8 Herbs That Help You Sleep Better

8 Herbs That Help You Sleep Better

Hold the Ambien! If you want to start sleeping better at night, there just might be a more natural alternative. From lavender to chamomile, many herbs are known to promote better sleep—without any mystery side effects.

So if you’re feeling restless, anxious, or a little buzzed before bedtime, try browsing the health food store instead of the drug aisle. A little spray on your pillow or diffusing of an essential oil may be all you need to get to dreamland quickly.

Check out our list below for herbs that may make you sleep better. Thanks, Mother Nature!

1. Lavender

A soothing shade of lavender has replaced the ever-popular Millennial Pink as the go-to color for everything from workout wear to bedsheets, but the lavender herb is also an ancient remedy for dozing off. It’s calming, antibacterial, and can even minimize pain. Spritz a few drops of lavender essential oil on your bedding for an instant sleep aid.


2. Valerian

Lavender may be intoxicating in all its many forms, but valerian root is a little less enticing. It’s a bit smelly and doesn’t taste great—but take it as a pill and you’ve got yourself one effective sedative. Take valerian before bedtime and you may notice reduced anxiety, muscle soreness, and more.

3. Chamomile

Ah, chamomile. This herb is added to everything from tea to lotion, and it’s easy to see why. Chamomile is super soothing, can lower inflammation, ease insomnia, and even minimize nightmares. No wonder it’s known as a mild tranquilizer. If you’re feeling restless when falling asleep or jolt awake at night, head to the kitchen for some chamomile tea.

4. Lemon Balm

The key to better sleep may be growing in your backyard. As a common species of the mint plant, lemon balm can be found all over the world and is often used to make a calming herbal tea. Lemon balm has an appealing taste and citrusy scent, so you should have no trouble sipping on this tea to help you get better sleep at night.

5. Magnolia Bark

Magnolia may call to mind HGTV’s favorite power couple or even NYC’s popular bakery. But let’s take it back more than 100 million years to get sleep help from the original magnolia. This flowering plant used in Chinese medicine is a natural sedative that can minimize stomach pain, congestion, stress, and more. It can even modify brain receptors to induce sleep.  

6. Blue Skullcap

This pretty flowering herb is native to North America and a member of the mint family. It’s commonly used to promote sleep since it can minimize anxiety and treat insomnia. Bonus: blue skullcap is antibacterial and mood-boosting too. Here’s to a cleaner, happier night’s sleep.

7. Passionflower

Like valerian root, passionflower is an ultra-effective herb for boosting sleep quality. It’s especially helpful if you suffer from insomnia since it’s been shown to be just as powerful as Ambien in delivering a more restful night of sleep. And if you deal with anxious thoughts when your head hits the pillow, try passionflower tea for reduced anxiety. 

8. Ylang Ylang

They say scent is the strongest tie to memory. If even a whiff of something sweet can send you on a beeline for the oven, you might understand how just the scent of an herb like ylang ylang can be enough to send you into a more chill, relaxed state. This fruity-smelling plant is often used in perfumes and can improve relaxation and even lower blood pressure. So, add a few drops of ylang ylang essential oil combined with another carrier oil to your pillow, breath deep, and say goodnight.

Add a Weighted Blanket to the Sleep Equation

Now you know the herbs that make you sleep like a baby. (At least, like those amazing babies who actually sleep through the night.) So buckle in for some sweet dreams.

And if you’re looking for more ways to take your sleep to the next level, Comma Home is here to help. Curl up in a luxury weighted blanket and you’ll immediately notice the calming, soothing effect of its deep-pressure stimulation. Find your perfect weighted blanket today!