Botanical supplements for your home apothecary to help you sleep better
Insomnia is one of the most common chief complaints we see in clinical practice.
There are many different reasons why we have sleep issues. They range from emotional states, overwork, eating too late, digestive imbalances, circulatory issues, chronic illness, use of certain prescription drugs, latent pathogens, physical trauma and anemia.
From a perspective of holistic medicine each sleep pattern correlates with the functionality of a particular organ system. These are early symptoms indicating either deeper imbalances in the body or temporary disruption due to a recent lifestyle change (such a stress).
Some of the most common sleep disruption patterns we see are hard time falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, sleep interrupted by vivid dreams, frequent wakings, restlessness at night and premature waking time.
If you have a hard time falling asleep or wake up between 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. this sleep pattern correlates with your heart functionality. These cooling and calming botanicals before bedtime will support your cardiovascular system and help you settle in for the night: Forsythia fruit, Baikal skullcap root, Gardenia fruit and Field mint.
If you have no issues falling asleep but wake up frequently, especially between 1-3 a.m., this sleep pattern has to do with your liver function. Add these botanicals to your nighttime routine for additional liver support: Bupleurum, White Peony root, Tangkuei and Hoelen.
If you are a light sleeper or wake up prematurely early (around 4 a.m.) this indicates your gallbladder needs some attention. Add these botanicals to your bedtime routine: Bamboo shavings, Unripe bitter orange, Pinellia rhizome and Fresh ginger root.
Additional underlying conditions that may contribute to sleep difficulties to be aware of are pain, thyroid disorder, acid reflux, hormonal imbalances, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, anxiety, stress, and depression.
A strength of holistic medicine, such as East Asian and functional medicines is its ability to pay close attention to the function of any organ and early detection of dysfunctions that precede long before development of disease.
If you are only willing to try only one ingredient then start with Sour Jujube Seed. It is considered a super fruit in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is rich in Vitamin C, flavonoids, amino acids, organic acids and polysaccharides. It helps with insomnia, irritability, supports memory, calms anxiety, helps with nighttime sweating and alleviates stress.