Author: Ozren Podnar |
5 plants for insomnia and anxiety |
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Pharmaceutical tranquilizers - anxiolytics and sedatives - can be effective in the first few days of treatment.
However, these drugs cause many side effects and have an addiction potential.
Over time, their effectiveness decreases and increasing the doses becomes necessary to achieve the same effect.
The longer you take these drugs, the harder it becomes to break a habit because of the serious withdrawal symptoms.
Many plants with a calming effect are much better tolerated, and do not cause side effects.
The most well-know anxiolytic plants are valerian, kava kava, passion flower and lemon balm. St. John's wort is also thought to be beneficial.
1. Kava kava
Originally from Oceania, Kava kava (lat. Piper methysticum) is considered the "king" of natural tranquilizers.
Kava kava has nothing to do with the similarly called popular beverage coffee. In fact, its effect is the opposite to that of coffee.
Kava kava root is rich with kavalactones, a group of compounds with psychoactive properties.
Some of kavalaktones are soothing, others uplifting, while the third increase stress resistance.
All the above properties are very important for the suppression of various aspects of anxiety - stress, insomnia and worry.
Thanks to kavalactones, kava kava is almost as effective as the drugs from the class of benzodiazepines, but is better tolerated and not addictive.
While the Oceania natives take kava kava in the form of drink, in Europe and America it is sold in pills or capsules.
The effective daily dose ranges from 100 to 250 milligrams. It is not recommended to take kava kava for more than three consecutive months.
2. Valerian
Valerian root (lat. Valeriana officinalis) provides relief from strong stress and tension inherent to anxiety.
Valerian extract, obtained by drying the rhizome and roots of the plant, has been used over a thousand years against a range of disorders.
Among them are insomnia, anxiety and anxiety-related digestive disorders.
Scientists assume that linarin and valeric acid are responsible for the anxiolytic properties of this herb.
The molecule of the valerian extract alleviates anxiety and insomnia because it is similar to the molecule of a calming brain chemical.
Valerian is taken in capsules or pills and is also available in the form of tinctures.
For insomnia, it is recommended to take a single dose of 400-900 mg extract half an hour before bedtime.
If you suffer from anxiety, take valerian three times daily in doses of 220 mg.
It is not advisable to take valerian for a long time without a break, and the total daily dose should not exceed 1.800 mg.
Valerian is very well tolerated and does not cause side effects.
While taking valerian, do not drink alcohol because their combination can cause excessive sedation.
3. Passion flower
Passion flower (lat. Passiflora incarnata) is considered by some a milder version of kava kava.
Studies have shown that it has a calming effect, but not as strong as kava kava's.
Use passion flower if you have a mild anxiety, but if it is moderate to severe, you will probably need a more powerful remedy.
Passion flower, which literally means flower of suffering (from the Latin passio - suffering and flos - flower), alleviates mental and muscular tension.
It is beneficial for insomnia caused by anxiety.
Studies have found that compounds called flavonoids are responsible for the relaxing and calming effect of passion flower.
The European pharmacologists recommend passion flower with at least 0.8 percent flavonoids.
The recommended dose is one to two capsules with 200 mg of dry extract.
You can make tea by adding two to five grams of dried passion flower into half a pint of boiling water.
Passion flower is available as a tincture - take it as directed on the bottle.
It is successfully combined with valerian, lemon balm and other herbs with sedative characteristics.
4. Lemon balm
Lemon balm (lat. Melissa officinalis) is a plant related to mint.
As early as the Middle Ages it was used to relieve stress and anxiety, to bring sedation and to improve appetite and digestion.
One study showed that 600 mg of lemon balm extract elevates mood, brings a sense of calm and increases concentration.
Several studies have confirmed that the balm works best in combination with other herbal remedies, specifically with valerian, passion flower and chamomile.
Thus, in one study, 81 percent of the patients slept better after taking a combination of lemon balm and valerian compared with patients who were given a placebo.
Other studies that dealt with anxiety determined the effectiveness of a mixture of lemon balm and other herbs with calming effect.
The recommended dose for insomnia and anxiety is 300 to 500 mg of dry extract two or three times a day, or 60 drops of tincture daily.
5. St. John's wort
St. John's wort (lat. Hypericum perforatum) is primarily an antidepressant, but it is also effective against anxiety.
These two illnesses are closely related since anxiety is present in two-thirds of people with depression.
The antidepressant and anxiolytic activity of St. John's wort has been found in a number of studies, and its efficiency is attributed to the ingredients hypericin and hyperforin.
It is assumed that the active ingredients of this extract prevent the breakdown of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, whose presence is necessary for the well-being and the sense of calm.
Against depression and anxiety St. John's wort is taken in capsules or tablets with dried extract of the plant.
The usual dose of St. John's wort extract is 900 mg per day divided into three doses of 300 mg each, preferably during meals.
Some herbalists allow for larger doses, up to 1.800 mg per day.
St. John's wort is extremely well tolerated. It is very rarely accompanied by side effects such as hypersensitivity to sunlight, dry mouth and milder gastrointestinal symptoms.
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