Skip to content
Fullscript leaf logo
Create account
Fullscript logo
Fullscript leaf logo
  • Solutions
    • Plan care
      Lab testing Offer end-to-end diagnostics.
      Supplement catalog Recommend healthcare’s best.
      Clinical decision support Optimize your patients’ plans.
      Evidence-based templates Build complete plans quickly.
    • Deliver care
      Online plans Send individual and multi-patient plans.
      Wholesale ordering Dispense supplements from your clinic.
    • Engage patients
      Patient experience See how patients thrive on Fullscript.
      Adherence & insights Keep patients on track with less effort.
      Patient promotions Offer savings, engage patients in a few clicks.
    • IntegrationsSee all integrations
  • Resources
    • Learn
      How to use Fullscript Explore quick demos, articles, and more.
      Wellness blog Education for practitioners and patients.
      Webinars 100+ recordings of practitioner discussions.
      Protocols Our library of evidence-based protocols.
      Clinical evidence Studies that support the Fullscript platform.
      Practice resources Handouts, promotional tools, and more.
      Ingredient library Decision support for supplement ingredients.
    • Featured
      lets make healthcare whole kyle feature image
      Let’s Make Healthcare Whole

      Learn how Fullscript is making whole person care more attainable, scalable, and impactful.

  • Pricing
Sign in Create account Book a demo Sign in
Supplement Ingredients
—

Best Herbs For Sleep And Ways to Use Them

Updated on May 1, 2025 | Published on September 2, 2020
Fact checked
Dr. Beverly Yates, ND Avatar
Written by Dr. Beverly Yates, ND
  1. Wellness blog
  2. Best Herbs For Sleep And Ways to Use Them
In today’s world, many people struggle with sleep. Some of the ways that people tackle sleep problems are to take prescription medications, over-the-counter remedies, or medicinal herbs and supplements. People who take prescription medications in pursuit of sleep may experience problematic side effects, such as nightmares, sleep-walking and doing things in one’s sleep with no memory of what happened the night before. (2) As a result, some patients turn to natural remedies to improve sleep.
Woman laying in bed with a dog
Certain medicinal herbs may help improve sleep in those suffering from insomnia.When looking for the best herbs for deep sleep, it’s important to understand the myriad of ways that various herbs can help promote quality sleep. Sleep is one of the most important things that affect how well people feel. For people looking for relief from insomnia, herbs may offer a welcome, natural way to improve sleep, and therefore improve health.

Best herbs for sleep

Over the years, people have sought relief from sleep problems by using certain medicinal herbs, such as valerian, magnolia, passionflower, hemp, and ashwagandha.

Valerian (Valerian officinalis)

Valerian, a member of the Valerianaceae family, is often recommended for individuals experiencing restlessness and insomnia. (3)(4) Valerian has sedative, hypnotic, nervine (nerve calming), hypotensive (blood pressure lowering), and carminative (flatulence relieving) effects. It helps improve the quality of sleep and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, (9) without affecting dream recall. (4) Valerian supplements can be taken in tincture, liquid phyto-cap, or dried root capsule form.

Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis)

A member of the Magnoliaceae family, magnolia possesses cortisol lowering effects, reducing sleep disturbances, lessening anxiety, and providing relief from menopausal sleep disruptions, (7) including night sweats and hot flashes. (5) Similar to valerian, magnolia can be found in many supplemental forms, including liquid phyto-caps, tinctures, dried powdered bark, or capsules.

Passionflower (Passionflower incarnata)

Passionflower is a member of the Passiflora family and is beneficial in reducing stress, anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, and spasms caused by anxiety, asthma, or hypertension. This medicinal herb may also be effective for individuals looking to improve overall sleep quality. (8) Passionflower may increase total sleep time, improve sleep latency, and decrease the number of awakenings per night. It can be especially helpful in cases where insomnia and spasms are prominent, including excessive muscular tension. (6) Passionflower can be found in tincture, liquid phyto-cap, dried flowering vines, infusion, or extract forms.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa)

Hemp, a member of the Cannabacae family, may improve sleep, offer neuroprotection, decrease anxiety and depression, reduce nausea and vomiting, and relieve pain. Hemp contains CBD (cannabidiol) and other phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. (10) Hemp can be taken in a number of different forms, including liquid phyto-caps, tinctures, and capsules.
Hemp oil dropper
Hemp may offer a number of health benefits, including improved sleep.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

A member of the Solanaceae family, ashwagandha is an adaptogen, a group of medicinal herbs that help the body adapt to stressors. It is especially beneficial for individuals who feel wiped out, exhausted, or debilitated. While it can take up to two to four weeks for people to feel the benefits, this herb helps people enjoy better sleep by improving recovery from the effects of both acute and chronic stress. (1) Ashwagandha can be taken in tincture, tea, or liquid phyto-cap form.

The bottom line

These medicinal herbs may offer a natural solution to troublesome sleep issues, without the problematic side effects commonly experienced with conventional prescription sleep medications. As discussed, the benefits of these herbs include relief from insomnia, poor sleep quality, exhaustion, menopausal sleep disruptions, spasms, pain, and discomfort. It’s important to consider quality when selecting herbs. Choose products that were manufactured according to rigorous quality assurance practices and testing methods, ensuring safety and product potency. Speak to your integrative healthcare provider for guidance choosing the best quality medicinal herbs for sleep.

Simplify the delivery of whole person care

Create free account I'm a patient
Disclosure: This article was written in partnership with Gaia Herbs. All supplier partnerships have been approved by doctors on our Fullscript Medical Advisory Team, and this content adheres to all guidelines outlined in our content philosophy. Fullscript has not been compensated financially for the publication of this article.
References
  1. Biswajit, A., Jayaram, H., Achintya, M., & Bruce, A. (2008). A standardized Withania somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. JANA, 11(1).
  2. Fitzgerald, T., & Vietri, J. (2015). Residual effects of sleep medications are commonly reported and associated with impaired patient-reported outcomes among insomnia patients in the United States. Sleep Disorders, 2015, 607148.
  3. Leathwood, P. D., & Chauffard, F. (1982). Quantifying the effects of mild sedatives. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17(2), 115–122.
  4. Leathwood, P. D., Chauffard, F., Heck, E., & Munoz-Box, R. (1982). Aqueous extract of valerian root (Valeriana officinalis L.) improves sleep quality in man. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 17(1), 65–71.
  5. Lee, Y. J., Lee, Y. M., Lee, C. K., Jung, J. K., Han, S. B., & Hong, J. T. (2011). Therapeutic applications of compounds in the Magnolia family. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 130(2), 157–176.
  6. Maroo, N., Hazra, A., & Das, T. (2013). Efficacy and safety of a polyherbal sedative-hypnotic formulation NSF-3 in primary insomnia in comparison to zolpidem: a randomized controlled trial. Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 45(1), 34–39.
  7. Mucci, M., Carraro, C., Mancino, P., Monti, M., Papadia, L. S., Volpini, G., & Benvenuti, C. (2006). Soy isoflavones, lactobacilli, Magnolia bark extract, vitamin D3 and calcium. Controlled clinical study in menopause. Minerva Ginecologica, 58(4), 323–334.
  8. Ngan, A., & Conduit, R. (2011). A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherapy Research: PTR, 25(8), 1153–1159.
  9. Salter, S., & Brownie, S. (2010). Treating primary insomnia – the efficacy of valerian and hops. Australian Family Physician, 39(6), 433–437.
  10. Zou, S., & Kumar, U. (2018). Cannabinoid receptors and the endocannabinoid system: Signaling and function in the central nervous system. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(3), 833.

Author

Dr. Beverly Yates, ND Avatar
Written by Dr. Beverly Yates, ND

Disclaimer

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

SHARE THIS POST
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

More resources

Protocols
Practice resources
Ingredient library
Webinars

Make healthcare whole with Fullscript

Join 100,000+ providers building the future of whole person care today.

Create free account

Read more articles

Updates
—Targeted Probiotics for Targeted Outcomes: A Guide for Healthcare Providers
The probiotic market is growing fast as research highlights gut health. Strain-specific benefits mak...
Updates
—Patient Feedback Systems in Healthcare: A Practical Framework for Clinical Leaders
Transform patient feedback into care improvement with this evidence-based, 4-phase framework designe...
Practice Management
—Hybrid Supplement Dispensing: How One Functional Medicine Clinic Transformed Care
Discover how a functional medicine clinic used hybrid supplement dispensing with Fullscript to boost...

Fullscript content philosophy

At Fullscript, we are committed to curating accurate, and reliable educational content for providers and patients alike. Our educational offerings cover a broad range of topics related to whole person care, such as supplement ingredients, diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.

Medically reviewed by expert practitioners and our internal Medical Advisory Team, all Fullscript content adheres to the following guidelines:

  1. In order to provide unbiased and transparent education, information is based on a research review and obtained from trustworthy sources, such as peer-reviewed articles and government websites. All medical statements are linked to the original reference and all sources of information are disclosed within the article.
  2. Information about supplements is always based on ingredients. No specific products are mentioned or promoted within educational content.
  3. A strict policy against plagiarism is maintained; all our content is unique, curated by our team of writers and editors at Fullscript. Attribution to individual writers and editors is clearly stated in each article.
  4. Resources for patients are intended to be educational and do not replace the relationship between health practitioners and patients. In all content, we clearly recommend that readers refer back to their healthcare practitioners for all health-related questions.
  5. All content is updated on a regular basis to account for new research and industry trends, and the last update date is listed at the top of every article.
  6. Potential conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.
Learn more

The healthiest cookies you’ll choose today

Our website uses cookies to collect useful information that lets us and our partners support basic functionality, analyze visitor traffic, deliver a better user experience, and provide ads tailored to your interests. Agreeing to the use of cookies is your choice. Learn more

Fullscript leaf icon
Platform
  • What’s new
  • Integrations
  • Testimonials
  • Catalog
Company
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Why Fullscript
  • Careers
  • Partnerships
  • Quality program
Help
  • Book a demo
  • Support Center
  • Provider FAQs
  • Patient FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Security
Developers
  • Engineering at Fullscript
  • API

© Fullscript 2025. All rights reserved.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Customer Support Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • Privacy Rights Notice
  • Auto Refill Terms and Conditions
  • Consumer Health Data Privacy Notice
American flag - toggles to show american specific contentUS
Canadian flag - toggles to show canada specific contentCanada