Our Five Favorite Herbs For Sleep

By Marilee Nelson |

Our Five Favorite Herbs For Sleep

We have become a seriously sleep-deprived nation with 1 in 3 Americans not getting enough zzzzs. 

This is detrimental to nearly every aspect of health and longevity. And many experts believe sleep deprivation is a leading cause of the chronic disease epidemic.

If you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re struggling with sleep (and as mommies of multiple kiddos, we feel you!) and you need some relief.

Unfortunately, modern medicine doesn’t have much to offer, especially for those seeking a natural, drug-free solution.

Sure, you could pop a sleeping pill, but the side effects can be consequential, they were never intended for long-term use, they can create dependency, and new research suggests they do not provide the same benefits as natural sleep (more on this to come).

Fortunately, there is a natural alternative in herbs for sleep!

In this article, we’ll examine five of our favorite herbs for sleep and how to use them safely. 

We’ll also cover some of the little-known causes of sleep deprivation and offer helpful lifestyle tips to reset your sleep cycle and give you your life back!

Why Can’t I Sleep? Lesser-Known Causes Of Sleeplessness

If you already know why you’re not sleeping (hello parents of babies and toddlers!), you can skip this section.

For everyone else who has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up refreshed, keep reading.

Although we can’t discuss in great detail all the physical, mental, and emotional causes of sleep trouble for the sake of time, this section will help you become aware of them so you can start a conversation with your healthcare practitioner.

The following are some common causes of or contributors to sleeplessness I’ve observed in practice over the last forty years:[1-15]

Although many of these were once dismissed as “unproven”, I’m happy to report the science has started catching up, and most of these are now recognized as legitimate causes or contributors to sleep problems (you can click the citations below to learn more).

This is why I always encourage people to advocate for themselves and get multiple opinions when seeking answers to health challenges. 

Just because something hasn’t been proven doesn’t mean it’s not affecting you, so trust your intuition!

Our Five Favorite Herbs For Sleep

We love using herbs for sleep because they’re all-natural, unlikely to become habit-forming*, affordable, generally safe for healthy people, and carry a low risk of side effects.

Herbs also benefit multiple aspects of sleep function, such as sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), sleep depth, length of sleep, and how you feel in the morning.

Plus, they provide additional health benefits beyond just sleep, like antiviral, antibacterial, and hormone-balancing properties.

*It’s important to note that although herbs do not have addictive properties, any sleep aid (natural or not) can become habit-forming. 

Unlike pharmaceutical sleep aids, however, you’re unlikely to harm yourself taking herbs long-term.

Still, this is why we recommend addressing the root cause of your sleep troubles and using herbs as needed to reset the sleep cycle or get you through a tough sleep patch.

As always, talk to your doctor, naturopath, or healthcare practitioner (preferably someone trained in herbalism) before taking herbal supplements.

With that understanding, let’s get into our five favorite herbs for sleep.

1: Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has become a popular herb for relieving anxiety and promoting energy, hormonal harmony, libido, exercise recovery, emotional health, and sleep.

Also known as “Indian Ginseng”, “Winter Cherry”, or “Withania somnifera”, Ashwagandha comes from Ayurveda, the traditional medicine practice of India, and is used extensively in various Vedic herbal and beauty formulas.

Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen, a type of herb that creates resilience of body, mind, and spirit in the face of stress.

This is why people swear by it for promoting energy and stamina, while also helping them maintain calm focus and better sleep.

Regarding sleep, various studies have shown Ashwagandha provides a pretty impressive list of sleep benefits, including improving:[16][17]

  • The time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency)
  • Sleep efficiency
  • Sleep duration
  • Sleep quality
  • Mental alertness upon waking
  • Wake after sleep onset

This is why we consider it one of the best overall herbs for sleep!

How to Use Ashwagandha for Sleep:

People respond differently to Ashwagandha for sleep, so a bit of experimentation is warranted.

Generally, taking 1-2 capsules 30 minutes before bed works great.

However, some people do better taking one capsule in the morning for energy and calm focus throughout the day, and one before bed. 

Ashwagandha is also available as a tea, powder, and gummies, making it easy to take.

As always, be sure you’re purchasing herbs from a reputable supplier who uses organic herbs, no toxic excipients, and tests for purity and identity.

Talk to your healthcare practitioner (who is trained in herbs) for individual recommendations.

Related reading: 10 Tips For Healthier Sleep

2: Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the most common herbs found in herbal teas, skin care products, and essential oil blends.

However, don’t mistake its familiarity for weakness!

This hardy, fragrant, weed-like flower is one of the most studied herbs for sleep, and it’s incredibly powerful.

Chamomile is considered a sedative in herbalism and is frequently used for anxiety, stress, menstrual complaints, pain, inflammation, digestive complaints, gut health issues, immunity, and sleep.

Various studies have proven its sedative effect, and researchers believe this is due to the active plant compound apigenin, found in Chamomile flowers.[17][18]

The natural scent of Chamomile flowers (as featured in our star product, Branch Basics Concentrate) is also deeply relaxing to inhale.

How to Use Chamomile for Sleep:

Chamomile tea is the most popular form of chamomile for sleep, but you can also find chamomile in tinctures and capsules.

Try starting out with Chamomile tea before bed for a few weeks and see how it works. If you feel you need something stronger, look for a Chamomile supplement.

Chamomile is also fairly easy to grow, especially if you buy established plants, and makes a lovely functional addition to an ornamental, vegetable, or herb garden.

3: Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Tulsi is another Ayurvedic herb well-known for its stress-busting and sleep-enhancing properties.

Like Ashwagandha, Tulsi is considered an adaptogen, and can thus be used to promote sleep or support energy and calm focus.

Research suggests Tulsi works on sleep by helping reduce stress and support adrenal function. So, if stress or racing mind is a factor in your sleep issues, this is a great one to try![19]

How to Use Tulsi for Sleep:

Tulsi tea is widely available, tastes great, and offers a fantastic way to relax and unwind before bed. 

You can also find Tulsi teas blended with other sleep-promoting herbs like Chamomile, Ashwagandha, and Lemon Balm.

Extra sleep tip: Tulsi is a great caffeine alternative!

If you’re trying to cut back or eliminate caffeine to improve sleep, Tulsi tea is a great option.

Its flavor is sweet and grassy, and many people find it comparable to green tea, especially when paired with something bitter, like nettles.

Plus, its adaptogenic qualities make it an ideal pick-me-up.

Tulsi also makes an excellent base for Chai tea, just add 1-3 teaspoons with your favorite chai spices, simmer for a few minutes, add milk or plant milk, and sweeten naturally.

4: Valerian

Valerian is another widely used herb for sleep in natural medicine circles.

Considered a sedative and a nervine (a type of herb that supports nervous system function), it is rumored the name for the drug “valium” was inspired by valerian.

Valerian can have significant benefits for sleep, specifically reducing the time it takes to fall asleep as well as promoting overall sleep quality.

How to take Valerian:

Due to its sedative nature, Valerian is best taken about 30 minutes before bedtime. Although it’s not as powerful as a sleep drug, do not take it if you don’t plan on sleeping.

It has a very earthy flavor, which some people like as a tea. However, if the taste doesn’t suit, you can always take it as a capsule or tincture.

It can also be safely combined with other herbs for sleep.

5: Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is an underappreciated herbal powerhouse for sleep, immunity, nervous system function, anxiety, and overall well-being.

This calming nervine contains rosmaric acid, a plant compound known to relax the nerves and help ease stress and tension.[21] It’s especially helpful for those who cannot sleep due to stress, anxiety, or racing thoughts.

Lemon Balm’s also been shown helpful for sleep issues in perimenopausal and menopausal women when combined with Valerian.[22]

It also tastes delicious on its own or combined with other sleep-supporting herbs like Tulsi, Chamomile, or Lavender.

Learn more about Lemon Balm’s health benefits in: Herbs To Boost Immunity: 5 Lesser-Known Founder Faves

Lifestyle Remedies For Better Sleep

These herbs for sleep can be incredible for resetting your sleep cycle, calming the nerves, reducing stress, and helping you get through bouts of sleeplessness safely.

However, as always, we must consider lifestyle factors in addition to herbs or any type of natural support.

Here are some helpful lifestyle practices to help you get more and better quality rest.

  • Cut down on screen time, especially before bed. Blue light disrupts the sleep cycle and devices hype us up before bed. We recommend using blue blockers during the day.
  • Get morning light in your eyes. Unfiltered morning light helps naturally reset the sleep cycle, signaling your body when it’s time to wake and to sleep.
  • Exercise. Regular movement, whether it’s walking, weight-training, HIIT, yoga, or whatever will help you sleep.
  • Focus on whole, unprocessed foods. Synthetic additives in processed foods, like MSG, dyes, and other excitotoxins, can disrupt metabolic hormones, leading to poor sleep in adults and children. Focusing on whole, unprocessed foods is the best way to avoid this.
  • Get honest about your caffeine tolerance. Most of us drink caffeinated beverages out of habit and pay little attention to how they affect our sleep. However, try cutting back, little by little, and see how it affects your sleep. You may find you don’t need as much as you think, or even that you’re better off without it. And definitely cut caffeine after noon!
  • Avoid alcohol before bed. Alcohol may help some people fall asleep, but it tends to degrade overall sleep quality. Try to limit consumption as much as possible.
  • Get Grounded: As discussed in 6 Health Benefits of Grounding, regular contact with the earth, such as walking around barefoot, can be amazing for promoting sleep, relaxation, and overall physical, mental, and emotional health.
  • Take a good greens powder. I’ve found that taking a high-quality barley grass powder, which is rich in minerals, helps tremendously with sleep and winding down. 
  • Increase magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium is well-known to support sleep and relaxation. You can take a supplement (magnesium glycinate is generally the best), or better yet, increase magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, beans, legumes, mangoes, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
  • Sleep cool. Research has shown humans sleep better in a cool room, around 60-65 degrees. That doesn’t mean you need to freeze though, so feel free to cozy up and see how you sleep.
  • Address household toxins. There are so many hormone-disrupting chemicals in things like cleaning products, personal care, and laundry products that can affect our sleep. 
  • Switch off your Wi-Fi at night. As discussed above, EMF exposure from things like Wi-Fi, Smart Meters, and devices can negatively impact sleep in some people. The best way to reduce exposure is to shut off your Wi-Fi at night and ban devices (phones, tablets, smart TVs, any bluetooth device, smart clocks, smart watches, high-tech baby monitors etc.) from the bedroom.
  • Sleep in a very dark room. Darkness stimulates production of melatonin and helps ensure a deeper and longer sleep.

These are just a few, of many, ways you can honor and support your body’s natural sleep cycle—with or without herbs.

Need More Help Creating A Sleep Sanctuary At Home?

At Branch Basics, we are passionate about helping individuals and families create healthier homes that reduce stress, lower body burden, and promote a restful environment.

One of the best ways to do this is to identify, remove, and replace toxic products that could be disrupting hormonal, brain, and nervous system function.

Our Toss The Toxins Online Course was created specifically for this purpose.

In this self-paced course, co-founder Marilee Nelson walks you through her celebrated step-by-step process to rid your home of hidden toxins in cleaning, laundry, personal care products and more to dramatically improve indoor air quality and overall health.

We also share how to safely dispose of these products and what to use instead so you can continue to see results in your physical, mental, and emotional health.

In fact, one of the benefits our Toss The Toxins participants consistently report is improved sleep!! It’s that powerful.

Learn more about our Toss The Toxins Online Course here.

Shop our collection of human-safe, biodegradable, low-tox, plant- and mineral based cleaning products.

Browse the Healthy Living section of the blog for more articles like these.

And join us on social for more tips, advice, and a like-minded community.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on the author's experience and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

References mentioned in this article:

  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2015/591729
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560720/ 
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181779/ 
  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6779243/ 
  5. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side 
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11285688/ 
  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27810173/ 
  8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11842262/ 
  9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11842262/ 
  10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10706823/ 
  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/ 
  12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32224451/ 
  13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29444621/ 
  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23274090/ 
  15. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10558944/ 
  16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32818573/ 
  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32540634/ 
  18. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332208628_Therapeutic_efficacy_and_safety_of_chamomile_for_state_anxiety_generalized_anxiety_disorder_insomnia_and_sleep_quality_A_systematic_review_and_meta-analysis_of_randomized_trials_and_quasi-randomized_t 
  19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36185698/ 
  20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10761819/ 
  21. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3230760/ 
  22. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388113000601?via%3Dihub 

Categories

Marilee Nelson

Marilee Nelson

Marilee Nelson is an Environmental Toxins expert who has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the chemically-sensitive and chronically-ill. She is a Board Certified Nutritionist, Certified Bau-Biologist and Bau-Biology Inspector and specializes in Food As Medicine. She has helped thousands of families and individuals identify, heal and recover from toxic exposures and is on a mission to revolutionize the way American families view their health.

Related Articles