The attitude of the mind is of great importance in following the natural regime of living and of treatment of insomnia. By our habitual thoughts we create in our brains the actual centers which make either for health or disease. Some people on account of a tense nervous condition spend more vital energy while resting and sleeping than others do while at work. In most instances, nerve exhaustion in its many different manifestations is brought about not through overwork, but through the tense, fretful, impatient, irritable, hurrying way in which the works is performed.

Constant loss of sleep, whatever the cause may be, is always injurious. Here is a list of additional causes:

  • Overeating
  • Eating late night (digestive system disturbs)
  • Anxiety
  • Cold feet
  • Poor Circulation
  • Nervousness
  • Poor ventilation

The following rules, if closely followed, will help to induce sound sleep:

  1. Avoid excitement or extraordinary strain just before bedtime, if possible.
  2. Do not eat three hours before bedtime or overeat.
  3. A walk in the fresh air before bed or walking in the grass barefoot may be helpful to induce sleep.
  4. A warm,  full or foot bath taken with a cup of teas described below.
  5. Sleep in a well ventilated and not overheated room.
  6. Let the covering be neither too worm nor to heavy.
  7. Never sleep in the garments worn during the day
  8. Wear a night garment of light, porous material, so that the poisonous exhalations of the skin may easily escape; or better still, wear none.
  9. Warm extremities – use a water bottle on spine, stomach and liver
  10. After going to bed, practice relaxation before sleeping.

Suggested Remedies

  • Internal: Drink teas of equal parts hops and chamomile before retiring (these calm the body down).
  • Internal: Mix equal part of the following and make an infusion. Drink one cup before bed or when needed:
  1. Woody bentony (For nerves)
  2. Chamomile
  3. Valerian (For nerves)
  4. Peppermint (Calms body down)
  5. Catnip (For nerves)

Alternative/Additions:

  1. Lady’s slipper
  2. Sculcap

Dosage: A teaspoonful  of any one of the above, steep in a cup of boiling water twenty minutes, and drink hot.

These herbs are will not only induce sleep, but have many other qualities: they tone up the stomach and nerves, never leave any bad effects. Instead, they act as a tonic to the entire system. Aspirin, bromides, etc., taken for this purpose may seem to help for a time, but, as their effect is to deaden the nerves, every does taken makes the condition decidedly worse and finally they lose their effect altogether.

‘Natural Remedies with Herbs’, Hubert Santillo, pp327-8; ‘Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss’, pp501