Relaxing Herbs
Using Relaxing Herbs
If you are looking for a way to relax and get to sleep without taking addictive prescription drugs, you can consider using relaxing herbs. There are many types of herbs that can help to produce a more relaxed feeling and these relaxing herbs rarely have the intense side effects associated with pharmaceutical medications. People today suffer from anxiety and stress disorders and they often find themselves unable to sleep or even rest. Women can suffer with hormonal and menstrual difficulties and this can make it impossible to stay calm. But by taking relaxing herbs while you are experiencing the problem, it can help to ease the symptoms making it possible to fully relax.
Relaxing herbs should be used only when you are going through a stressful situation. They should not be used as a permanent solution to a sleeping problem or for pain relief. But they are perfect for an occasional restless or stress related problem. So you should only use them when you really need them.
If you want to prepare relaxing herbs to address the problem, you can make a tea. Take a portion of the dry herb and place it in a pot of water. Put this mixture on a medium low setting and allow it to gently boil for at least 20 minutes. You might want to allow it to set an additional 10 minutes, so that all of the ingredients are distributed into the tea. You can use a strainer to remove any leaves or bark and drain the drink into a cup. Use honey or sugar to enhance the taste of the tea and you may have to because some of these relaxing herbs have an unpleasant flavor. If you prefer to drink the tea cold, you can refrigerate it and this is all up to your own individual tastes.
Stress and the inability to sleep are often linked to depression and although there is a great deal of anti depression medications available, they are known to have negative side effects. Some of them include suicidal or homicidal thoughts, a lack of appetite and a low libido. Many people have made the choice to use St. John’s wort to replace pharmaceutical anti depressants.
Valerian root is another herb that has sedative properties. But it is also used as an anti convulsant and a pain reliever. Women can benefit by using it for menstrual cramps and it can be used for migraine headaches and stomach problems like irritable bowel syndrome. But there is one major complaint when it comes to drinking a valerian tea solution. It has a very unpleasant flavor that is hard to mask. The dried leaves of this plant also have a terrible odor. But even if you simply cannot drink the tea, there are valerian root tablets that can be taken like pills.
Kava Kava is an herb that grows naturally in the south pacific islands. It is in the pepper family and the root of the plant is used medicinally throughout the world. It is used for insomnia and anxiety and because it can cause intoxication similar to alcohol, it can be used in place of alcohol. Kava Kava works well as a sedative but it can have harmful side effects if it is overused. It has been linked to liver and kidney diseases and can be as damaging as alcohol. It is also known to produce blood abnormalities.
Women who are suffering with post menopausal symptoms can get relief by using black cohosh. Many women are choosing this alternative herb in place of hormone replacement therapy. HRT has been linked to heart attacks and stroke, especially in women who smoke. Using black cohosh can be a safe way to get relief from hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia.