Does sleep always come easily for you? Both Mike and I go through periods of insomnia for one reason or another. Mike almost always falls asleep quickly, but he’ll wake in the middle of the night and stay awake for an hour or two. For me, it sometimes takes hours to fall asleep. Other times, I wake up several hours before I need to rise and can’t get back to sleep.
Lots of herbs are calming and help to induce sleep, so I thought I would make us each an herb pillow to help us sleep when needed.
I had a few old tea towels around, and thought they’d do the job just nicely. Because of the size of the tea towels, the finished pillows are around 10″ x 11″. But a much smaller pillow would be just as effective. They could easily be made from scraps of muslin or cotton you have around, or you could purchase an herb bag (like these) to use.
I stitched around the edges of my tea towels, leaving several inches open to add herbs – around 2 cups each of hops and lavender.
Other herbs that promote relaxation are lemon balm, chamomile, valerian, catnip, and sweet marjoram. Just a cup total of herbs is all that’s needed. My 4 cups were a bit overkill. (Click here for a great place to purchase quality, organic herbs)
The pillow’s not even finished and our pretty kitty is already asleep! Love him!
When you find yourself having one of those difficult nights, just take a few whiffs of your herbs, and hopefully you’ll soon be sound asleep.
Mike is on a weeklong fishing trip with ‘da guys, and yes, he took his flowery herb pillow with him. I think he likes it!
Be sure to also visit my post Natural Home Remedies for Your Medicine Cabinet.
What tips do you have for getting a good night’s sleep? Let me know in the comments.
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Amy says
How long would you estimate these herbs stay potent? It might be nice, for example, to replace the dried herbs every few months with a new batch, but I’m wondering how often you might recommend doing that. Thanks for this awesome idea!
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Amy! Good question. The smell of the herbs should last at least a year, if not more. If you notice that the smell is diminishing, just crush the pillow or sachet between your hands for a bit, and that will help to release oils from the herbs and refresh the scent.
garima says
from where can we get these herbs and how long will it lost
Susan Vinskofski says
Garima, here is a good source of herbs: http://edge.affiliateshop.com/public/AIDLink?AID=134882&Redirect=/catalog/herbs/bulk. Buying from them helps me to earn a few dollars, but does not cost you anything additional. The quality of their herbs is wonderful. The smell of the herbs should last at least a year, if not more. If you notice that the smell is diminishing, just crush the pillow or sachet between your hands for a bit, and that will help to release oils from the herbs and refresh the scent.
Jeanne says
Hello, we have found that a few teaspoons of Organic apple cider vinegar added to pure apple juice, a few hours before you go to bed, make for a restful and continuous night’s sleep. Equally so, the same drink before a big meal, helps digestion, and subsequently also aids a good night’s sleep.
Arche says
Historical tidbit: Abraham Lincoln had a hops-filled pillow to help him sleep!
Susan Vinskofski says
I love that!