Insomnia is a common problem, whether caused by stress, illness, or medication. It can be divided into different subtypes, such as difficulty falling asleep, not sleeping at night, sleep interruption, difficulty falling back to sleep, not waking up rested, and difficulty working due to fatigue.

Some of these can be diagnosed and treated. Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Endocrinology specialist stated that sometimes, herbal sleep aids can also be useful in order to get quality sleep and keep ourselves energized throughout the day. He talked about plants that have proven to be effective in scientific studies. Here are those plants;

Rosemary

It contains many phytochemicals, especially rosmarinic acid. It gives its sleep-inducing effect by stimulating GABAA receptors. It inhibits the GABA transaminase enzyme and gives pentobarbital-like sleep.

Ginseng

Just like rosemary, it induces sleep by stimulating GABAA receptors. Especially Korean Red Ginseng supports Non-REM sleep and prolongs total sleep time. Non-REM sleep is the period when our body is repaired, and renewed, muscle and bone building increases and the immune system is strengthened. It is also thought to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

Violet Oil

A group of Iranian researchers has shown in a randomized double-blind study that placing a drop of violet oil in each nostril 30 minutes before bedtime both improves sleep quality and reduces insomnia.

Kava

It is a type of black pepper that grows in the Pacific. It contains kavalactone and kavapyrone which show GABA-like activity. These substances, which are abundant in the root of the plant, should be used with caution as they can disrupt the liver.

Lavender

With its linalyl acetate and linalool, it has been shown to prolong sleep time, prevent sleep interruptions and provide a more effective sleep through GABA, whether used in tea or gel capsules.

Chamomile

In a study conducted in Iran, the use of 400 mg of chamomile capsules twice a day for 4 weeks. 2 times a day for 4 weeks; Consumption of chamomile tea for 2 weeks in Taiwan has been shown to improve sleep quality and improve mood.

These are alternatives to the many addictive medications used for sleep.

This content was prepared by Yeditepe University Hospitals Medical Editorial Board.

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