Essential Oils for Sleep: Aromatherapy and Insomnia
It’s amazing how certain aromas can help boost our alertness or calm our stress. But is it true that essential oils like lavender, patchouli, or marjoram could even help us get a good night’s sleep? There is research to suggest that aromatherapy can help reduce insomnia. In this article, you will learn about the scientific…
Mugwort Dream Pillow for Natural Sleep Aid
Everybody wants to have good dreams, so what about combining good dreams with a natural sleep aid? Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) has been classified as an herbal oneirogen, which is a plant that produces or enhances dream-like states of consciousness (Barrett & McNamara, 2012). Unfortunately, most of the oneirogenic benefits of mugwort have not been scientifically…
Getting to Know the Valerian Plant
In my last article, I wrote about the lovely aroma of elder flowers. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is on the other end of the fragrance spectrum. Although some people like the smell of valerian (I’m one of them), many say that it reminds them of “dirty sweat socks.” Dioscorides and Galen must have felt the same way, since they referred…
