The Sleep Health Foundation survey in 2019 highlighted almost 60% of Australians have trouble falling asleep, wake during the night, and/or wake early with difficulty getting back to sleep three or more times per week, and experience daytime difficulties such as fatigue, irritability and poor concentration.¹

Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender), Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower) and Eschscholzia californica (Californian Poppy) are three herbs traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to relieve sleeplessness.²

How do Lavender, Passionflower and Californian Poppy promote sleep?

Lavender flowers are used in Western herbal medicine as an antidepressant, spasmolytic, calmative, and sedative to alleviate stress and anxiety, promote sleep,^3-6 treat restlessness and insomnia, and ease nervous stomach irritation.⁷

Lavender’s volatile oil contains up to 36 constituents including linalool,⁸ which acts as a sedative and interacts with calming gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain.⁹

Just smelling Lavender oil has been found to increase slow wave sleep (SWS) in both men and women,¹⁰ which is the most restful form of sleep where the body undergoes physical repair.^11,12 Lavender tea has been shown to promote relaxation, sleep and emotional stability in sleep-disturbed postnatal women,¹³ and Lavender flower capsules could improve sleep in postmenopausal women.⁹

Passionflower helps to calm the mind and relax the nervous system. The aerial parts of Passionflower are harvested during flowering and the fruiting period and have been traditionally used for stress, anxiety and insomnia.^2,14 This herb is also indicated for use where there is tenseness, nervous restlessness and irritability with falling asleep.^7,15,16

Phytochemicals found in Passionflower contributing to its anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic activities include flavonoids, benzoflavone, GABA, and alkaloids in trace amounts.^17-19

Passionflower is popular sleep aid for the treatment of sleep disturbance with the ability to improve both sleep latency and sleep time.^20,21 It has also been shown to be as effective as the benzodiazepine oxazepam in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial.²² Other clinical evidence supports its use in adults with insomnia disorder²³ and to improve subjective sleep quality in healthy adults.²⁴

Californian Poppy has analgesic effects that help to relieve pain.² Its aerial parts, gathered during flowering, are used in Western herbal medicine for their sleep-inducing and anxiolytic effects. According to historical use, when used as a sleep aid, the time it takes to fall asleep is reduced and sleep quality is improved in both children and adults.²⁵

California Poppy contains isoquinoline alkaloids that act to relax the nervous system.⁸ The extract and its constituents possess an affinity for benzodiazepine receptors,²⁶ and may bind to the same receptors as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).^27-30

California Poppy is suitable for use in cases of sleeplessness and sleep disorders; and as an antispasmodic when there is muscular tension, restlessness and pain. There are no reported cases of addiction or physical dependence on California Poppy, making this herb a prime candidate for the management of sleep disturbances, especially in insomnia with comorbid pain. Sedative effects have been demonstrated at higher doses, whereas anxiolytic effects are predominant at lower dose ranges.^26,31,32

Who can potentially benefit from taking these herbs to support sleep?

• Individuals who are experiencing stress or anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, or insomnia.
• Individuals who report that they find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, or those who wake up too early and cannot get back to sleep.¹
• Individuals experiencing fatigue or exhaustion; reduced motivation or energy; poor attention, concentration or memory; irritability; sleepiness that interferes with daily activities; and depressed mood, due to poor sleep.¹
• Individuals experiencing worry or fear, since these emotions can impact upon sleep quality, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.³³
• Individuals who experience sleep-wake cycle disruption, namely shift workers and jet-lagged travellers complaining of fragmented sleep, daytime drowsiness and confusion.^34,35
• Individuals experiencing insomnia with comorbid chronic pain, since chronic pain can negatively impact upon sleep duration^36-38 and feed a self-perpetuating cycle of pain and sleep problems.³⁹
• Individuals with excessive exposure to artificial light from computers, televisions, cell phones, and other electronic devices which disrupts circadian rhythm,^40,41 increases sleep inertia in the morning, lengthens sleep latency, increases daytime dysfunction, decreases subjective sleep quality, and increases fatigue.⁴²
• 
  

What are the long-term consequences of poor sleep?

Additionally, poor sleep is also associated with the development of other chronic health conditions. This means that getting a better night’s sleep may in part contribute to the prevention of anxiety⁴³ and depression,⁴⁴ alcohol dependence,⁴⁵ increased sensitivity to pain,^39,46,47 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM),^48-50 obesity,⁵¹ cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke,⁴⁸ neurodegeneration and dementia,⁵² poor immune function,⁵³ and cancer.⁵⁴

What dose should be prescribed and when?

These herbs should be taken in the evening, ideally both at dinnertime and 30 to 60 minutes before bed.

Are these herbs safe to use alongside other sleep aids?

Theoretically, additional sedative effects may be experienced when sedative medications are taken concomitantly with sedative herbs. Caution is advised. Monitor for increased signs of sedation.^55-57

What else can you do to get a better night’s sleep?

Encourage adults experiencing poor sleep to do the following:⁵⁸

• Develop healthy habits and a routine around bedtime, like keeping a consistent sleep schedule and limiting blue light exposure before bed. This can improve sleep hygiene and promote quality sleep.
• Allow 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Some other important sleep-promoting practices to prioritise in the 30 to 60 minutes before bed include taking a warm bath, listening to some soothing music, reading a book, or meditating to relax the mind and body.
• Limit caffeine, i.e., only one cup of coffee in the morning. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening. Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime.
• Ensure that the bedroom environment is conducive to sleep. Invest in a comfortable mattress and cosy sheets. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool. Wear earplugs and an eye mask if sleep is disrupted by too much noise or light.
• Start the morning with exposure to natural light to help entrain the brain’s sleep-wake cycle to the light of day and darkness of night.

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