Insomnia

Insomnia

(inability to get to sleep and to sleep well): try to some moderate exercise each day; cut back on caffeine use, especially in the late afternoon and in the evening; try to set regular hours for going to bed. Try eliminating late evening television and other sources of mental stimulation. Television may not seem stimulating, but it often is in terms of being able to go to sleep easily. Moderately interesting reading material may be more the order for bedtime. Classic writings such as Washington Irving's amusing Knickerbocker's History of New York, which was published in 1809, might make suitable bedtime reading.The Pickwick Papers and Sketches by Boz, both by Charles Dickens, give a comprehensive view of life in London and England in the early and middle part of the 19th century. In 1883, Mark Twain's classic tome, Life on the Mississippi, was published. In the first part of the 20th century, H. L. Mencken held forth with many writings. His classic work, The American Language, will probably put you right to sleep. Note: some over-the-counter (OTC) pain killers contain caffeine; these medications should not be used in the late afternoon and in the evening. Note: alcohol consumption may cause insomnia in some; it may be relaxing and sleep-allowing for others.

Recommendations by individual herbal expert authors are marked [rec]. See Ancient Herbs book for identification of individual books and their authors. The German Commission E has approved a variety of medicinal herbs as remedies for different ailments. These are marked: [German Commission E].

external:

Lavender - Lavandula officinalis - [rec]

Sweet Vernal Grass - Anthoxanthum odorata

external (in an herbal sleep pillow):

Chamomile, German - Matricaria recutita - [rec]

Hops - Humulus lupulus-[rec]

Lavender - Lavandula officinalis - [rec]

Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis - [rec]

Orange, Bitter - Citrus aurantium - [rec]

Orange, Sweet - Citrus sinensis - [rec]

St. John's Wort - Hypericum perforatum - [rec]

Valerian - Valerian officinalis - [rec]

Yarrow - Achillea millefolium - [rec]

internal:

Akebia, Five-leaf - Akebia quinata

Akebia, Three-leaf - Akebia trifoliata

Basil, Sweet - Ocimum basilicum

Bastard Balm - Melittis melissophyllum

Betony - Stachys officinalis

California Poppy - Eschscholzia californica - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Catnip, Nepeta cataria - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Celery - Apium graveolens

Chamomile, English - Chamaemelum nobile

Chamomile, German - Matricaria recutita - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Chaste Tree - Vitex agnus-castus - [rec]

Chinese Cornbind - Polygonum multiflorum - [rec]

Chinese Foxglove - Rehmannia glutinosa - [rec]

Corydalis - Corydalis soldida

Evening Primrose - Oenothera binennis - [rec]

Everlasting - Gnaphalium uliginosum -

Gardenia - Gardenia jasminoides - [rec]

Ginseng - Panax ginseng - [rec]

Ginseng, Siberian - Eleutherococcus senticosus

Grapes - Vitis vinifera - [rec] [rec]

Hops - Humulus lupulus - [German Commission E] + [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Horsemint - Monarda fistulosa

Kava Kava - Piper methysticum - [German Commission E] + [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Lavender - Lavandula officinalis - [German Commission E] + [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis - [German Commission E]

+ [ [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Linden - Tilla x europaea - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Longan - Dimocarpus longan

Marijuana - Cannabis sativa

Mushroom, Reishi - Ganoderma lucidum - [rec] [rec]

Oat, Cultivated - Avena sativa - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Orange, Bitter - Citrus aurantium - [rec]

Orange, Sweet - Citrus sinensis - [rec]

Oswego Tea - Monarda didyma

Passionflower - Passiflora incarnata - [German Commission E] + [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Prickly Lettuce - Lactuca scariola

Red Bush Tea - Aspalathus linearis

Schisandra - Schisandra chinensis - [rec] [rec]

Skullcap - Scutellaria lateriflora - [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

St. John's Wort - Hypericum perforatum - [rec] [rec] [rec]

Tarragon, French - Artemisia dracunculus

Valerian - Valerian officinalis - [German Commission E] + [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec] [rec]

Virginia Truffle - Poria cocos

End.

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This web page was recently created by James Sayre.

Contact author James K. Sayre at sayresayre@yahoo.com. Author's Email: sayresayre@yahoo.com

Web page last updated on 11 June 2003.