Making Herbal Sleep Remedies

by Susan Cameron, Herbalist

In our everyday lives most of us take the role of plants almost entirely for granted. Learning to use herbs in simple and practical ways can be the first time we truly begin to appreciate the value of plants. Herbs have extraordinary diversity of use and a range of properties. Practical herbalism is a gentle art and a pleasurable one and provides a direct and intimate contact with the plant world, a contact which is often lacking in our urbanized and consumer-oriented lives.

For thousands of years, people have used aromatherapy as an aid to physical and emotional well-being. We can trace its use back to the ancient Egyptians and to the Far East, particularly in China. Oils are extracted from the flowers of some plants and the leaves of others. Their use in aromatherapy is effective because it links two potent forces - the healing ability of the oils themselves and the receptivity of the human skin and sense of smell.

The natural fragrances of herbs and flowers have long been shown to encourage vivid, romantic, soothing, creative or erotic dreams. By blending certain herbs together you can create peaceful slumber, inspiring creativity, prophetic dreams or romantic dreams. Dream blends are very different from potpourri. Dream blends do not contain fragrance oils or essential oils. Never use any kind of oils in dream blends because the results can be very unpredictable. In the case of fragrance or potpourri oils, as the oils evaporate, they change aromas, often causing unpleasant results in the dream.

To induce restful sleep blend ¼ cup each of lavender flowers, mugwort and sweet hops together. You can create a simple dream pillow for yourself by making a 3 by 5 inch cotton drawstring bag. Place ½ cup of the herbs in the bag and draw the strings closed and tie.

For stress-reducing rest, blend ½ cup of hops, ½ cup of mugwort and 1/8 cup of sweet marjoram together. Again, place about ½ cup of the blend in a simple bag and place beside you when you go to sleep.

For peaceful sleep, blend ¼ cup of each of the following together, roses or rose petals, rosemary, lavender flowers and sweet hops.

For wonderfully relaxing dreams, blend ½ cup of mugwort and ½ cup of lavender flowers together. You will just drift off to sleep and wake up not remembering a thing. What else could you ask for from a relaxing blend?

For dreams of your favorite someone, blend the following together, ½ cup of rose petals, ½ cup rosemary, ¼ cup lavender flowers, 2 lemon verbena leaves, crushed, 1 teaspoon mint, 4 whole cloves, 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, 1 inch long, broken up, and 3 mimosa flowers, for a slightly more sensual mixture. Place ½ of the blend in your drawstring bag, turn on your favorite music and drift off to your own private island.

For inspiring creativity blend the following together, ½ cup of rose petals, ¼ cup mugwort, ¼ cup lavender flowers, 1/6 cup chopped pine needles, cut ¼ inch or shorter, 3 dried french marigold blossoms, ½ inch piece of cinnamon stick, broken up, 3 whole cloves, 2 tablespoons new leather trimmings, from a leather shop and 2 teaspoons mint. This blend should create great color and movement!

This next blend is for traveling and sleeping in hotels where you have to adjust to the smell of the linens, the room and the odors left behind by other tenants. Blend together the following, ½ cup mugwort, ½ cup rose petals, ¼ cup lavender flowers, ¼ cup marjoram and 1 tablespoon passionflower, leaves or petals. This blend should induce great comfort and allow you to sleep the first night in a hotel when most of us can't sleep. You will sleep much better when you bring along with you a familiar smell.

For prophetic dreams blend together the following, ½ cup thyme, ½ cup vervain, ½ cup rose petals, ½ cup peppermint, ½ cup mugwort, ¼ cup marjoram, ¼ cup mimosa flowers and 1/8 cup sweet woodruff. Folklore contends that wearing thyme allows you to see fairies in the moonlight. Thyme is generally thought of as relaxing when used with roses, but it can be slightly stimulating when combined with mimosa and sweet woodruff. Thyme helps create feelings of lightness and may promote dreams of flying.

This may well be your favorite of all of the mixes: Romance Novel Dreams. Blend together the following, 2 cups rose petals, 4 cups calendula flowers, 4 cups rosemary, 1 cup lemongrass, cut in short pieces, 1 cup sweet woodruff, ½ cup mugwort, 1 tablespoon mint, 1 tablespoon marjoram, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1 lemon geranium leaf, 1 piece cinnamon bark, about ½ inch long, broken and just a tiny pinch of chili powder. This recipe makes enough for about a dozen pillows, but if you reduce the amounts, you will upset the balance of the small amounts of lemon geranium, fennel and cinnamon. This will make wonderful gifts for your friends, so I recommend keeping the amounts true to the recipe and giving some away.

Almost all of these herbs may be obtained at a good natural food store and you might try obtaining whatever you can fresh. The very best herbs are those that you grow yourself; you will know they're fresh and pesticide-free.

Remember dream blends are very different from potpourri; do not expect a dream blend to have the noticeable strong smells of a potpourri blend. Dream blends are subtle. Their fragrances are released as you move about on the pillow during sleep. For most people, dream blends bring about a change in dreaming. Most of all, dream pillows are a pleasant way to promote creative dreaming and more restful sleep.

PLEASANT DREAMS!