There are many causes of poor sleep. Anxiety, chronic pain and hormone imbalance are some common ones but today we will dive into insomnia caused by hormone imbalance.
The world of hormones can feel so complex and mysterious but thankfully, herbs have been used for hormone support for thousands of years and have lots of scientific studies to back them up!
Herbs have been used for menstrual care, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause and low testosterone over the years by herbalists, midwifes and now doctors and research scientists.
Some signs that your sleeplessness may be due to hormones include:
Fatigue in the day but being unable to sleep through the night, heat and cold sensitivities, night sweats and frequent urination in the night.
Because different herbs should be used for different hormone imbalances, you may want to leave out some herbs listed here that may make your problem worse. For example, Motherwort is perfect for you if you are going through menopause or need cycle support, but if you have low testosterone or estrogen dominance, you will want to skip this one.
Now let’s dive into this wonderful list of hormone balancers!
Table of Contents
Herbs For Balancing Hormones
Motherwort
Motherwort is a sedative, anxiolytic and a powerful estrogen boosting herb! It contains an alkaloid called Leonurine that is anti-inflammatory and reduces oxidative stress. Its an emmenagogue and contains phytoestrogens making this herb an awesome menstrual and menopause support! Because Motherwort can boost estrogen, it is not recommended for people with low testosterone or estrogen dominance.
Vitex
Vitex, also known as Chasteberry, is an incredible herb for hormone balance. Although vitex does not contain any plant hormones, its constituents stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more luteinizing hormone which then increases progesterone production. Progesterone is vital for hormone balance and can increase Testosterone if you have too much estrogen. Vitex has been shown to decrease PMS symptoms and regulate cycles, increase low testosterone or estrogen, increase fertility and libido, decrease menopause symptoms and clear the skin of hormonal acne. This herb really is a hormone balancing powerhouse!
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen. Adaptogens work by bringing balance to your body systems and help you achieve homeostasis. Ashwagandha has been shown to lower stress related inflammation and regulate healthy cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels not only makes it difficult to sleep at night but also depletes testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. Ashwagandha also has been shown to increase sperm count in men and increase fertility in women!
Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh has primarily been used over the centuries to treat menopausal symptoms but can also be used to alleviate other hormonal imbalances such as PCOS and uterine fibroids! Many studies have shown that menopausal women supplementing with black cohosh experienced a reduction in hot flashes, night sweats and irritability.
In this study, 244 women with uterine fibroids supplemented with 40mg of black cohosh for three months. By the end of the study, a significant number of women had seen an up to 30% decrease in the size of their fibroids!
Valerian
Valerian has been appropriately referred to as ‘natures Valium’ and is one of the most potent sedaters in herbal medicine. This is why I use Valerian in all three of our sleep tinctures! One of the ways Valerian works is by prolonging the life of GABA which helps calm the nervous system and brain. It also contains chemicals that have been shown to slow activity in the part of our brains responsible for stress, fear and intense emotions. There have also been some studies done on the use of Valerian for treating OCD where the subjects taking the herb showed significant improvement without the nasty side effects of the synthetic drug alternatives.
Hops
Hops is a fascinating flower with so many incredible health benefits. It has many amazing, high quality scientific studies to support what herbalists have been observing in patients for thousands of years! In this study, a combination of Hops, Passion flower and Valerian were compared to the prescription sleep medication, Ambien. The researchers found the herbal treatment to be just as effective as the prescription medication but without the harmful side effects!
Hops have also been used to treat anxiety and depression and its effects on mood disorders have been heavily studied today. In this study, daily supplementation with Hops was found to greatly reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and depression as well as lower Cortisol levels.
Chamomile
There is a reason why Chamomile has been so popular from ancient Egyptian times to today. Chamomile is so many herbalists favorite remedy for anxiety because it is very effective but also a very gentle nervine that can be given to children. There are tons of amazing studies on how Chamomile can ease anxiety and sedate the body. Because it is a flower, I like to use it in our Sleep Tea Blend.
Lavender
For thousands of years, lavender has been used to treat depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. In this study, lavender was compared to Lorazepam (prescription anti anxiety and insomnia drug) and proved to be just as effective without the feeling of drowsiness the next morning! You can diffuse lavender oil, incorporate the flowers into baking or drink it as a tea. I use it in my Sleep Tea Blend.
Passion flower
Passion flower is a beautiful flower from the Passion fruit tree that, among many other things, can increase GABA in your brain! It has been used as a sedative, an anxiolytic, a pain killer and a hormone balancer. This flower really is a powerful herb for all three causes of poor sleep. In this study, participants were given passion flower tea every day for seven days and showed significant increase in their sleep quality compared to the control group!
How to Make My Hormone Balancing Sleep Tincture
Supplies
80 proof alcohol
Large bowl
Instructions
1. Set a large jar on your food scale and tare so that the weight goes to zero
2. In the jar, combine equal parts Motherwort, Vitex, Black Cohosh, Hops, Ashwagandha, and Valerian
3. To every ounce of dried plant material by weight, you will add four ounces of alcohol, pour alcohol over herbs (Example, 4 ounces of herbs would require 16 ounces of alcohol)
4. Seal jar, label and shake well
5. Let your tincture brew in a dark place for four to six weeks and shake it up every few days
6. Strain your tincture into a large bowl lined with muslin cloth and squeeze as much of the tincture out as you can
7. Funnel your tincture into an amber jar
8. Label your Hormone Balance Sleep tincture!
For an in-depth guide on how to make tinctures, read my How To Make A Tincture post.
How To Make the Sleep Tea Blend
Supplies
Muslin bags or a jar
Label
Instructions
Making tea blends is probably the easiest way to get herbs into your diet!
- Combine equal parts dried Chamomile, Lavender and Passion flower in a jar or bowl
- Pour herbs into a glass jar or muslin bag for storage. (If it is a large quantity, I would recommend the jar!
How to Use the Tincture and Tea
- Scoop a tablespoon of tea into a teapot (one tablespoon = one cup)
- Drop two dropper fulls of tincture onto the dried herbs and let activate while you boil your water
- Boil water
- Let the boiled water cool down for a minute or two before pouring it over your herbs
- Put an additional two dropper fulls of your tincture into the tea (the hot water will evaporate most of the alcohol) If you are over 150lb or have a high tolerance for alcohol and medications, use three dropper fulls
- Let your tea steep for eight to ten minutes
- Pour your tea through a strainer into your tea cup and enjoy!
Conclusion
If you suffer from poor sleep due to hormone imbalance, this tincture and tea can help you tremendously!
If you think your insomnia is cause by anxiety or chronic pain, here is my How to Make a Tincture and Tea Blend for Anxiety and Wakefulness Insomnia and How to Make a Tincture and Tea Blend for Chronic Pain Insomnia.