Herbs to Help You Chill

Almost everyone suffers from anxiety and/or insomnia from time to time, but the double-threat is especially familiar to those navigating the multi-tasking midlife years. A common boomer complaint is feeling exhausted, yet unable to get a good night’s sleep. The good news is that there are safe and gentle herbal sedatives that can help you chill out and get the rest you need.

"The most widely known calming herb in the West, with over a thousand-year history of usage, is valerian," says David Simon, M.D., medical director at the Chopra Center for Well-Being in La Jolla, Calif. Although the exact mechanism of valerian's calming action is unknown, multiple scientific studies have found that valerian has measurable sedative properties in animals and humans.

Valerian tea, which is available in health food stores and some supermarkets, is often helpful in cases of anxiety and insomnia. Valerian has a strong, earthy flavor; for this reason, many people prefer to use liquid tincture of valerian in a cup of hot water and drink it before going to bed.

According to Commission E -- the staff of scientists that advises the German government about herb safety and effectiveness -- valerian is so gentle and safe that it may also be drunk up to several times a day to relieve restlessness, anxiety and nervousness.

Indian or Ayurvedic herbs also offer many sedative options, says licensed acupuncturist and herbalist John Holmstrom III, who practices in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. "Shankhapushpi calms anxiety and promotes sleep and is also used to remedy nerve and rheumatic pain," he says. "It's good for anxious people who have arthritis or general aches and pains."

Other calming herbs that are widely available and have been used for centuries in the Western world include: hops, skullcap, passionflower, and chamomile.