Back in my prescription induced snooze days, I didn’t wanna hear about “natural calming and sleep remedies”.
If the pre-slumber zombie nod mode ain’t broke even though the rest of your life is, why fix it?
Am I right, guyz?!
While hopefully the dripping sarcasm there is evident, in a way, it is true. Well, at least it is for the person viewing life through the muddled goggles of chemical brain alteration and whatever sleeplessness or misery invited it. But once you’re finally over the wean (or cold turkey) hurdle, it ain’t over. Soon after me and dat plastic bottle life split ways, I learned pretty fast that she’d gotten custody of my slumber. That tramp. Me? I got the kicky leg syndrome for a week and bragging rights about bad-assing against all odds to beat dependency on pills. (I knew my overblown ego would come in handy at some point in my life). It must’ve been worth it, though, seeing as I’m now a few months shy of two years clean of anything non-natch. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get through it without a little help. Specifically, I mean many moons spent sipping those specialty Z’s-inducing teas I was just sure weren’t gonna work. Until I suddenly found myself waking up for once to sunshine after an un-punctuated slumber. So, if you’re dealing with sleepless nights in a life after meds, there are a plethora of OTC remedies out there which might just help you.
But until I do s’more research, we’ll just focus on some of the stuff I do know about: Tea.
(And, no, not the vision journey kind you do naked in an Amazonian hut with a shaman shaking leaf sticks).
Kava
Kava tea is fantastic for nighttime anxiety reduction and whisking you away to dreamland. The nice thing about this one is that if I need to stay awake for a bit longer, it won’t generally put me out straight away. But it does slightly subdue the insanity enough to let me get my P.M. chores and work done. Then, within and hour or two, I’m ready to hit the pillow with my head instead of my fist (which is where my unchecked anxiety usually would take me). I make it a rare thing, though, seeing as some mornings I’ll wake up just a tad fuzzy. While it’s au natch, a few have claimed it has a slight habit forming tendency. Good one to keep to a rainy day minimum.
“Get some Z’s”
This gem has Valerian root as its primary herb. I remember trying to rely on this in capsule form back when I’d run outta Valium, and thinking it was useless. (“Couldn’t *possibly* be my tolerance hindering its effectiveness…”) Funny how that alters when you don’t have more foreign substances than blood running through you anymore. Who’d’ve thunk it? (Hint: not someone with pharmaceutically sullied synapses.) These days, all it takes is one of these UFO shaped, herb filled filters to knock me TFO. No grogginess the next day either.
“Soothing caramel bedtime tea”
Yogi puts this one (and me) out. And, yes, to answer the question I know you must have: it is as delicious as it sounds. I remember reading that it had California poppy as its active herbal ingredient – and considering how effective that flower’s overseas cousins are at inducing sleep – I figured I’d give this non-addictive shoe in a go. I wasn’t disappointed.
All this said, I will list a couple of experiential caveats: The first? While all of these work well, I will admit that if you don’t fall asleep within the first ten or fifteen minutes after they make you tired, you may wake back up and may feel kinda cranky. That’s what happens with me. Also, for whatever reason, I think these kinds of teas aren’t meant to be mixed. Last time I tried to brew an herbal potion comprising more than one of these (or even just these plus a non sleep tea), I felt next level wonky by wake up time. And, finally: if you have any kinda med condition, ask your doctor about your nightly libations first. Because anything you put in your body – whether it comes from your garden or your pharmacy – is going to have some sort of effect. Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you personally might not have some rare aversion to it. Other than that – have fun! ’cause once you jettison the drugs from your system, these herbal concoctions can restore the nod and restful sleep alike – without the price tag of a Ulysses length list of side effects.
Bonus: you never have to worry about your insurance covering it.
Or waking up at 2 A.M. in your underwear. In the street.
In your car.