Natural Sleep Remedies for Better Rest
Zen Maitri provides professional sleep remedies developed by medical herbalists to restore your body’s natural rest cycles. Our clinical approach focuses on high-quality botanical ingredients that encourage deep, restorative sleep, helping you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the demands of modern life.
Clinical Natural Sleep Aids for Circadian Health
Herbal Sleep Remedies and Natural Insomnia Relief
Research has shown that sleep allows the brain itself to clear out or detoxify on a physiological level. Potentially neurotoxic waste products can be filtered out via a mechanism involving the recently named ‘glymphatic system’, which allows the exchange of solutes between the cerebrospinal fluid and interstitial fluid. This is facilitated by glial cells of the brain. b-Amyloid clearance, amongst other things, may be enhanced.
Lack of sleep has also been associated with a build-up of inflammatory mediators in the system, which in turn has been linked to serious chronic health issues. So, in a nutshell, sleep allows a lot of housekeeping to take place in both the central nervous system and the rest of the body.
Zen Maitri’s Deep Sleep Collection brings together a range of potent herbs that promote deep, restful, restorative sleep, in different forms – teas, tinctures, supplements, bath salts, essential oil blends.
- Only go to bed when you are sleepy.
- Exercise! Try to exercise in the late afternoon or early evening, but not right before bedtime. Physical exercise can help tire your body and encourage sleep.
- Avoid large meals, snacks and caffeine-containing drinks or alcohol during the evening. In fact, avoid caffeine in the afternoon or even entirely.
- While good hydration is important, avoid drinking lots of fluids before bedtime to limit midnight bathroom trips.
- The amino acid tryptophan helps promote sleep by increasing the levels of both serotonin and melatonin. Foods containing tryptophan include bananas, figs, dates, yoghurt, turkey, milk (the evening milky drink) and tuna.
- The amino acid tyramine can act as a stimulant by increasing the release of norepinephrine. Therefore, foods to avoid during the evening include bacon, cheese, chocolate, spinach, tomatoes and wine. Avoid these close to bedtime.
- Don’t smoke. Although smokers experience a relaxing effect from cigarettes, nicotine is a neurostimulant.
- Minimise your time spent staring at electronic devices and screens in the evening, including smartphones, tablets, and the television, and keep them entirely out of the bedroom. Also consider setting your devices to “night mode” after sundown, which filters stimulating blue light.
- Have a hot bath approximately an hour before bed. Consider using our Night time bath salts for this for an even more relaxing experience. Soaking in hot water with Epsom salts, herbs and carefully chosen essential oils will help relax tense muscles. You can also make a pint of really strong chamomile tea and add it to the bathwater, thereby soaking up all of the plant’s calming volatile oils.
- Napping in the day is OK if it is normal for you to do so and does not usually interfere with your night-time sleep.
- Develop a set of habits, or a pre-sleep routine, that gives your brain very specific signals that you are winding down to rest, and allows it to act accordingly.
If you are going to adopt some of the strategies listed above, do it as a routine rather than just trying it for a few nights and giving up. Keeping at it for months so that habits become established is the key to success. Specifically, going to bed at the same time every evening, if possible, and waking/setting your alarm for the same time every morning are really important aspects of this. Even if you wake feeling tired, get up anyway. Establishing the routine is the vital thing.
Our Deep Sleep Tea – containing skullcap, passionflower, lemon balm, peppermint and wild lettuce – is a natural sleeping aid to help you unwind before bedtime. It promotes deeper, more restorative sleep and has been developed by our team of herbalists to help you fall and stay asleep. Whether you're restless, stressed, or simply in need of a wind-down before bed, this herbal blend of gentle sedatives and relaxing, calm-inducing plants will carry you off to a great night's sleep.
Our Deep Sleep Supplements contain a similar set of natural sedatives and relaxants, including vervain, chamomile, valerian, nutmeg, passionflower and ashwagandha. This tincture is ideal for anyone struggling with insomnia, agitation and/or circular thoughts in the evening and eases everyday sleeping problems. These supplements works to improve the quality of your sleep and helps mind and body unwind before bedtime. the same blend of herbs but dried and reduced into a powder and added to plant-based capsules.
We also carry a Deep Sleep Tincture, which contains the same herbs but as a tincture – whereby the active compounds of the herbs are extracted by macerating the plant materials into a mixture of water and alcohol for at least a few weeks. This tincture therefore shares very similar benefits with the supplements – it helps you to deeply relax before bedtime and to have more restorative sleep.
- Ashwagandha: ashwagandha reduces stress while increasing sleep quality and duration. This powerful herb has been shown to alleviate stress and anxiety and help to foster a positive mental outlook.
- Vervain: another natural nerve tonic to help ease anxiety, tension, stress and digestive discomfort. Its relaxing action on the nervous system makes it an ideal sleep aid.
- Valerian: a powerful herb that can lessen anxiety and stress and promote better quality sleep. Valerian is also a mild pain reliever, easing tension headaches, muscle ache and digestive discomfort.
All three of these herbs and more can be found in our Deep Sleep Tincture and in our Deep Sleep Supplements.
- Vervain: a natural nerve tonic to help ease anxiety, tension, stress and digestive discomfort. Its relaxing action on the nervous system makes it an ideal sleep aid.
- Valerian: a powerful herb that can lessen anxiety and stress and promote better quality sleep. It’s also a mild pain reliever, easing tension headaches, muscle ache and digestive discomfort.
- Passionflower: passionflower eases stress, tension and anxiety. It is one of the most well known plants to assist with inducing a deeper and more restful sleep, making it suitable for those who have difficulty falling asleep as well as staying asleep.
- Lavender: a delightfully fragrant relaxing herb. Not only does its calming scent reduce stress, but it also contains compounds that work to support a healthy digestive system and to promote restorative sleep.
All of these herbs and more are included in our Deep Sleep Supplements, which were crafted to help you unwind before bedtime and to promote a restorative night’s sleep.
Ashwagandha can be taken in the evening before bedtime to help you relax and fall asleep but it is not sedative, so it can also be helpfully taken throughout the day to restore adrenal health without causing drowsiness or sleepiness.
You can take ashwagandha as herbal supplements, for example: consider our Ashwagandha Supplements, containing 100% powdered ashwagandha root in plant-based capsules.
- “Amazing blend! It really eases me into a good nights sleep. I have it often especially when I need a deep sleep. I highly recommend!”
- “I really enjoy this tea before bed - it’s very calming and often forms a core part of my evening wind-down routine. Really recommend it highly!”
- “Absolutely love this tea and so does my partner who never normally drinks herbal tea! It is delicious and calming and we often have a pot before bed.”
Herbal Wisdom for Better Sleep
- Which herbs are good for sleep?
- What are the natural ways you can help yourself sleep?
- How can a medical herbalist assist you with sleep problems?
Herbal Medicine for Sleep
Thankfully, there are plenty of natural sedatives for sleep. These gentle but potent herbs work in harmony to bring on a wave of relaxation and tiredness. Trying herbal medicine for sleep is ideal if you suffer from anxiety, if you find it hard to get to sleep and stay asleep, or even if you have insomnia.
There are a number of herbs for relaxation and they work symbiotically to bring calm to your mind and body. That’s one of the perks of herbal medicine. You can take a bunch of herbs that complement each other at once, creating a powerful medicinal blend.
Next, we’re going to cover the best herbs for sleep that our medical herbalists combined to create Zen Maitri’s Night-Time range.
The Best Herbs for Sleep
Chamomile
The herb we all know and love, chamomile is gentle and soothing on your body and mind. It’s a potent natural sedative for sleep that’ll get you yawning before you know it.
Lavender
The undeniable sleep-inducer, even the scent of lavender is enough to produce calm. It’s a strong natural sedative with a beautiful, relaxing scent. In fact, a few sprays of our Sleep Better Pillow Mist on your pillow or on the soles of your feet will help you unwind.
Ashwagandha Root
This Ayurvedic staple is an adaptogen for sleep and works to improve its duration and quality. Studies have also shown it has a positive effect on anxiety and depression.
Skullcap
This flower with a helmet-like shape is a natural sedative for sleep, working to ease anxiety, stress, tension headaches and insomnia. It also helps relax your muscles, making it easier to get to sleep.
Passionflower
This pretty flower can reduce stress and restlessness. According to early studies, that’s because it increases the level of GABA in your brain. GABA reduces brain activity which in turn can minimise anxiety and restore calm. A trial by Phytotherapy Research showed that it can also improve sleep quality. On top of all that, it minimises muscle spasms that can interfere with peaceful sleep. Passionflower is a natural sedative that may help adults manage mild sleep irregularities.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a lemon-scented herb that belongs to the same family as mint. It works to decrease anxiety and stress and boost your mood. A 2004 study found that lemon balm eased the effects of lab-induced psychological stress, bringing a sense of calm to trial subjects.
Peppermint
Have you ever heard the phrase, the gut is the second brain? Your gut contains 80-90% of the serotonin in your body, so an unhappy gut often makes for an unhappy mind. Plus, if you’re uncomfortable it’s harder to sleep. Peppermint is a natural digestion aid that’s ideal for taking after dinner to reduce indigestion and bloating. It also works to ease muscle tension.
Wild Lettuce
Famous for pain-reducing properties that won it the name ‘opium lettuce’, wild lettuce will work to give you the deep sleep you deserve.
All of these herbs work very well on their own. But, in combination, they work even better. Their effects are enhanced when they’re taken together. Lucky for you, we have blended the herbs mentioned above and more into a full Sleep Support range. It includes a loose-leaf herbal tea blend, herbal supplements, a tincture and bath salts.
Natural Tips for Falling Asleep
Herbal medicine for sleep is powerful, but you should make sure there isn’t anything else that’s preventing you from sleeping, or sleeping well. Here are some of our tips:
- Be active: If you exercise regularly, you’ll sleep like a baby. And that’s any form of physical activity, because you’re burning energy that needs replenishing with some restorative rest! Get your 150 minutes a week of exercise and you might find that your stress and anxiety is reduced, also helping you nod off at night. BUT, avoid exercising right before bed because your brain will actually be too active to sleep well.
- Use Epsom salts before bed: Not only does soaking in the bath relax your muscles, but Epsom salts enhance that effect. Add 4 drops of Lavender essential oil and you’ll be asleep in no time (not in the bath, of course!) To save you hassle, our Night-Time bath salts contain Epsom Salts and some of the best herbs and essential oils for sleep.
- Eat dinner earlier: Eat dinner 2-3 hours before bed so your digestive system has time to get to work before you wind down.
- Avoid stimulants after 5pm: Drinking caffeine after 5pm will likely impact your ability to fall asleep. Ideally, avoid caffeine 5-6 hours before you go to bed.
- Optimise your sleep environment: Are you comfortable? Do you have a good mattress? Is the room too bright, or too hot? There are so many elements to a good night’s sleep, and you might find that an eye mask or a new mattress does the trick. Try to cool your room down if it’s too hot. 19 degrees Celsius or less is best for sleep.
- Create a night-time ritual: You could have a relaxing bath and then slip under the sheets to read a book until your eyes start closing. Or, you could journal before bed and drink a cup of herbal tea. Whatever you choose, allocate an hour or two that you go screen-free and unwind before bed.
- Make a regular sleep schedule and stick to it: Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday. You’ll start to find that you naturally get sleepy at the time you’re scheduled to go to sleep. Voila! To ease yourself into your new sleep schedule, drink Deep Sleep herbal tea or take a Night-Time bath before bed.
- Try meditation: Meditating in the morning and evening works to lower your cortisol levels and improve your mood. If you don’t know where to start, apps like Headspace and Calm can be very helpful.
- Avoid alcohol before bed: Alcohol can leave you feeling drowsy and, in some cases, increase the speed at which you fall asleep. But ultimately it’s not a healthy solution. The drug interferes with sleep homeostasis, the body's sleep-regulating mechanism, and leads to poor quality sleep.
These changes, paired with herbal supplements for sleep, can be transformative.
Still Struggling With Sleep? Try a Health Consultation with a Medical Herbalist
If you’re suffering from insomnia or are concerned there might be an underlying health issue to your restlessness, it might be worth speaking to one of our medical herbalists. You can book a health consultation with our Medical Herbalists who will be able to support you.
A full consultation is ideal if you have systematic problems or long-term diseases as we’ll have time to get to the root of the problem. We can also support any issues with digestion, insomnia, stress, pms, aches and pains.
If you are unsure on what is best for you, you can book a free discovery call and our Herbalists will answer any of your questions.
If the cold and lingering winter days leave you feeling a little low, you’re not alone! Our energy levels are affected by the environment around us, so when nature slows down, our minds and bodies do the same. You might feel inclined to reach for a coffee or sugary snacks to boost your energy, but these short-term tactics can leave you feeling even more depleted (admittedly after a great initial buzz). Instead, try to balance your energy levels naturally, rather than forcing an artificial rush and suffering with the inevitable dip that follows.
It’s ok to take things slow and embrace the restfulness of the season, so give yourself permission to use this as a time of reflection and gentleness. But while doing so, you can still cultivate a steady form of energy using the power of plants, food, and nature. In fact, we’ve developed a whole range of products to see you through the shorter days and maintain your motivation to get on with all of the things you need to do.
In this blog we’re going to explore:
- The best energy-supporting natural products from the Zen Maitri team
- Which herbs can support your immune system over winter
- The importance of sleep & what you can do to improve your sleep
- Natural caffeine alternatives
The importance of exercise
It may sound counterintuitive, but regular exercise is a great way to combat fatigue and improve your energy levels over the long term. Moving more provides you with more energy in three main ways.
First up, cellular-level changes occur inside your body every time you exercise. Physical exertion pushes your body to produce more mitochondria inside your muscle cells. Mitochondria are tiny cell powerhouses, creating fuel out of glucose from the food you eat and oxygen from the air you breathe. More mitochondria means your body has a greater energy supply.
Second, exercise boosts oxygen circulation inside your body. As well as supporting your mitochondria’s energy production, this circulation allows your body to function better and use its energy more efficiently. Exercise also leads to the release of a range of exercise-induced hormones that make you feel more energised.
Last but certainly not least, regular exercise is directly linked with better sleep. Deep and restful sleep is crucial to your overall health and to feeling well rested and energetic when you wake up in the morning.
Speaking of…
Take time to prioritise your sleep
We talk about sleep a lot at Zen Maitri. And with good reason. When it comes to energy levels, it may seem obvious… but if you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t feel revitalised and energetic during the day.
But in our busy, stressful lives, it’s all too common to push sleep to the bottom of our list of priorities and put strain on our bodies by staying up late, getting up early, and being constantly on the go.
Even the way you choose to relax in the evening could be draining your energy. If you’re up late looking at a screen, for example, you might feel as though you’re switching off and chilling out — but your brain is highly stimulated and the quality of your sleep will be affected.
If you’re not sleeping well, or not sleeping enough, the first thing to do is take an honest look at your evening routine. What could you change? Could you turn off your electronic devices earlier? Could you opt for some relaxing meditation or yoga practice instead of a high-impact workout late at night? Could you read a book instead of watching TV?
Make your sleep-supportive routine even more restful by incorporating natural scents and herbs that will leave you feeling blissfully drowsy. The added benefit is that you’ll start looking forward to your peaceful evenings; your sleep routine can become a positive part of your self-care routine.
Try our Deep Sleep Collection to get you started. It includes lavender essential oil (well known for its relaxing properties that help your body settle into sleep), our Night Time Bath Salts, herbal capsules packed with plant extracts that will help you relax and wind down, and a cosy Night Time Tea that eases you into the evening.
Psst: For more information on how herbs can support a healthy sleep routine, check out this blog post.
Balance cold weather with warming food and herbs
Ayurveda is one of the oldest medicine systems in the world. Originating from India, it’s rooted in principles of balance; with food and herbs working to balance your constitution and the impact of environmental factors, including seasons and the weather.
Ayurvedic wisdom suggests that if we feel unwell or lacking in energy, it’s because something’s out of balance. Figure out what that imbalance is and adjust your diet and lifestyle habits accordingly, and you’ll start to feel better.
To gently energise during the winter months, opt for warming drinks — without too much caffeine if you can avoid it. Hot water with lemon and honey is a perfect energiser. You could also brew a delicious mug of our Turmeric & Moringa Herbal Tea, which is a blend containing energising moringa, turmeric, cinnamon & ginger root.
Alongside those drinks, cook warm, hearty food. We love warm oats for the morning, and soups made from root vegetables at lunch time.
Support your immune system
Among the most common causes of persistent low energy, particularly during winter, is a compromised immune system. Our bodies have to work hard to keep us going — and we can always benefit from some extra immune support.
When your immune system is maxed out, you might feel tired, unmotivated, and find it difficult to get up on those dark mornings. In contrast, when the immune system is functioning well and your body is fit and strong, it’s much easier to feel a spring in your step and welcome the beauty of the season.
Eating nourishing food and getting enough sleep are both important practices to care for your immune system. You can also draw on the power of medicinal herbs and essential oils to give your body the extra help it needs to thrive.
Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Immunity | A Natural Health Perspective
Our Immunity Collection will equip you with a range of products to help your immune system function well. It includes our Rise & Shine Mix to give you a big boost of immune-supportive herbs to kick start your day.
If smoothie powders aren’t your thing, our Defend Tincture can be added to warm water to be taken as a drink; it’s full of those same uplifting herbs, with the addition of a herb called amla, known for its purifying and restorative properties.
Use herbs as natural allies for increased energy levels
There are many herbs that can promote energy and vitality, in different ways – for example, by providing much-needed vitamins and minerals to your cells (or improving their absorption), by offering antioxidant protection to prevent negative impacts of pollution and environmental stressors on your body, by promoting a healthy blood circulation to effectively bring oxygen and nutrition to your brain, or by helping your body systems continue to function healthily in stressful situations, like adaptogens do.
Our Balinese Moringa smoothie powder provides a handy way to boost your energy as part of your daily morning routine.
Sustaining healthy energy levels isn’t only about what you add to your routine — it’s also about what you reduce. Chronic stress places a heavy burden on the nervous system and can leave you feeling drained, restless, or mentally fatigued even after rest. Supporting your body’s stress response throughout the day can therefore make a noticeable difference to your overall vitality. Gentle herbal support can be particularly helpful here. Sipping a calming blend such as our Balance Herbal Tea regularly throughout the day provides a simple way to encourage steadiness, emotional equilibrium and a more sustained sense of energy without relying on stimulants.
Although these can offer general support, it is also important to know that there can be a wide range of reasons why you may need help to increase your energy levels (e.g., specific nutrient deficiencies), so to find the best natural approach for you, we recommend speaking with a medical herbalist so that they can assess your case in depth and devise a bespoke prescription for you.
Remember to give yourself a break
We’re human beings. We’re not supposed to be consistent all of the time. Our energy fluctuates and shifts, just as the world around us does. If you’re finding it difficult to stay on top of life’s demands over winter, remember to give yourself the time and space you need to breathe and simply be where you are.
To start taking control of your sleep and energy levels, explore our Sleep & Stress collections.