There are many herbs with reputations as being effective sleep remedies, but there are no legal plants that will put a person out! The key to successful treatment of insomnia is to find the cause and deal with it. This may be anything in the realm of human life, from deep grief to constipation. Psychological issues often need attention, but then so health problems causing pain or discomfort. Dietary indiscretions must be identified, as must environmental factors (e.g. freeway noise or a snoring spouse). Insomnia can push the practitioners diagnostic skills to the limit, making the allopaths free and easy prescribing of benzodiazepine sleeping medications at least understandable!

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Actions indicated for the processes behind this disease: Hypnotics are herbs with a reputation as easing the person into sleep. They are usually strong nervine relaxants rather than plant `knockout drops'! Nervine Relaxants ease the tensions that often produce sleeplessness. Anti-spasmodics address any somatic muscular tightness that might be involved. Nervine Tonics are indicated if there is any suspicion that the insomnia is associated with nervous exhaustion (as it often is). Adaptogens will help in a similar way to the nervine tonics, but should only be used in the morning to help deal with stress as they might be too energizing at night. healthren.com

System Support
Often the key to successful treatments lies in focusing upon some part or function of the body that is experiencing problems. This must be identified and the appropriate system tonic, action or specific be used. Hypnotics and nervines can be used within the context of such treatments. These can be selected by the role they play upon the system in question and not simply their strength as hypnotics. Thus: healthren.com

Circulatory system: Here we can mention Motherwort, Lime Blossom, Balm.