8 Traditional Herbal Remedies for Insomnia
Treating insomnia with natural herbs is a safe and gentle solution chosen by many people. Below are 8 folk remedies for insomnia using medicinal plants.
Prolonged insomnia can lead to severe debilitation; chronic insomnia reduces quality of life, causing fatigue, decreased concentration, impaired memory, and significantly impacting the patient's life.
Below are some simple, easy-to-apply home remedies that can help patients improve their sleep.
1. Lotus embryo (Lotus heart, lotus seed heart - Embryo Nelumbinis)
The lotus embryo is the young sprout inside the lotus seed, dark green in color. Phytochemical studies have investigated and proven the presence of active compounds such as bisclaurin, betus, isoliensinine, liensinine, lotusine, motylcon, neferine, paline, etc.
With these active ingredients, lotus seed extract helps relax the smooth muscles of blood vessel walls, lowering blood pressure, preventing arrhythmias, inhibiting platelet aggregation to prevent blood clotting, and improving myocardial ischemia.
How to use:
- Method 1: Boil 10g of lotus seed embryo with 100ml of boiling water for 10-15 minutes, let it steep, and drink before bed.
- Method 2: Lotus seed 8g, licorice 6g, black beans 12g, cypress seed 12g, cassia seed 10g. Boil with 500ml of water, reduce to 300ml, drink twice a day.
Note: Do not use fresh lotus seeds for people who show signs of being afraid of cold, have cold hands and feet, poor appetite, or lack of interest in food.
2. Erythrina variegata L.
It is the dried leaves of the Barringtonia acutangula tree, which are neutral in nature, bitter in taste, and have a calming effect.
How to use:
- Method 1: Dry the leaves of the Erythrina variegata plant until slightly wilted, chop them finely, put them in a teapot, boil them, and drink the resulting decoction like tea daily before bed.
- Method 2: 16g of Erythrina variegata leaves, 10g of roasted jujube seeds, 5g of roasted lotus seeds. Steep with 1000ml of boiling water, add 2-3 fresh jasmine flowers, and drink as tea daily.
- Method 3: 13g of Erythrina variegata leaves, 15g of Passiflora incarnata, 2g of lotus seeds, 10g of mulberry leaves. Boil with water and drink as tea daily before bed.
3. Passionflower (Passiflora foetida L.)
The dried above-ground parts of the passionflower plant have a sweet, slightly bitter taste and a cooling effect. They are used to calm the nerves, reduce fever, cool the liver, and treat nervous exhaustion, palpitations, and insomnia with frequent dreams.
How to use:
- Method 1: Drink 15g of dried passionflower tea daily.
- Method 2: 50g of Passiflora incarnata, 30g of Vitex trifolia leaves, 10g of mulberry leaves, 2g of Nelumbo nucifera seeds. Boil with 700ml of water, reduce to 200ml, divide into 2 doses and drink twice a day.
- Method 3: 500g of passionflower (including roots, young fruits, and stems), 300g of jasmine flowers, and 100g of young bitter gourd leaves. Roast them until fragrant, then add 50g of roasted mung beans (with hulls), grind them into a fine powder. Mix 3 teaspoons with 100ml of boiling water daily and drink as a substitute for tea.
4. Longan (Arillus Longan)
Dried longan is the pulp of the longan fruit, sun-dried and oven-dried after harvesting. Dried longan contains: adenine, choline, glucose, sucrose (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine); protein, tartaric acid, fat, vitamins A and B.
Longan has a sweet taste and warm nature, helping to nourish the heart and spleen, replenish blood and calm the nerves, and treat symptoms such as loss of appetite, excessive worry, forgetfulness, palpitations, insomnia, spontaneous sweating, and startled fear.
How to use:
- Method 1: Boil 100g of fresh longan pulp with 200ml of water and drink before bedtime every day.
- Method 2: 30g longan, 30g astragalus, 30g poria cocos, 15g wood incense, 3g sour jujube seed, 15g ginseng, 8g licorice, 3g angelica sinensis, 3g polygala tenuifolia. Soak in alcohol for as long as possible. Drink 1-2 small cups daily before meals.
5. Jujube seeds (Semen Ziziphi mauritianae)
These are the dried or sun-dried seeds of sour apples (Apricot kernels). The chemical composition of sour apple kernels contains alkaloids that can affect the nervous system, influencing mood and relaxation, and may have antibacterial or anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, sour apple kernels contain many other substances, including vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that can support health.
Jujube seeds are neutral in nature, sour and sweet in taste, and have the effect of nourishing the liver, calming the nerves, stopping sweating, and invigorating the heart; they treat symptoms such as palpitations, restlessness, insomnia, fatigue, weakness, and excessive sweating.
How to use:
- Method 1: 8g of roasted jujube seeds, 4g of licorice, 8g of Poria cocos, 8g of Stephania tetrandra. Decoction to be taken twice a day.
- Method 2: 6g of roasted jujube seeds, 5g of Poria cocos, 3g of Ligusticum chuanxiong, 4g of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, 2g of licorice. Boil with 500ml of water, reduce to 200ml, and divide into two doses per day.
6. Stephania rotunda Lour. (Elephantopus rotunda)
The active compound Rotudin has been proven and extracted from the Stephania root, which has sedative, tranquilizing, cardiovascular regulating, and antispasmodic effects on coronary muscles.
Stephania root has a cooling nature, a bitter-sweet taste, and helps to calm the nerves and clear the lungs.
How to use:
- Method 1: 8g of Stephania tetrandra root, lotus seeds, 10g of longan, 10g of roasted jujube seeds, 12g of Vinca leaves. Boil and drink twice before bedtime.
- Method 2: Dry the Stephania root, use 3-6g and boil with 1000ml of water for 20-25 minutes. Drink as a daily tea substitute.
7. Mulberry (Fructus Mori albae)
Mulberries, the ripe red fruit of the mulberry tree (Mulberry), are warm in nature, sweet, and slightly sour in taste. Their uses include clearing heat, nourishing yin, replenishing blood, moistening the intestines, and promoting bowel movements; they are used to treat dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, thirst, constipation, etc.
Instructions: Wash 60g of fresh mulberries and boil them with 500ml of warm water. Drink twice a day, in the evening. For chronic insomnia, use: 15g of mulberry fruit, 15g of Rehmannia glutinosa, and 15g of Paeonia lactiflora. Boil with 700ml of water, reduce to 200ml, and divide into two doses per day.
8. Mimosa pudica L. (Sensitive plant)
Modern medicine has researched and shown that the components of the chastetree plant contain many compounds that can improve the central nervous system's efficiency, reduce fatigue and stress. At the same time, it prolongs sleep by enhancing biphasic activity. This leads to longer, deeper, and more restful sleep.
How to use:
- Method 1: Wash the roots of the chaste tree, cut them into small pieces, and dry them. Boil the dried chaste tree roots with 1 liter of water until it reduces to about 200ml, then turn off the heat. Divide into two portions and drink twice a day.
- Method 2: Dry the chaste tree flowers, use about 1 teaspoon to steep with a little boiling water, drink before going to bed at night. Use chaste tree flowers to treat insomnia continuously for about 1 week to see a noticeable improvement in sleep.
In addition, traditional medicine offers many methods to treat insomnia and improve the quality of life for patients, such as acupuncture, massage and acupressure, thread embedding, therapeutic exercises, and foot baths.
