Sleeping Herbs
 
Lavender: A favorite sleeping herb is lavender. A few drops of lavender
oil on an eye pillow, or mixed with water and sprayed on the sheets, or
in a dream pillow works wonders.

Lavender bath products are also good for a relaxing soak in the tub.
Softsoap puts out a purple Lavender and Chamomile body wash that you can
pick up in grocery stores for around $4.

Chamomile: Chamomile tea is another good way to relax and unwind. It
also works in a dream pillow. The Amish believe that a cup of chamomile
tea and a lettuce sandwich before bed will put one right to sleep.

Hot cocoa/milk: A tried and true sleep inducer my granny used.

Celery: Add celery seeds to a dream pillow.

Dandelion: Dandelion tea is another cure for sleeplessness, but should
be used with care given its diuretic properties.

Vervain: Vervain tincture is used to cure insomnia.

Anise: Anise is a sedative. Try a little aniseed tea.

Hawthorne: Also a sedative, but tricky to use and dangerous for people
with heart problems.

Clove: Drink a cup of clove tea before bed.

Valerian: Valerian tea is another sleep-inducer, if you can stand the
smell. I'd never put it in a dream pillow for that very reason.

Catnip: Catnip tea is used for nervousness and insomnia (in addition to
driving felines wild).

Salad: Mandarin oranges, lettuce, and cucumbers are all said to have
sleep-inducing properties, so try them a dinner salad. But tradition
says to avoid vinegar in the dressing.

Dill: Dill tea has been recommended to me, but I can't imagine drinking it.

Elderflower: Makes good tea as well as wine or mead.

Limeflower: Make it into a relaxing tea.

Rose: Rose essential oil is very relaxing.

Woodruff: Woodruff tea calms hysteria and cures insomnia and migraines.

Passionflower: Passionflower tea induces sleep.

Peppermint: Peppermint tea is relaxing and soothing. It also works
wonders for digestive upsets.

Juniper: Relaxing as an essential oil used on a dream pillow.

Sandalwood: Use sandalwood essential oil in a dream pillow or eye pillow.

Neroli: Inhale neroli essential oil.

Marjoram: Inhale marjoram essential oil or use the herb in a dream pillow.

Native American lore calls for teas made of lady's slipper, yarrow,
mullein, hops, poppy seeds, and/or purslane. Jimsonweed poultices, sage
incense, and a raw onion before bed were also seen as sleep aids.

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Sleep Tea 1:
2 tsp dried lemon balm
1 tsp dried chamomile
4 tsp dried lemon grass
1 tsp dried spearmint
1 tsp grated orange peel
Use about 1 tsp of the mixture for each cup of tea.

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Sleep Tea 2:
1 tsp limeflower
1 tsp elderflower
Dash of grated nutmeg
Honey to taste

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Sleep Potpourri 1:
2 cups each dried hop flowers, dried rose petals
1 cup dried chamomile flowers
1/2 cup each dried jasmine, orange blossom, lavender
2 tsp ground orris root
1 tsp frankincense powder
5-6 drops of neroli or melissa essential oil

Mix ingredients, adding oil last. Seal in airtight container and leave
in a warm, dry place for 10 days, shaking daily. Place in a dream pillow.

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Sleep Potpourri 2:
1/2 cup each chamomile flowers, rosemary leaves, pine needles
1 cup lavender flowers
2 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves
1 tablespoon pinhead orris root
1 tsp lavender essential oil

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Sleep Potpourri 3:
1/2 cup each mugwort leaves, lavender flowers, spearmint/peppermint leaves
2 tablespoons each thyme leaves, rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon pinhead orris root