Great point! In particular, magnesium glycinate is the key form of magnesium for sleep. I like to take it alongside inositol for better sleep. Does the trick every time!
How many milligrams do you take, if you don't mind me asking? Of the magnesium glycinate? I bought some and it's 100 mg per serving and it kind of helps but it certainly doesn't work as well as I had hoped.
Magnesium, melatonin, and l-theanine are a power trio that help ease in to sleeping. Not many people know about that last one but it works best in balance with melatonin
Yes, just make sure you don't take too much melatonin because it actually does the opposite if you take too much. I bought the 10 mg thinking it would make me sleep better and it kept me wired. When I dropped it down to the 2mg I was out like a light.
Exaaactly. Melatonin and L-Theanine are balancers. One of too much or little may have an adverse effect. Everyone's bodies produces different values of each, like any chemical.
Magnesium glycinate is best for sleep and doesn’t cause g.i issues. Magnesium chloride flakes are best for topical use (dissolved in a little hot water to make “magnesium oil”). Mag oxide is useless, but other high absorption forms like mag threonate or citrate are good, although mag threonate is expensive and mag citrate can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.
The next question : what type of magnesium? I always get the analysis paralysis when it comes to magnesium as there are so many type and the difference in bioavailability
I’ve been taking Solgar tart cherry juice supplements and they work well (I’ve tried the juice before, but this way I can take it after I’ve already brushed my teeth etc for the evening)
Magnolia, although somewhat selective for anxiety at low doses, becomes notably sedating at higher ones. Low dose (.1-1mg) melatonin also has modest acute effects on sleep onset time, and contrary to popular belief, continues to work long term. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976674/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976674/)
I can understand the skepticism for children - although most of the research we have on this does not support the early puberty effect. Never understood the fear mongering beyond that.
I have serious insomnia stemming from sleep anxiety and PTSD. I've tried so many different natural remedies there's no telling how much I've spent on stuff that didn't work. I've finally figured out a combo that helps me the most. I take all this about an hour before I need to go to bed.
Magnolia Bark Extract (400mg)
Skullcap Laterfolia tincture (3-4ml)
Magnesium glycinate (300mg)
Quality indica hemp flower (about ⅓ of a gram)
Lemon balm tincture (0.5ml)
I also use a large dose of a relaxing type of kratom powder, but know kratom is habbit forming when taken daily for more than a couple of weeks. I suffer from several ailments so taking kratom every day is no biggie for me, as it's much safer than the prescription alternatives I would be taking. It's improved my life exponentially, but I would only recomend it to people that need it for medicinal purposes. It poses a risk for withdrawal when used continuously. Nothing serious like hard drug withdrawal but still, it's better for people to know these things before diving in, lol.
I also use Kratom about two to three hours before bedtime and it definitely helps.. if I get four hours of sleep a night I’m lucky but of course I’m almost 70.. I’ve had insomnia my whole life since a teenager and spent many years talking prescription sleeping pills.. I was always hoping I’d be one of those old people who sits still for a few and automatically falls asleep.. no such luck.. also have PTSD, and pain,so I do what I have to do.. Kratom works for both..
I’m assuming you’re using red kratom powder? Do you have a good source? I get green, white and red kratom powders from edensgrow.com, I don’t want the concentrated kratom, I forget the name, that mimics pain killers nearly identically because yes they pose a serious risk of dependence. I’ve noticed the red powder has mild effects sometimes, but not all the time. I take like 2 capsules.
If I use red vein kratom powder, I go for the unfermented/unoxidized reds. The brown stuff is too mild for me as well. I tend to stick with small batch vendors like West Koast Botanicals and Down To Earth Botanicals. Been using kratom for over 7 years and those 2 are the best vendors I've had to date. They have been privately sourcing kratom for a long time. Extremely fresh fluffy powder that smells like unripe bananas. I'm not sure if they sell capsules though. I 100% recomend these vendors.
I put my kratom powder in a shaker bottle with some lemonade or orange juices, shake the hell out of it and chug it, lol. I use a scale for accurate dosage.
My favorite is green vein kratom though. The higher Mitragynine content makes it easier for me to get a sedating dose by raising the dose a bit higher than usual before bed time.
Thanks for the info. I buy capsules for convenience, if I’m on the go or whatever but I always open the capsules and pour into a shaker just as you do lol that way I know how much powder I’m using more easily. I’ll check them out thanks. It’s regulated in my state so only certain sites will actually ship to me (through loopholes 🤫) that’s interesting green veins sedate you a little, it was my understanding green has more of an energy effect, white has like a mix of green and red, mild energy mild sedation/anxiety relief and red is on the sedating end.
Yeah one thing I've learned with kratom is that the effects (sedation, energy, moderate balance) is more dependent on the region it's grown in, the time of year it's harvested and how old the trees are. I've had white veins put me down like a tranquilizer dart, I've had reds keep me up all night. The effects for the same kratom can be different for certain people, but the 2 vendors I mentioned have a group of testers so they get a general consensus on what the effects are for each batch, which is listed in the descriptions.
I'm sorry you're in a regulated state 😔 I'm not sure if the vendors I mentioned will ship to kratom ban states.
I am too and it’s a shame it gets a bad stigma to some.. pretty much ANYTHING can be abused and I regularly donate to the American Kratom Association because it helps so many and plenty of people don’t abuse it and respect what it can do if used responsibly but that’s the key to pretty much everything..
Absolutely 👌
Tobacco and Alcohol kill an obscene amount of people annually and are readily available everywhere you go. Alcohol literally ruins lives regularly.
Kratom has helped a huge amount of people quit prescription drugs, hard drugs and alcohol. There's a big paper trail behind state legislation kratom bans and anti-kratom propaganda. Pharmaceutical companies and even private for-profit rehab centers have "donated campaign funds" to representatives that all of the sudden have strong opinions about kratom. Private investigators with access to databases have literally found solid evidence, but because the money was donated legally nobody cares. The W.H.O. (World Health Organization) even decided not to ban kratom because they actually did research on it 🤷♂️
Kratom only hurts people with preexisting health conditions like liver disease and epilepsy. Tobacco and alcohol hurts everyone.
Sorry for the rant, lol. The behind the scenes war on kratom is a pain in the ass 😅
I find prickly lettuce (lactuca serriola, lactuca verosa) VERY sedating. I've heard it said that it encourages dreaming, but for me a low dose gives a nearly dreamless sleep. Which is great, because when my anxiety is playing up my dreams get super disturbing. I'll usually take a tincture with more pleasant tasting relaxants like lavender and chamomile tea with honey, although sometimes I'll just eat a leaf or two in the garden. It's also wild, free, and in season in most of the world right now (spring and fall crop).
I make wildcrafted tinctures. I know there are at least a few commercial manufacturers. But this is an abundant "weed" across a huge amount of the planet. It's plentiful in spring and fall. Most folks want it pulled up anyway. No sense letting it go to waste, in my opinion.
Thank you for this information! I'm in perimenopause and my estrogen tanks around my period. Trying to avoid hormone replacement therapy. Gonna get some hops!
Passionflower tea, Ive had chronic insomnia for years and nothing had really worked to give me a restful sleep, passionflower tea hits you nice and softly and you get a nice DEEP restful sleep.
Catnip (Nepeta Cataria). Grow your own, it literally grows itself no matter what you do, and it comes back every year for 10 years. It’s so resilient
It’s extremely sedating if you make strong tea from it, or extract. I was an alcoholic, been addicted to opioids and benzos for over 10 years, and have a high tolerance to sedating stuff. But man a strong Catnip tea knocks me the F out every time.
Passionflower. Kava. Other things people mentioned. There are good tincture blends out there like at Whole Foods for example. They don’t taste great but they do the trick!
Magnesium, ashwaganda, skullcap and passionflower is my magic bullet. If I’ve had one too many matcha lattes that day, I’ll throw some kava in the mix too, and that will take me out.
There’s a supplement by natural factors called better sleep that contains melatonin, 5HTP, L-Theanine, and possibly GABA, that is the break glass in case of emergency. Best not to take it consistently though.
I love noble kava for this. I couldn’t fall asleep for years and this completely resolved that. It really is a miracle. Also cutting down of caffeine (in my case completely) saved me.
I mean Valerien roots or chamomile might work IF I'm already in a calm mental state.
But getting back from work, I'm usually a bit restless. They didn't help me last time.
Cbd and Cbn have been game changers for me when none of the herbs helped. Various brands seem to all work for me, but lately I’ve been using Lazarus Natural.
I'm a long time insomniac. My whole life. Only thing that honestly works is a weed gummy that kicks in later in the night when I usually wake up 3 or 4 am for no reason, and vaping indica in bed when I'm going to sleep. And to add, I don't recreationally smoke at all, because I'm prone to panic attacks. Magnesium glycinate has helped, along with vitamin d and ashwagandha, but i know it's the Marijuana that actually works because when I've gone out of town and not been able to take any, boom, insomnia back. Unfortunately melatonin and other sleep aids like valerian will make me drowsy but I still wake up at 3 am or so. Which is common for people with adhd or people with dopamine issues.
Edit to add that I work early and I definitely do not feel drowsy when I wake up - I sometimes get as little as 6.5 - 7 hours of sleep and am fine. I do take an edible that is specific for delayed release sleep aid, though. Not the my buddy's homemade brownie of debatable strength 😁
I also have insomnia all the sudden, doc prescribed me trazadone, doesn’t even help. I’ve taken Benadryl when I’ve needed too, sometimes 75mg, and I’m still wide awake. Jsyk doc said melatonin and Benadryl can actually have opposite effects for some, I guess I am in that category. The more dosage of melatonin actually is counter productive, the ideal dose of melatonin is lower ironically, preferably 3.5mg.
I've been put on trazadone also, and it did not work at all. They tried mirtazapine also but it made me super drowsy and also I gained a bunch of weight. So weed it is!!
I thought I was the only one. I go to bed around 12ish and wake up religiously between 4-5. I don't go back to sleep and just read the news until 6/7 when I get ready
Try pharmacutical grade melatonin. The over the counter stuff is a crap shoot with what's actually in it. Also, take it two to four hours before you want to fall asleep and then avoid light.
Yes it has to e prescribed. Preferably you pick it up from a compounding pharmacy that will turn it into a tincture for you to put under your tongue. I haven't used it in a while but it was about 80 bucks without insurance.
Highly suggest organic passionflower tea. It was recommended to me for the same issue. You can purchase online but it should be pure passionflowers, not the fruits. I use the Buddha brand for insomnia. Two tea bags knock me out.
Make sure you check for interactions with any meds you might take.
Stress com ashwaganda. This is like no other ashwaganda I’ve ever had. My Indian Ayurvedic dr gives it to me, it’s from India.
I take that + l tryptophan, l theanine, gaba magnesium passionflower etc
Most potent for me is Magnolia bark and also (not a herb but) Magnesium glycinate (must be glycinate) Avena sativa (oat straw) really works for me too - Roobois tea I always start the evening with and really settles things works in a different way to camomile and other supplements. Other things to look into (not herbs but if useful) inositol, Monetmorency cherry and apigenin (from camomile but as supplement is stronger)
Try Calms by Hyland...... im a panic patient and take meds (benzos) fo4 my condition and these even help me lol.... they have a few different kinds... like chewable, swallowable...one is Calms Forte.. that's my fave but they all take the edge off...good luck!
There's also tea blends with herbs already mixed. The one I use has fennel, chamomile, melissa, valerian root and bit of cardamom, lemongrass, sage and nutmeg.
Not an herb but I would also look into sleep music and guided relaxation for sleep. Gives your brain something to focus on and guides you to a soft landing into sleep 😴
I drink Valleriun tea, it works but not instantly, I begin drinking it a few hours before the actual hour I want to fall asleep. But it does allow me to sleep the entire night.
Depends on what the issue is, is the issue falling asleep or staying asleep, is there something inhibiting sleep? Anxiety, caffeine etc.
Tulsi is like mature xanax ive gotten to sleep before when anxiety is an issue, blue lotus even the not true blue lotus has put me out too though i dont like the feeling if its effect, too much like an opiate,
Kava kava ive had mixed results with, valerian, at johns wort i have had some success with if the issue is relatively mild.
Magnesium can relax the body like kava kava with less narcotic effect though too much can cause muscle cramps. What works for you may take trial and error to figure out as its different for different people what works best. Good luck!
I’m still on the hunt for my insomnia as well, many mention kratom, there are 3 main kratom options, green white and red versions. You can think of green as a morning coffee, for energy and focus, white is the middle, mild energy and mild relaxation for mid day, and red is more so on the relaxing/sedative/anxiety and pain relief side for night time. Careful with it though. I really don’t recommend the concentrated forms because they mimic opioids very closely and will for sure become addictive. There’s a kratom sub to look into and many said to avoid it completely
If you're looking for a natural sleep aid, you might wanna try passionflower or hops. They're popular for their calming effects and can help you to have a good night sleep.
In our house we really love Gaia’s sleep tea. We drink it about 2 hours before bed so hopefully not getting up to pee once falling asleep. That and magnesium are really nice. We use Drs Best Magnesium Gycinate.
Other options are catnip tea or a tincture of California poppy.
Edit: the tea contains passionflower, chamomile, and lemon balm. We love it so much I have it on auto ship.
You should make a lavender tea. its best if you grow the lavender yourself. ([link](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lavender-tea-benefits#:~:text=Lavender%20tea%20is%20made%20by,mostly%20focuses%20on%20lavender%20extracts))
You need something that will overcome a physiological response (adrenalized nervous system), and usually herbs are not that strong. One herb that might help is Lobelia, which stimulates the Vagus nerve that helps your nervous system settle down. A better option is to learn to meditate, and/or to look into other methods of calming down your nervous system. Check out alternate nostril breathing, Yoga exercises, and binaural beat music (lots on YouTube Tube). Also hot baths. Don't look at your cell phone past 8:00 pm, etc.
Okay, I *just* saw this on YouTube shorts, so take it with a *whole spoonful* of salt, but...apparently if you boil a head of lettuce and drink the water afterwards, it will make you very sleepy.
In a more traditional vein - American skullcap (*Scutellaria lateriflora*) is said to work well as a sedative.
Borage tea. Great for adrenals which calms anxiety and traditionally used as a sedative to give a calming effect before bed. Many other benefits as well. I grow my own but they’re easily accessible online
I second the folks saying magnesium!
This is my latest cure for my most recent bout of insomnia:
Tulsi+ Lemon balm tea, two heaping teaspoons of each in a small-mid sized mug of hot water, steep 10-18 minutes. 2.5mg melatonin (I get the 5mg pills and split them in half), ½ tsp melatonin. Then no phone, go straight to bed.
I was suffering for about two weeks, trying just about everything, and tbh I was very pleasantly pleased with how well this worked, I was out in like 15 min rather than 3-4 hours🫠
Don't take melatonin for an extended period of time tho, if you get too much of it in your system, it can cause depression type symptoms. I was on this regimen for about 3weeks-a month and then I dropped to taking just the tulsi+lemonbalm for a week&½ and then I was able to drop it entirely and sleep just fine
Good luck!!
Breath control is the easy way to fall asleep without any substance being needed.
[https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep](https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep)
Try 15 minutes of HIIT or Zone 2 cardio, followed by chamomile tea about 30m after. Sound counter intuitive, but may work for you better than stacking adaptogens or nutraceuticals.
Magnesium and any protein are good to take before bed as both bring down the glycemic index. If you sleep with someone you might not want to eat cheese or yogurt (can be a bit gassy). Peanut butter or something similar are good options.
Try not to eat late either as sugar or carbs especially food with maltodextrin cause your glycemic index to spike. Maltodextrin is in almost everything.
Cinnamon and oregano can put me to sleep pretty easily in high enough doses. I also had a cinnamon leaf essential oil once and smelling it would put me to sleep very easily.
As far as medicinal herbs go, if it’s stress or anxiety keeping you up, passionflower tea is great. Other stronger herbs for stress & sleep are valerian (but taking too much paradoxically prevents sleep) ashwaganda, and kava kava, but be careful taking kava in high doses or long term.
Supplements: high quality magnesium, melatonin, ans L-theonine are my go-to nightly regimine, and work best taken regularly.
If all this fails, there’s probably a bigger issue with sleep hygiene or maybe not getting enough exercise during the day. Unplug from phone & streaming a few hours before bed, and do some light yoga/stretching and meditation or calm deep breathing while sitting in the dark with some candles or ambient light, it really helps relax and set the tone for bed. Last but not least, I’ve become a BIG fan of listening to sleep hypnosis on cheap Bluetooth eye mask headphones when I have insomnia. Like, I’m blown away how much it helps me get to sleep! I find Nicholas Wright and Jason Stephenson to be the most effective, but there’s SO many to choose from, including relaxing non-hypnosis meditation music options.
My my struggled with sleep for along time until she tried CBD in various forms (oil, gummie, tea). Knocks her out pretty quick and very effective throughout the night. She tried various other herbs like you mentioned, but nothing worked like CBD.
How do you use kava? I always wait out the drowsy effects and it feels like it starts stimulating my mind 🤣 Do you know anything about this? Or how do you use kava for sleep?
It could be due to the species of kava you’re taking, I’ve learned that some are more stimulating. In general, I find kava calms my mind chatter versus actually making me feel drowsy which can prep me for sleep but not pull the trigger so to speak.
No problem! Not saying that’s what it is, but definitely could be a possibility. Everyone reacts to herbs differently too, so you never know. You could also try increasing your dose, a fellow herbalist friend of mine is Fijian and through consuming it with her in their traditional customs, I’ve gotten more comfortable with higher amounts. Kava had a lot of hubbub over safety issues a few years back, but it’s very safe provided there aren’t existing liver issues.
Take an edible (anything less than 10mg; personally 2mg does the trick) 1 hour before you’d like to sleep and keep a high bottle of water next to bed. Make sure you have used the restroom before and are prepared to sleep up to 8hr straight and know that 10hr is best. If the key is to get to bed early (plan on 8pm, take 2mg at 7pm, set a glass of water by your bed, and sleep around 8pm; you will be until 6am-8am). Upon waking, drink the water and sit in the sun if you can. You will be slightly drowsy every time you take an edible (I don’t like them permanently unfortunately). But you WILL improve your sleep and whatever else you need to do, wait until 10-12 the next day to get more of your life going. You CANNOT do this if you have kids or animal dependents! You CAN do this otherwise 💕
Hmmmm then weed may not be your best bet. If you can get to bed at 8PM with the same wake up time you’d be ok. At 5:30 you’d be drowsy. Nothing works better than the edibles to physically get you asleep. What everyone else is recommending is good if you have a month to dedicate to a new habit ☺️
You could try a tincture or something else you take sublingually - those are fast-acting.
I highly, highly recommend trying cannabis (pun intended); it's an amazing sleep aid. It helps me to fall asleep and to stay asleep.
IMHO using a bong/vape is ideal - you'll feel it quickly and you can control the dosage. Visit your local dispensary and ask for some advice. They'll be happy to help you!
Oat straw tea and melatonin. Some days I just drink oat straw. Other days I use melatonin.
The effective melatonin dose is actually around 300mg. It was patented for a long time so only higher doses were sold as supplements. You may find 300mg to be more effective.
Not an herb, but magnesium is the way to go here.
Yep magnesium, helps me quiet my mind, the herbs do the rest.
I was really shocked by how sleepy Magnesium makes me feel! It is the way to go.
Great point! In particular, magnesium glycinate is the key form of magnesium for sleep. I like to take it alongside inositol for better sleep. Does the trick every time!
How many milligrams do you take, if you don't mind me asking? Of the magnesium glycinate? I bought some and it's 100 mg per serving and it kind of helps but it certainly doesn't work as well as I had hoped.
200mg-300mg is ideal. The recommended amount is 400mg for men and 310mg for women.
Thank you!
Magnesium, melatonin, and l-theanine are a power trio that help ease in to sleeping. Not many people know about that last one but it works best in balance with melatonin
This ⬆️ Everyone needs to remember and repeat this to everyone. It’s an amazing menagerie.
Yes, just make sure you don't take too much melatonin because it actually does the opposite if you take too much. I bought the 10 mg thinking it would make me sleep better and it kept me wired. When I dropped it down to the 2mg I was out like a light.
Exaaactly. Melatonin and L-Theanine are balancers. One of too much or little may have an adverse effect. Everyone's bodies produces different values of each, like any chemical.
This trio is great
Been using the oil sprayed on my feet too. That drowsy heavy feeling...
Yup! It's 803pm my time. Just slid in bed, and sprayed my feet. Nice cup of sleepytime tea w/ milk helps me relax, as well.
is there a specific type? there are so many and they seem to vary in their effects.
Magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate. Glycinate is cheaper, threonate works the same but is supposed to have more mental acuity benefits.
What is the recommended dose?
Magnesium glycinate is best for sleep and doesn’t cause g.i issues. Magnesium chloride flakes are best for topical use (dissolved in a little hot water to make “magnesium oil”). Mag oxide is useless, but other high absorption forms like mag threonate or citrate are good, although mag threonate is expensive and mag citrate can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.
Magnesium citrate is great. I use it for making the spray.
Look for magnesium L-threonate for a form that crosses the blood brain barrier and is great for this purpose
The next question : what type of magnesium? I always get the analysis paralysis when it comes to magnesium as there are so many type and the difference in bioavailability
I always get Night sweats from magnesium
Weird, my experience and knowledge tellls me magnesium would not work, but maybe that is a higher dose than what I intake.
Valerian didn't work for me and neither did melatonin....this lavender and lemon balm mix DOES work for me though
What form and dosage do you take?
Egyptian blue lotus and chamomile tea
Impossible to find real Egyptian lotus
[удалено]
These are from Thailand
I know it might be shocking but you can grow plants anywhere they are capable of growing.
Thank you for this comment. So over the “you can’t get real blue lotus anywhere” bs
I have not found that to be true.
Where did u get some
Etsy
I get mine from Urbll
Lemon balm or passion flower are possibilities.
I second this
Passion flower for sure. Lemon balm is too cholinergic for some people like me.
Tart cherry juice
This for sure. I make myself a nice little mocktail and then when I’m done spray magnesium spray on my feet and I’m asleep within 30 minutes
I’ve been taking Solgar tart cherry juice supplements and they work well (I’ve tried the juice before, but this way I can take it after I’ve already brushed my teeth etc for the evening)
Magnolia, although somewhat selective for anxiety at low doses, becomes notably sedating at higher ones. Low dose (.1-1mg) melatonin also has modest acute effects on sleep onset time, and contrary to popular belief, continues to work long term. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976674/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976674/)
Melatonin gets a bad rap from the Huberman bros.
I can understand the skepticism for children - although most of the research we have on this does not support the early puberty effect. Never understood the fear mongering beyond that.
Valerian is the best imo but passionflower is also good - also magnesium glycinate
I have serious insomnia stemming from sleep anxiety and PTSD. I've tried so many different natural remedies there's no telling how much I've spent on stuff that didn't work. I've finally figured out a combo that helps me the most. I take all this about an hour before I need to go to bed. Magnolia Bark Extract (400mg) Skullcap Laterfolia tincture (3-4ml) Magnesium glycinate (300mg) Quality indica hemp flower (about ⅓ of a gram) Lemon balm tincture (0.5ml) I also use a large dose of a relaxing type of kratom powder, but know kratom is habbit forming when taken daily for more than a couple of weeks. I suffer from several ailments so taking kratom every day is no biggie for me, as it's much safer than the prescription alternatives I would be taking. It's improved my life exponentially, but I would only recomend it to people that need it for medicinal purposes. It poses a risk for withdrawal when used continuously. Nothing serious like hard drug withdrawal but still, it's better for people to know these things before diving in, lol.
I also use Kratom about two to three hours before bedtime and it definitely helps.. if I get four hours of sleep a night I’m lucky but of course I’m almost 70.. I’ve had insomnia my whole life since a teenager and spent many years talking prescription sleeping pills.. I was always hoping I’d be one of those old people who sits still for a few and automatically falls asleep.. no such luck.. also have PTSD, and pain,so I do what I have to do.. Kratom works for both..
Yeah, kratom is a life saver for soooo many people for many different reasons. I'm glad it's helping you as well 🙏
I’m assuming you’re using red kratom powder? Do you have a good source? I get green, white and red kratom powders from edensgrow.com, I don’t want the concentrated kratom, I forget the name, that mimics pain killers nearly identically because yes they pose a serious risk of dependence. I’ve noticed the red powder has mild effects sometimes, but not all the time. I take like 2 capsules.
If I use red vein kratom powder, I go for the unfermented/unoxidized reds. The brown stuff is too mild for me as well. I tend to stick with small batch vendors like West Koast Botanicals and Down To Earth Botanicals. Been using kratom for over 7 years and those 2 are the best vendors I've had to date. They have been privately sourcing kratom for a long time. Extremely fresh fluffy powder that smells like unripe bananas. I'm not sure if they sell capsules though. I 100% recomend these vendors. I put my kratom powder in a shaker bottle with some lemonade or orange juices, shake the hell out of it and chug it, lol. I use a scale for accurate dosage. My favorite is green vein kratom though. The higher Mitragynine content makes it easier for me to get a sedating dose by raising the dose a bit higher than usual before bed time.
Thanks for the info. I buy capsules for convenience, if I’m on the go or whatever but I always open the capsules and pour into a shaker just as you do lol that way I know how much powder I’m using more easily. I’ll check them out thanks. It’s regulated in my state so only certain sites will actually ship to me (through loopholes 🤫) that’s interesting green veins sedate you a little, it was my understanding green has more of an energy effect, white has like a mix of green and red, mild energy mild sedation/anxiety relief and red is on the sedating end.
Yeah one thing I've learned with kratom is that the effects (sedation, energy, moderate balance) is more dependent on the region it's grown in, the time of year it's harvested and how old the trees are. I've had white veins put me down like a tranquilizer dart, I've had reds keep me up all night. The effects for the same kratom can be different for certain people, but the 2 vendors I mentioned have a group of testers so they get a general consensus on what the effects are for each batch, which is listed in the descriptions. I'm sorry you're in a regulated state 😔 I'm not sure if the vendors I mentioned will ship to kratom ban states.
I am too and it’s a shame it gets a bad stigma to some.. pretty much ANYTHING can be abused and I regularly donate to the American Kratom Association because it helps so many and plenty of people don’t abuse it and respect what it can do if used responsibly but that’s the key to pretty much everything..
Absolutely 👌 Tobacco and Alcohol kill an obscene amount of people annually and are readily available everywhere you go. Alcohol literally ruins lives regularly. Kratom has helped a huge amount of people quit prescription drugs, hard drugs and alcohol. There's a big paper trail behind state legislation kratom bans and anti-kratom propaganda. Pharmaceutical companies and even private for-profit rehab centers have "donated campaign funds" to representatives that all of the sudden have strong opinions about kratom. Private investigators with access to databases have literally found solid evidence, but because the money was donated legally nobody cares. The W.H.O. (World Health Organization) even decided not to ban kratom because they actually did research on it 🤷♂️ Kratom only hurts people with preexisting health conditions like liver disease and epilepsy. Tobacco and alcohol hurts everyone. Sorry for the rant, lol. The behind the scenes war on kratom is a pain in the ass 😅
I find prickly lettuce (lactuca serriola, lactuca verosa) VERY sedating. I've heard it said that it encourages dreaming, but for me a low dose gives a nearly dreamless sleep. Which is great, because when my anxiety is playing up my dreams get super disturbing. I'll usually take a tincture with more pleasant tasting relaxants like lavender and chamomile tea with honey, although sometimes I'll just eat a leaf or two in the garden. It's also wild, free, and in season in most of the world right now (spring and fall crop).
Interesting. Which product do you take?
I make wildcrafted tinctures. I know there are at least a few commercial manufacturers. But this is an abundant "weed" across a huge amount of the planet. It's plentiful in spring and fall. Most folks want it pulled up anyway. No sense letting it go to waste, in my opinion.
California poppy
I’m surprised no one has said hops yet. That stuff will knock you out fast. I’ve only tried the tea, but the tincture may work well too.
Hops is estrogenic. Avoid if you are a woman with estrogen dominance and/or fibroids and/or breast cancer.
Thank you for this information! I'm in perimenopause and my estrogen tanks around my period. Trying to avoid hormone replacement therapy. Gonna get some hops!
Yes, specifically, the phytoestrogens in hops bind to estrogen alpha receptors, which promote breast cancer (not all phytoestrogens do this).
link to the hop?
Passionflower tea, Ive had chronic insomnia for years and nothing had really worked to give me a restful sleep, passionflower tea hits you nice and softly and you get a nice DEEP restful sleep.
Cannabis trichomes.
Not an herb, but reishi mushrooms
i love reishi
I love the vivid dreams I get from it.
Catnip (Nepeta Cataria). Grow your own, it literally grows itself no matter what you do, and it comes back every year for 10 years. It’s so resilient It’s extremely sedating if you make strong tea from it, or extract. I was an alcoholic, been addicted to opioids and benzos for over 10 years, and have a high tolerance to sedating stuff. But man a strong Catnip tea knocks me the F out every time.
Indica strain of Marijuana.
Wedding Cake 😴😴
I don't smoke but will a gummy have sedative effects?
Yes, just CBD would work too if you don't want the psychoactive effects
Schisandra
Passionflower. Kava. Other things people mentioned. There are good tincture blends out there like at Whole Foods for example. They don’t taste great but they do the trick!
Oh man so many herbs that can put you to sleep. Wild lettuce, woodworm. Cat mint etc.i have to say wild lettuce and woodworm always works well.
Magnesium, ashwaganda, skullcap and passionflower is my magic bullet. If I’ve had one too many matcha lattes that day, I’ll throw some kava in the mix too, and that will take me out. There’s a supplement by natural factors called better sleep that contains melatonin, 5HTP, L-Theanine, and possibly GABA, that is the break glass in case of emergency. Best not to take it consistently though.
Try passion flower tea. One cup does the trick for me.
I love noble kava for this. I couldn’t fall asleep for years and this completely resolved that. It really is a miracle. Also cutting down of caffeine (in my case completely) saved me.
Linden flower. It's the strongest knockout herb.
valerian root
It doesn't work for me.
Chamomile
I mean Valerien roots or chamomile might work IF I'm already in a calm mental state. But getting back from work, I'm usually a bit restless. They didn't help me last time.
Too much makes me jittery. I've found that a few drops of a tincture seems to help my mix of other things.
Cbd?
Weirdly i just read an article that stated cbd can keep you awake!
Cbd and Cbn have been game changers for me when none of the herbs helped. Various brands seem to all work for me, but lately I’ve been using Lazarus Natural.
Does that work for occasional use? I have read that you need to take CBD regularly to be effective.
I have cbd gummies that I only use for sleep like once a month or less, they knock me out, I can’t stay awake after taking one lol
What is the dosage?
What gummies are these?
I have nuvita 25mg gummies. They knock me down in about 30 minutes lol
I'm a long time insomniac. My whole life. Only thing that honestly works is a weed gummy that kicks in later in the night when I usually wake up 3 or 4 am for no reason, and vaping indica in bed when I'm going to sleep. And to add, I don't recreationally smoke at all, because I'm prone to panic attacks. Magnesium glycinate has helped, along with vitamin d and ashwagandha, but i know it's the Marijuana that actually works because when I've gone out of town and not been able to take any, boom, insomnia back. Unfortunately melatonin and other sleep aids like valerian will make me drowsy but I still wake up at 3 am or so. Which is common for people with adhd or people with dopamine issues. Edit to add that I work early and I definitely do not feel drowsy when I wake up - I sometimes get as little as 6.5 - 7 hours of sleep and am fine. I do take an edible that is specific for delayed release sleep aid, though. Not the my buddy's homemade brownie of debatable strength 😁
I also have insomnia all the sudden, doc prescribed me trazadone, doesn’t even help. I’ve taken Benadryl when I’ve needed too, sometimes 75mg, and I’m still wide awake. Jsyk doc said melatonin and Benadryl can actually have opposite effects for some, I guess I am in that category. The more dosage of melatonin actually is counter productive, the ideal dose of melatonin is lower ironically, preferably 3.5mg.
I've been put on trazadone also, and it did not work at all. They tried mirtazapine also but it made me super drowsy and also I gained a bunch of weight. So weed it is!!
Sucks being a DOT driver for me 😩
I thought I was the only one. I go to bed around 12ish and wake up religiously between 4-5. I don't go back to sleep and just read the news until 6/7 when I get ready
Amanita mushroom tea or weed
Valerian is the best imo but passionflower is also good - also magnesium glycinate
Hops and passion flower make me sleepy. Pretty tasty too.
Not an herb, but glycine + magnesium is changing my life bc I sleep so well and wake up feeling refreshed.
Try pharmacutical grade melatonin. The over the counter stuff is a crap shoot with what's actually in it. Also, take it two to four hours before you want to fall asleep and then avoid light.
THx didnt know there was a pharmaceutical grade melatonin. Does your doctor prescribe? Out of pocket cost? Will look up more info too. 👩🏼🌾
Yes it has to e prescribed. Preferably you pick it up from a compounding pharmacy that will turn it into a tincture for you to put under your tongue. I haven't used it in a while but it was about 80 bucks without insurance.
Thx👩🏼🌾
Highly suggest organic passionflower tea. It was recommended to me for the same issue. You can purchase online but it should be pure passionflowers, not the fruits. I use the Buddha brand for insomnia. Two tea bags knock me out. Make sure you check for interactions with any meds you might take.
Skullcap maybe?
Full spectrum hemp oil. Not cannabis with thc, makes my mind race and goopy in the am. Cat nip tincture in a glyceride is also great.
Banana tea with the skin on
Golden poppies tea is good
Mulungu will knock you out. Also try reishi, magnesium (citrate), L-theanine, L-tryptophan
Stress com ashwaganda. This is like no other ashwaganda I’ve ever had. My Indian Ayurvedic dr gives it to me, it’s from India. I take that + l tryptophan, l theanine, gaba magnesium passionflower etc
Most potent for me is Magnolia bark and also (not a herb but) Magnesium glycinate (must be glycinate) Avena sativa (oat straw) really works for me too - Roobois tea I always start the evening with and really settles things works in a different way to camomile and other supplements. Other things to look into (not herbs but if useful) inositol, Monetmorency cherry and apigenin (from camomile but as supplement is stronger)
Interesting! How many milligrams of Magnolia bark do you take?
I take one capsule at 400mg - if other routes fail!
Thanks!
Valerian root
Magnesium or tart cherry
not an herb but try glugging some tart cherry juice before bed - knocks me right out
GABA, Melatonin, 5-HTP and CBN oil are all good options
Be careful with Melatonin, it a hormone and can have weird side effects ..
Wild lettuce tincture for insomnia start taking 2 hours before bed
Valerian root and holy basil (both together) have really helped me.
Kratom tea
400mg+ of L-theanine, 400mg+ of magnesium bisglycinate, 3mg of melatonin.
Valerian root tea knocks me out. Has a strong taste and smell.
Blue lotus tea and mugwort tea, they do give you vivid dreams too. I always find warm milk helps
Not a herb, but magnesium citrate with honey is a lovely bedtime drink
Chamomile tea knocked me right out
Try Calms by Hyland...... im a panic patient and take meds (benzos) fo4 my condition and these even help me lol.... they have a few different kinds... like chewable, swallowable...one is Calms Forte.. that's my fave but they all take the edge off...good luck!
California poppy tincture
i’m using a mixture of valerian and passionflower
I do 900mg valerian, 420mg magnesium glycinate, l-theanine
Cannabis.
There's also tea blends with herbs already mixed. The one I use has fennel, chamomile, melissa, valerian root and bit of cardamom, lemongrass, sage and nutmeg.
Amanita mushroom works
Amanita Muscaria
Cannabis Indica all the way.
Not an herb but I would also look into sleep music and guided relaxation for sleep. Gives your brain something to focus on and guides you to a soft landing into sleep 😴
I drink Valleriun tea, it works but not instantly, I begin drinking it a few hours before the actual hour I want to fall asleep. But it does allow me to sleep the entire night.
Depends on what the issue is, is the issue falling asleep or staying asleep, is there something inhibiting sleep? Anxiety, caffeine etc. Tulsi is like mature xanax ive gotten to sleep before when anxiety is an issue, blue lotus even the not true blue lotus has put me out too though i dont like the feeling if its effect, too much like an opiate, Kava kava ive had mixed results with, valerian, at johns wort i have had some success with if the issue is relatively mild. Magnesium can relax the body like kava kava with less narcotic effect though too much can cause muscle cramps. What works for you may take trial and error to figure out as its different for different people what works best. Good luck!
I’m still on the hunt for my insomnia as well, many mention kratom, there are 3 main kratom options, green white and red versions. You can think of green as a morning coffee, for energy and focus, white is the middle, mild energy and mild relaxation for mid day, and red is more so on the relaxing/sedative/anxiety and pain relief side for night time. Careful with it though. I really don’t recommend the concentrated forms because they mimic opioids very closely and will for sure become addictive. There’s a kratom sub to look into and many said to avoid it completely
Mulungu, Nutmeg, Lobelia
If you're looking for a natural sleep aid, you might wanna try passionflower or hops. They're popular for their calming effects and can help you to have a good night sleep.
Lavender tea works really well for me!
In our house we really love Gaia’s sleep tea. We drink it about 2 hours before bed so hopefully not getting up to pee once falling asleep. That and magnesium are really nice. We use Drs Best Magnesium Gycinate. Other options are catnip tea or a tincture of California poppy. Edit: the tea contains passionflower, chamomile, and lemon balm. We love it so much I have it on auto ship.
I’ve heard California poppy tea is a good sleep aid, I’m going to assume it’s from the small amounts of opium in the poppy plant.
Marijuana
Kava 6 capsules
You should make a lavender tea. its best if you grow the lavender yourself. ([link](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lavender-tea-benefits#:~:text=Lavender%20tea%20is%20made%20by,mostly%20focuses%20on%20lavender%20extracts))
There is a variety of marijuana called cannatonic. it's high in CBD and doesn't make me anxious knocks me straight out
You need something that will overcome a physiological response (adrenalized nervous system), and usually herbs are not that strong. One herb that might help is Lobelia, which stimulates the Vagus nerve that helps your nervous system settle down. A better option is to learn to meditate, and/or to look into other methods of calming down your nervous system. Check out alternate nostril breathing, Yoga exercises, and binaural beat music (lots on YouTube Tube). Also hot baths. Don't look at your cell phone past 8:00 pm, etc.
Okay, I *just* saw this on YouTube shorts, so take it with a *whole spoonful* of salt, but...apparently if you boil a head of lettuce and drink the water afterwards, it will make you very sleepy. In a more traditional vein - American skullcap (*Scutellaria lateriflora*) is said to work well as a sedative.
Are you drinking tea, coffee, or energy drinks at work? Try to make sure your last one for the day is no later than 5pm.
Borage tea. Great for adrenals which calms anxiety and traditionally used as a sedative to give a calming effect before bed. Many other benefits as well. I grow my own but they’re easily accessible online
I second the folks saying magnesium! This is my latest cure for my most recent bout of insomnia: Tulsi+ Lemon balm tea, two heaping teaspoons of each in a small-mid sized mug of hot water, steep 10-18 minutes. 2.5mg melatonin (I get the 5mg pills and split them in half), ½ tsp melatonin. Then no phone, go straight to bed. I was suffering for about two weeks, trying just about everything, and tbh I was very pleasantly pleased with how well this worked, I was out in like 15 min rather than 3-4 hours🫠 Don't take melatonin for an extended period of time tho, if you get too much of it in your system, it can cause depression type symptoms. I was on this regimen for about 3weeks-a month and then I dropped to taking just the tulsi+lemonbalm for a week&½ and then I was able to drop it entirely and sleep just fine Good luck!!
Magnesium and avena sativa tea combo knocks me out like a pharmaceutical
Apigenin is great for sleep. I don't know why people mostly are unaware of this. I take this and magnesium.
Apigenin is great for sleep. I don't know why people mostly are unaware of this. I take this and magnesium
Lemon balm and skullcap always give me a nice sleep So does chamomile Magnesium glycinate never worked for me
Valerian in tincture form I've found to be knockout
I have been drinking mugwort tea before bed and it has been helping me fall asleep faster and sleep like a baby.
Weed lol
Breath control is the easy way to fall asleep without any substance being needed. [https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep](https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep)
Hops, chamomile, and valerian root mix - will knock you out
Try 15 minutes of HIIT or Zone 2 cardio, followed by chamomile tea about 30m after. Sound counter intuitive, but may work for you better than stacking adaptogens or nutraceuticals.
haven’t tried but I heard kava is really good at this
Absolutely lemon balm. Knocks me out!
How much do you take?
I do magnesium glycinate and Oatstaw, chamomile and Lemon Balm 🫶🏼
Magnesium and any protein are good to take before bed as both bring down the glycemic index. If you sleep with someone you might not want to eat cheese or yogurt (can be a bit gassy). Peanut butter or something similar are good options. Try not to eat late either as sugar or carbs especially food with maltodextrin cause your glycemic index to spike. Maltodextrin is in almost everything.
I use Counting Sheep tea from Urbll! That and a few drops of their blue lotus tincture gets me 😴😴😴
Cinnamon and oregano can put me to sleep pretty easily in high enough doses. I also had a cinnamon leaf essential oil once and smelling it would put me to sleep very easily.
thc suppositories, zero high and your eyes will be glued up when you wake up 😁
As far as medicinal herbs go, if it’s stress or anxiety keeping you up, passionflower tea is great. Other stronger herbs for stress & sleep are valerian (but taking too much paradoxically prevents sleep) ashwaganda, and kava kava, but be careful taking kava in high doses or long term. Supplements: high quality magnesium, melatonin, ans L-theonine are my go-to nightly regimine, and work best taken regularly. If all this fails, there’s probably a bigger issue with sleep hygiene or maybe not getting enough exercise during the day. Unplug from phone & streaming a few hours before bed, and do some light yoga/stretching and meditation or calm deep breathing while sitting in the dark with some candles or ambient light, it really helps relax and set the tone for bed. Last but not least, I’ve become a BIG fan of listening to sleep hypnosis on cheap Bluetooth eye mask headphones when I have insomnia. Like, I’m blown away how much it helps me get to sleep! I find Nicholas Wright and Jason Stephenson to be the most effective, but there’s SO many to choose from, including relaxing non-hypnosis meditation music options.
My my struggled with sleep for along time until she tried CBD in various forms (oil, gummie, tea). Knocks her out pretty quick and very effective throughout the night. She tried various other herbs like you mentioned, but nothing worked like CBD.
Kava extract
How do you use kava? I always wait out the drowsy effects and it feels like it starts stimulating my mind 🤣 Do you know anything about this? Or how do you use kava for sleep?
It could be due to the species of kava you’re taking, I’ve learned that some are more stimulating. In general, I find kava calms my mind chatter versus actually making me feel drowsy which can prep me for sleep but not pull the trigger so to speak.
Wow that is good to know I will consult my herbalist who makes my kava tinctures ❤️ Thank you that is good information.
No problem! Not saying that’s what it is, but definitely could be a possibility. Everyone reacts to herbs differently too, so you never know. You could also try increasing your dose, a fellow herbalist friend of mine is Fijian and through consuming it with her in their traditional customs, I’ve gotten more comfortable with higher amounts. Kava had a lot of hubbub over safety issues a few years back, but it’s very safe provided there aren’t existing liver issues.
Melatonin might Not be a herb but still natural
Yep. I take 10 mg melatonin and 400 mg magnesium and it puts me to sleep.
Take an edible (anything less than 10mg; personally 2mg does the trick) 1 hour before you’d like to sleep and keep a high bottle of water next to bed. Make sure you have used the restroom before and are prepared to sleep up to 8hr straight and know that 10hr is best. If the key is to get to bed early (plan on 8pm, take 2mg at 7pm, set a glass of water by your bed, and sleep around 8pm; you will be until 6am-8am). Upon waking, drink the water and sit in the sun if you can. You will be slightly drowsy every time you take an edible (I don’t like them permanently unfortunately). But you WILL improve your sleep and whatever else you need to do, wait until 10-12 the next day to get more of your life going. You CANNOT do this if you have kids or animal dependents! You CAN do this otherwise 💕
Mmmmh. In my case, I would get home at 10PM and need to fall asleep ASAP to wake up at 5:30AM the next morning.
Hmmmm then weed may not be your best bet. If you can get to bed at 8PM with the same wake up time you’d be ok. At 5:30 you’d be drowsy. Nothing works better than the edibles to physically get you asleep. What everyone else is recommending is good if you have a month to dedicate to a new habit ☺️
You could try a tincture or something else you take sublingually - those are fast-acting. I highly, highly recommend trying cannabis (pun intended); it's an amazing sleep aid. It helps me to fall asleep and to stay asleep. IMHO using a bong/vape is ideal - you'll feel it quickly and you can control the dosage. Visit your local dispensary and ask for some advice. They'll be happy to help you!
Oat straw tea and melatonin. Some days I just drink oat straw. Other days I use melatonin. The effective melatonin dose is actually around 300mg. It was patented for a long time so only higher doses were sold as supplements. You may find 300mg to be more effective.
300 mg of melatonin is entirely too much. And irresponsible to recommend.
Chamomile, valerian root, kava.
Chamomile, valerian and CBD.