bit more uncomfortable at bedtime.

One is Cool (Kava), the other Warm or Hot. Mimosa flowers, Ardisia, are used in East-Asian traditional healing for grief, and are a useful sedative tea when the difficulties involve loss.

--Paul || p_iannone.pop.com