It is officially British Summer Time, which is fantastic and all, with the promise of longer, lighter days, but one thing that wasn’t welcome was the hour less in bed at the weekend! If you’re still not quite in the zone these tips will help you no end!

Lavender

Lavender

Pukka Herbs’ research reveals that the average UK adult gets just 6 hours 22 minutes sleep each night but don’t worry,  the new season is the perfect time of year to revisit your sleep routine and implement new habits.

Here are seven secret herbs to makeover your sleep habits and have you sleeping like a baby in just one week!

  1. Valerian is a strong nervine and sedative to the central nervous system relaxing tense muscles whilst also encouraging an undisturbed sleep, healthy sleeping pattern and ameliorating stress.
  2. Chamomile is a classic relaxant for the whole body but particularly the nervous system, and is an excellent herb for children.
  3. Lavender contains aromatic essential oils that reduce difficulty in falling asleep, promoting a more restful sleep and preventing night-time wakening.
  4. Limeflowers are particularly effective in helping to treat bad dreams and soothing a frazzled nervous system.
  5. Oatflower is a restorative to the nervous system which calms shattered nerves, relieves emotional instability and helps to restore a sense of peace and tranquillity.
  6. Ashwagandha is a strengthening adaptogenic tonic for nourishing the nervous and immune system, reducing stress and promoting a rejuvenative night’s sleep. Ashwagandha, one of Ayurveda’s most prized herbs, is a modern-day ‘adaptogen’, adapting to the needs of our body and mind. On the one hand it’s a tonic with the power to strengthen an exhausted and agitated nervous system; on the other, it’s a calming and restoring sedative. It’s these amazing all-rounder qualities that makes ashwagandha a great choice for treating conditions such as insomnia, stress, anxiety and hormonal imbalance. It will help encourage a rejuvenative night’s sleep by helping it relax but also energising body and mind through nourishing the adrenal glands so that, on waking, you are ready for the day ahead.
  7. Nutmeg has sedative properties and can help to relax the nervous system. It may specifically help to prevent waking up after falling asleep – great news for those of us who tend to wake up in the night with a restless and racing mind.

Euan MacLennan, Clinical Medicine lecturer, practicing Medical Herbalist says: “Herbal approaches to sleep have been traditionally used to support natural functions. For example, valerian was originally used as a convalescent tonic to help rebuild energy (its name comes from the Latin – to be strong and healthy) and ashwagandha was principally a restorative herb that also helps improve sleep. Flowering oats were seen as restorative sleep aids. Such tonics would often be combined with herbs widely used for their gentle calming benefits, for restless children, irritability and mild stresses. Examples include chamomile and lavender. The combination of plant-based tonics and mild relaxants is an approach to sleep that crosses continents and centuries.”

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