When it comes to sleep, the absence of it is arguably one of the worst things a human being can experience. I’m not referring to having one or two shitty nights of sleep a year; I’m referring to people who suffer from insomnia and other sleep-related issues that make the concept of it seem near impossible.
I am grateful I don’t have a serious sleep disorder, but as of late, my zzzs have left me feeling rather disappointed. Not to overshare, but at a certain point in my menstrual cycle, I have a lot of difficulty falling asleep, and, as a result, waking up to my alarm the following morning. This sequence of events becomes increasingly frustrating as it continues, and furthermore, I feel worse and worse.
I was desperate enough to visit my local pharmacy and grab some sleep-inducing gel capsules because even marijuana isn’t cutting it at this point. I was chatting with my mom about my problem, however, and she gave me an article from a text she is reading detailing some herbs and the incredible benefits they offer in terms of sleep.
I don’t have the copy on hand that my mom gave me, but I did find a lot of the same herbs mentioned in the following article from zzzquil.com.
“10 Herbs for Sleep and Sleep-Related Struggles
“1. Valerian Root: Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis), also known as valerian, comes from the root of the valerian plant. With over 200 species globally, valerian is considered safe to consume and is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a dietary supplement.3 In ancient Greece and Rome, people used valerian root for medicinal reasons.4 Today, valerian root is grown in Europe, North America, and Asia.5
“2. Hops: Hops (Humulus lupulus) are the flower cones of a perennial plant belonging to the hemp plant family.6 Hops are cultivated in many regions, mostly central Europe in the German state of Bavaria, as well as in the United States, China, and Czech Republic.6 The main component in hops is bitter resin, which is also useful in making beer due to their flavor. When hops are combined with valerian, they work together to promote sleep.7 Studies show that consuming both herbs may increase alpha waves present in the early stage of sleep,6” the web page states.
Check back tomorrow for more herbs that help with sleep.
Photo by Kate Stone Matheson on Unsplash
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