When I was younger, and therefore foolish, I never understood insomnia.
Insomniacs are really tired, so don’t they eventually just fall asleep? It wasn’t until my beloved grandfather died
that I experienced my first true fight for sleep. My grandfather was
eighty-five and not immortal. I knew
he wasn’t going to live forever. In fact, towards the end, he was so very sick
and so terribly miserable, I knew death and the beautiful afterlife that
awaited such a kind, gentle soul was far more beneficial to him than living a
painful, cruel existence just for the sake of checking off another excruciating
day on this planet.
But I so naively underestimated the sorrow I would experience.
I thought I was ready. After all, I was nearing my third decade on this
wondrous planet. I’d experienced death of loved ones before. But my grandfather
was unlike anyone I’d ever known, and when he died, it broke my heart. I mean, Broke. My. Heart. Despite my struggles to return to normalcy after a mere week
(I mean, that’s enough mourning time for someone you knew was dying, right?!
Poor, ignorant Michaela), I spent the next year
grappling with my emotions. After a few weeks the numbing misery wore off, but
I found myself unable to be passionate about much of anything, including my
biggest passion—writing. It took me a solid year—a year—before I could return to writing. Instead of allowing myself
to grieve, I fought the emotional transition tooth and nail. In hindsight, I
think my healing would have been quicker if I just allowed myself to grieve
unencumbered. But I spent so much time refusing to accept that such an extreme
loss required deep healing that I instead threw my whole system into shock.
Annnnd that’s how I found myself praying for the alluring pull of
slumber that frustratingly eluded me no matter how hard I tried to sleep.
I’m firmly anti-chemicals. Well, let me rephrase that. I’m 99% firmly
anti-chemicals. Antibiotics are a modern miracle. I’d be dead from strep throat
by age 8 were they not discovered. My husband would have died from appendicitis
if it weren’t for anesthesia and surgery. I’m not totally against modern
medicine; I just believe it is all too commonly used when there are natural and
(generally) safer alternatives in nature. But when I was on day number four of
no sleep, I mean NONE, I was thisflippingclose to buying a bottle of anything
that promised to knock my ass out and tossing back a handful. Fortunately, I
had a friend talk some sense into my too-tired-to-function brain and
recommended an herbal product that had me counting sheep in no time.
I now use a singular herb, which I’ll get to in a moment, but that day
I used:
Deep Sleep by Herbs Etc
I like this company not only because their products are all natural,
but they come in liquid-gels, which I think helps the body absorb them quicker
and easier. This is a blend of several different herbs, all of which I’ve found
to be gentle but effective. The only reason I don’t use this product as my main
go-to is because it contains lemon balm (which is the balm….get it?!?!). While
wonderfully sedative, lemon balm can lower thyroid function and is therefore
not recommended for long-term use in people who have hypothyroidisim. It is
fine for periodic use; you just don’t want to use it daily. I took Deep Sleep
for three days and found myself back in a normal sleep pattern by night four. Another awesome
thing about this company is they sell small-quantity cards, so you can try
something without having to purchase a whole bottle. While you probably can’t
find the small-dose packages online, I see them all the time in health food
stores.
Now, my FAVORITE sleeping herb is:
Valerian Root**
Two capsules and I no longer care about anything in the world! I HIGHLY
recommend you get an organic capsule if you’re buying it pre-packaged, because
the non-organic capsules can sometimes contain bulking agents, which companies
don’t always disclose. I was using the non-organic version and felt very
hungover the next day, even after only one use. I also found my sleep to be
deep but very short, usually only 3-4 hours. This has not happened with the organic.
Learn from my mistake and spend
the extra couple of dollars for the organic. I take this brand and I’ve
never slept better (2 capsules, 1030 mg/cap). I sleep deeply and soundly and
sometimes even sleep COMPLETELY through the night, which I haven’t done in…well,
I don’t think I’ve ever done that. No hangover. No grogginess. Just restful
sleep. I usually take this for just a couple nights before getting off to allow
my body to re-situate.
Don’t let this scare you but…
NOTE: You want to avoid taking valerian in large doses for more
than two consecutive weeks. Valerian can cause depression in some individuals,
so just hop off if you’re finding yourself unusually blue. Avoid if you have
low blood pressure or hypoglycemia. Valerian can increase the effects of
sedatives and antidepressant/anti-anxiety medications, so please consult your
doctor before use. Do not use when driving or operating heavy machinery.
Chamomile
While this may seem too everyday to be beneficial, I actually find
chamomile to be quite effective. I often have a cup with milk and honey before
bed and find myself pretty chiiiiiiilled out by the time I drag my rear-end
upstairs. I’ve also taken the capsules if I’m not in the mood for tea. Chamomile
is extremely safe, but I usually take two capsules.
And, if I’m being honest, I *may* be known to take a mouthful of water,
rip open an organic tea bag, and swallow the chamomile as is. Listen, if you’ve
ever been to an acupuncturist and have experienced the taste-bud offense that
is Chinese herbs, you’ll understand why I can choke down pretty much anything
without gagging. Dirty! (Did anyone
else hear that in Lorelai Gilmore’s voice???)
Hot Magnesium Bath
No, this is not an herb. And it’s probably not going to work if you’ve
been on a four-day, no-sleep stress bender. But under normal
tossing-and-turning circumstances, I find a hot magnesium bath leaves me
pooped! I buy this brand of magnesium fakes, dump a handful into a hot bath,
mix it around with my foot until all those pointy pieces are dissolved, and
slip in. And while magnesium can burn, a reasonable handful in a full
bath-tub’s worth of water is enough dilution to avoid the sting.
*Clears throat and straightens tie* In conclusion, the wonderful aspect of
herbal sleep aids is that they are non-habit forming. The biggest complaint
I’ve heard from people about over-the-counter “traditional” sleep aids is that
they can’t just take them for a night or two and resume normal sleep patterns.
That’s precisely what I do with sleep-inducing herbs. In fact, I think it’s
important to take a break from sleeping herbs after a few nights. You’re trying
to gently nudge your body back into a normal rhythm. Therefore, unless I’m
severely sleep-deprived, I try to take valerian root for
two nights and then get off it for a while. This allows me to gauge whether or
not my body has found its new groove and is adjusting accordingly.
And if you’re looking for general sleep tips, Katie fromWellness Mama has some great tips on improving your sleeping environment!
(Found towards the bottom of the post.)
**Some information is cited from the wonderful Brigitte Mars, AHG. Check out her fantastic herbal reference guide, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, for more information!
**Some information is cited from the wonderful Brigitte Mars, AHG. Check out her fantastic herbal reference guide, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, for more information!
Have you ever tried herbs to help you sleep? What’s worked for you?
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NOTE: As with any recommendation found on this blog, consult your doctor or naturopath before use.
