Is Election Day anxiety keeping you up at night? No need to pop melatonin pills or doomscroll until your eyelids start drooping. There are a number of natural sleep aids that can help you get out of that sleepless funk. We asked experts from national brands to recommend herbal remedies for a better night of sleep.
Some Pointers on Natural Sleep Aids
Herbal medicine often gets dismissed as “woo woo,” but there’s a lot of science behind it. Doctors, including the medical professionals at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, have studied herbs’ effects on the nervous system. The most effective natural sleep aids are “nervines,” herbs that act on the nervous system to calm you down. So, the doctors at the VA compiled data on nervines and what they do. A few of the nervine herbs to look for in the teas you buy as natural sleep aids are:
- Valerian: This ancient botanical is thought to work on receptors in the brain to combat insomnia, especially when used longer term according to several medical studies.
- Hops: They’re often combined with Valerian and also thought to act on melatonin receptors in the brain.
- Lemon Balm: Often invasive in home gardens, lemon balm has been used since the middle ages to soothe anxiety and insomnia. It’s available in both leaf form and in tinctures.
- Chamomile: This well known, classic natural sleep aid can be helpful when you drink it thirty minutes prior to going to bed.
Keep an eye out for these ingredients in the teas you buy. Herbalists that specialize in tinctures and holistically made, loose-leaf tea put a lot of care into what they make. To make sure you can combat those sleepless nights refreshing polling numbers, TABLE sought out teamakers across the country with blends specifically meant to help you get to sleep.
Cutting Root Apothecary recommends…
Sweet Slumber Tea Blend
A relaxing blend of herbs perfect to drink before sleep to promote peaceful dreams. Ingredients: all organic: catnip, chamomile, oatstraw, skullcap, mugwort, hops. Aroma and taste: Floral and green. Brew time: 2-3 minutes
ZZZZZs Tincture
Formulated to help you get to sleep and stay asleep, these herbs are relaxing and supportive to an overworked nervous system. Take 1 – 2 dropperfuls before sleep. Ingredients: Hops strobile, valerian root, catnip leaf, passionflower leaf, mint leaf, water, ethanol.
Boulder Dushanbe Tea House recommends…
Dreamtime Tea Organic
All organic ingredients including: spearmint, linden leaf and flower, chamomile, rosemary, hops flowers, jasmine petals, calendula flowers, skullcap, and mugwort. Spearmint adds a bright, aromatic touch, complimented by the full flavors of chamomile and rosemary, accented by the smooth, floral qualities of jasmine. A pale yellow colored cup has a sweet, minty aroma. The flavor is bright, and fresh with a light, aromatic finish; Top notes of spearmint lead to mid tones of chamomile with end notes of jasmine.
Sleep Deep Tea Organic
Each selection in our line of wellness tea is made with all organic ingredients. Sleep Deep includes valerian root, spearmint leaf, linden leaf and flowers, chamomile, passionflower, skullcap, and hops flowers. A yellow tinted cup has a full minty aroma. The palate is bright, and sweet with a refreshing finish. Top notes of spearmint lead to mid tones of chamomile with light, nutty endnotes.
The Tea Spot recommends…
Lights Out
Organic Lights Out is a caffeine-free herbal tea that features a base of hibiscus flower, a beloved ingredient with a long history of use in traditional medicine. The tea is naturally sweetened with licorice root, and softened with lavender, chamomile flowers, and peppermint leaves, making it the perfect bedtime beverage to help you fall asleep. Additionally, Lights Out includes valerian root.
Farmhouse Teas recommends…
Hops in the Sack Tincture Mix
When it’s time to hit the hay and you find your counting sheep and talking to the Shepherd try adding some Hops in the Sack Tincture mix to your nightly routine! (Don’t stop talking to the Shepherd though!) A few drops in a cup of hot water at night or quickly under the tongue can help bring the peaceful feeling of sleepiness along.
Plumb Tuckered Out Herbal Tea
With a blend of calming herbs like chamomile, spearmint, and lemongrass, our Plumb Tuckered Out Herbal Tea offers a comforting aroma and perfectly balance. Has chamomile, spearmint, blackberry, hawthorne, lemongrass and linden.
Triple Moon Alchemy recommends…
Good Night Tea Blend
Reach for this blend 30-60 mins before bed. Steep to your desired strength and enjoy a restful night. Has hops, chamomile, lemon balm, valerian, lavender, and stevia for sweetness.
Not Today, Satan
The title says it all—perfect for fighting Election Day anxiety .Reach for this blend when it’s time to nourish your nerves. This blend is a synergy of several nervine herbs that have been known to help to align you with a more calm and peaceful disposition. Has skullcap, tulsi, oat straw, violet, marshmallow root
Story by Emma Riva
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