St John's Wort As a Remedy For Sleep

St. John's Wort is an effective remedy for sleep problems as well as mood swings and depression. This plant dates back to ancient Greece. Ancients like Dioscorides, Pliny and Hippocrates all recorded using the plant, which they called Hypericum. In medieval times it was placed under pillows on St. John's Eve in order to protect the people for the following year. Today, many people use it as a natural alternative to anti-depressants but it is effective in treating sleep disorder as well.

In dozens of scientific studies, St. John's Wort has been reported to increase deep sleep without a "hangover" the next morning. It increases the secretion of melatonin, which is a natural hormone that your body produces at night. St. John's Wort has also been shown to have a positive effect on anxiety and it helped people dealing with seasonal effective disorder.

The chemicals hypercin and hyperforin, which are present in St. John's Wort, interact with your body's chemical messengers that regulate mood. Since depression is often a cause of insomnia, alleviating mood imbalances can help you sleep. It can be taken every day in doses of 900 to 1800 milligrams for adults. It is recommended that you take the herb for one to three months to see if it will work for you. Different people may have different responses to the drug and it can take a few weeks to see the effects.

The only warnings that come with taking St. John's Wort is that it can cause serious reactions with other herbs, prescription drugs and supplements. It should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It can also cause your skin to become sensitive to the sun, so you should wear sunblock outdoors. St. John's Wort is not recommended if you have major depression or are taking birth control pills, Xanax or Elavil.

Blake M Talvitz has been writing articles for 5 years, covering a number of topics such as health, fitness, home and garden, and business management. Her latest blogs are about name badge ribbons and garden swing cushions.

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