Natural Sleep Aids or I can't fall asleep!

I was so tired today, I had everything all set up to hit the hay at 7:30pm.
Babes in bed at 6:00pm facillitates this nicely.
I hopped in bed at 7:40-ish, so I missed my mark by a bit, but still pretty darn close.
Psalm 139 was the prescribed reading from my Study Bible.
I attempted a sudoku puzzle, put it down . . . and then . . .

toss
turn
flip
flop
get up

Where is the sleepy time tea? I'm out.
Ok, chamomille. No go on the chamomille.
Hmmm . . . warm milk? Won't be enough for babies in the morning.
So, decaf chai with a smidge of hot milk and some honey apparently does not work because it is 10:45 and here I am blogging away!

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade, right? So my lemonade this evening was a brief internet search for natural sleep aids. This is what I found:

Sleep hygeine - It is important to go to bed at roughly the same time each evening and rise within the same hour every morning. This teaches your body a rythm to follow. From personal experience I know this to be true. But it wasn't going to help me tonight.

Visualization - The idea is you imagine yourself drifting off to sleep. I will admit I have a CD with a hypnotist that talks you into a sleep state. It is pretty effective, but I can't find it, so that's not going to help right now.

Magnesium - Hmmm . . . pills. I am trying to avoid pills, but magnesium is something I need anyway. Many whole foods including black strap molasses, brewers or nutritional yeasts, whole grains and legumes contain magnesium in amounts believed effective for this purpose. The pills can cause, umm, the opposite of constipation, so use at your own risk!

Herbs - Of course, never use any herbs in capsule or medicinal tea strength without consulting your physician, especially if you are taking ANY medications. Sleep inducing herbs include valerian, chamomille, passionflower, lavendar and lemon balm. Hey, I have lemon balm and lavender in my garden! Hmmm, maybe I'll go chew a leaf of that!

Warm Milk - I have used this in the middle of the night while pregnant. Not sure if it works due to some actual chemistry or if it is only the placebo effect. But, it does work . . . I just need the milk for the children in the morning . . .

So, I guess my lemonade is actually lemon balm and I might sniff a lavendar leaf or two.

Hope you are asleep and read this in the morning!
If you are in my area and need some fresh herbs to plant for your late night needs, contact Dianne's Greenhouse 931-648-8701.
For a great variety of herbal teas, you can visit the Herb & Vitamin Store 931-906-1100.