Top Herbs for Improving Sleep
by Dr. Allison Middleman
Sleep is a hot topic these days and sleep disturbances are a common reason people seek medical care. Getting improved sleep (more hours, and deeper sleep) is essential for healing, hormonal health, and overall wellness. And, the good news is that naturopathic medicine has a wide variety of options for treating and improving sleep!
Herbs are my favorite resource to help people fall asleep and stay asleep. Why do I reach for the below herbs specifically?
Safe: These herbs don’t interact with medications
Non-habit-forming: You can use these herbs for as long as you need, and it’s safe to use them intermittently or daily. Unlike some medications, they don’t cause reliance
Less chance of grogginess: If you’ve experimented with sleep aids, you may have found that several of them cause a sleep hangover that carries into the next day.
Easy to dose: These herbs are a liquid extract. If you wake up during the night, you can take a dose easily, without needing a glass of water to swallow a capsule.
Welcome to Dr Middleman’s herb nerd corner!
You may not know that I attended two separate herbal medicine schools prior to my medical school education. My love for working with plant medicine is what led me to become a naturopathic doctor! Below are some of my favorite herbs to help with sleep. And, if you’re interested in trying them I formulated them into a blended tincture called Dr. M’s Sleep Blend that we carry in the office!
Skullcap: A mild sedative & nervous system relaxant
Hops: Yes, the same hops that are used to make beer can help you fall asleep!
California poppy: Any part of this plant, from root to flower, can be used for medicine. Add some fresh flowers from your garden to your salad!
Lemon balm: Fresh lemon balm leaves are calming and help reduce anxiety
Passionflower: These fantastical flowers ease anxiety, calm the nervous system, and are mildly sedating.
Milky oats: Oats, when harvested before they form their seed, are a nervous system tonic
Which sleep herbs do I NOT routinely recommend?
Valerian. Some people find that it actually keeps them MORE awake - plus, it tastes like sweaty socks.
Interested in sleeping better?
Stop by the office to pick up your own Dr. M’s Sleep Blend and/or set up a visit with myself or one of the other physicians in the clinic to discuss how you can better support your sleep!
See you in clinic,
Dr. Allison Middleman