Is sleep something you can only dream about? Are you unable to sleep because you are in pain?
Are you caught up in the pain and insomnia cycle?
Chronic pain is the number one cause of sleep disruption, insomnia and depression and I know from personal experience it is a vicious cycle. But, that’s what makes it treatable, by using naturally occurring anti inflammatory and sedative properties of many plants, fruits and vegetables that ‘cycle’ CAN be broken with time, patience and a little belief thrown in for good measure.
Mother nature provides us with a wealth of natural options, there are many herbs, flowers, vegetables, nuts and fruits that naturally contain properties that reduce and alleviate pain and calm the body and prepare it for sleep. It was once said ‘We are what we eat’ and in the case of treating many illnesses and chronic conditions like insomnia and pain no truer words have been spoken.
Plants, vegetables, fruits, nuts and herbs are powerful natural healers, many of the compounds found in nature are synthetically made for the medications prescribed by your doctor, but my question is, why have a synthetic version when you can have the REAL deal...
Author’s Note: Many of the herbs, plants, fruits etc have multiple healing actions but for hte purpose of this series I have only concentrated upon inducing sleep and relieving pain.
A Handful of Herbs that are Natural Sleep Inducers and Pain Relievers
Chamomile: German(Matricaria recutita) Roman/English (Chamaemelum nobile)
Chamomile tea is probably one of the most reputed natural sleep remedies known today, some describe it as the European answer to ginseng. Did you know it’s estimated that over one MILLION cups of chamomile tea are drunk worldwide everyday and chamomile has been officially ‘recorded’ as a drug by many countries and included in their official drug pharmacopoeia’s?
German or Roman chamomile are the two main chamomile varieties that are used for their healing properties, however, German chamomile is the most popular variety used to make a herbal tea, often drunk up to three times a day with a spoonful of honey and a slice of lemon.
The fresh or dried flowers of Chamomile have been used to treat insomnia and relieve pain for thousands of years, records of its use date back to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. Extensive research over the last twenty years has officially confirmed what the ancients already knew: Chamomile has anti inflammatory, muscle relaxing and sedative qualities!
Chamomiles amazing qualities are thought to be a combination of its powerful volatile oils and two of its main flavonoids called ‘chrysin’ and ‘apinegin’. What ever it has, the simplicity of a warming cup of tea that has an aroma of sweet apples is comfort in itself, simply allow the fresh or dried flowers to steep gently in hot water, then sip slowly then relax into bed and let the healing begin.
Warning
Chamomile may make asthma worse, so people with asthma should take it with caution and under the instruction of a qualified healthcare professional.
Pregnant women should avoid chamomile because of the risk of miscarriage.
Drinking large amounts of highly concentrated chamomile tea may cause vomiting.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Another herb that has been used medicinally by the Greeks, and was dedicated to the goddess of Diana for its calming and soothing qualities. Lemon balm is commonly used as a remedy for insomnia and can be a powerful sleep aid especially when mixed with other sleep inducing herbs like Valerian.
Lemon balm volatile oils contain chemicals that work on the central nervous system and specific muscles causing them to relax. Herbal teas of lemon balm and valerian have been professionally prescribed recently for treating insomnia in preference over ‘commercial’ drugs.
Warning
When used in conjunction with other ‘sedating’ drugs and herbs lemon balm can cause over sedation.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate)
Passionflower blossoms were used by the Aztecs for their sedative and analgesic effects. It’s true what the folklore says: you can guess what many healing properties of a flower are by looking at its shape, and the stunningly, beautiful, ‘peaceful’ shape of the passionflower bloom is no exception.
An active ingredient in passionflower called ‘harmine’ is held responsible for inducing the calming, sedative properties that make passionflower such a good remedy for insomnia. It works by inhibiting the breakdown of serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter which is an actively involved with sleep and depression and memory. ‘Harmine’ is also responsible for reducing pain levels especially nerve pain, reducing muscle spasms and cramps making such a beautiful bloom a godsend for those who have insomnia and chronic pain.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
This is an amazingly powerful herb and it has been used for thousands of years as a sedative and more recently it has been used to treat pain by taking advantage of it’s muscle relaxing values.Valerian has a slightly different action to that of other sleep inducing herbs, like chamomile for example. It works on the nervous or anxious part of the mind that prevents a person from falling asleep, so it actually ‘encourages’ you to sleep rather than ‘puts’ you to sleep.
Research has shown valerian to have over 120 chemical components, a potent yet soothingly gentle action herb, is sedative effects are renowned for being subtle and promoting a more natural sleep rather than a ‘knock you out’ induced sleep, that some herbs can have. It also plays a huge role in re-regulating disrupted sleep patterns in the brain especially in insomniacs who primarily have difficulty is settling down to sleep.
Research has shown that valerian’s action of helping you to ‘go’ to sleep doesn’t interrupt the all important ‘normal’ cycles of sleep, and so it works primarily on the quality of the sleep you get rather than the amount. Another string to valerians bow, it it’s mild tranquilizer and hypnotic effects, used effectively for muscle relaxants to ease rheumatic pain and in assisting in ‘weaning’ patients off prescription medications like benzodiazepines.
St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
St John’s Wort has a worldwide reputation as a powerful anti depressant, but it is also an effective analgesic. It’s believed the knights used St Johns Wort oil to treat their painful wounds during the Crusade and over the thousands of years that it has been used as a healing herb, St Johns Wort has had many healing hats, from a nerve tonic, painkiller to sedative.
St John’s Wort works best on the ‘difficult’ to control pains associated with the ‘neuralgia’ or ‘nerve type pain’ like those of shingles, sciatica, fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions which are more debilitating than the ‘typical’ raw pains of arthritis and rheumatism which it also is successful in treating.
Warning
This is a very very powerful herb and can be dangerous if mistreated and misused, for this reason it should NOT be taken without professional advice and guidance, for this reason I am not going to include recipes or step by step remedies. Please treat this herb with the respect it deserves, and seek professional guidance.
There are many many more sleep inducing and pain relieving herbs, far too many to list here. I hope this article has fanned the flames of desire to seek out natural herbal remedies for your troubles. In part two of this series, I will be looking at the different fruits, vegetables, nuts and foods that have the same properties as the herbs listed here.
Writer’s Disclaimer
This article has been written for informational purposes only and I would like the information presented here to be used as such enabling you to be aware of the facts and be able to make an informed choice.
This information is in NO way, shape or form meant to replace professional medical advice or treatment provided by and prescribed by your healthcare professional.
Herbs can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider.
Author’s Note
I have personally had great relief from the pain and discomfort of fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome by using many of these natural remedies. As former nurse, I trusted Western medicine to help me when I had an accident two years ago, injuring my back. But, sadly, Western medicine could not help me, but, I have been changed forever by the conventional pain medications I used, which have altered my neural pathways robbing me of memories, conversations and words.
A former ER Nurse with over 15 years experience is now a healer of The Earth. I have now dedicated my life to tending my piece of paradise and returning the chemical torn landscape back to its former glory with lovingly applied organic principles and tender loving care. I am on a quest to help share my knowledge of organic vegetable growing, so you and others may feel the goodness of Mother Nature and eat her bountiful gifts.
