by Glory Lennon

Created on: August 20, 2008   Last Updated: November 09, 2008

There is nothing more annoying and at the same time destructive to the health than insomnia. To toss and turn wide awake at two in the morning when you should be sleeping because you need to be alert at work early next morning is nothing short of frustrating. It also can't be great for your bed partner when your thrashing around keeps them up, too. It'll certainly make for angry bedfellows.

Let us assume you have done all the correct things to ensure a good night's sleep but none of these things have helped. That is the time for other methods to help you get to dreamland. It is very easy to pop a pill and get knocked out for the night but that isn't the best thing to do and you know it. There are always side-effects with artificial chemicals such as morning grogginess and often times the "Miracle" pills won't let you sleep through the night. What good is that? Resorting to over-the-counter medications is not what a person such as yourself wants anyway. Healing herbs are. Here are a list of the very best nature has to offer and you might already have them growing in your herb garden.

Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) - This herb, also called Sweet Melissa, is a lemon scented, 2 foot tall perennial with light green, heavily veined leaves. Lemon Balm is extremely hardy and easy to grow and can become quite invasive but as you plan on using it, that may be a welcome thing. Since most of its flavor diminishes after drying, Lemon Balm is best used fresh from the garden or picked , washed and dried to store in the freezer. One teaspoon of Lemon Balm leaves per cup of boiling water, steeped for 10-20 minutes make a pleasant tasting infusion. For a lighter taste use less herbs or steep for less time.

Bee Balm ( Manarda Didyma) - Also called Oswego Tea, Monarda Bee Balm looks nice enough, with its vibrantly colorful flowers, to leave the herb garden and grace any perennial bed. These perennial 2-4 feet tall plants look pretty planted in sweeping drifts but they can become invasive where water is plentiful. The leaves are 4-6 inches long with a mint-like taste and smell. Prepare as you would Lemon Balm.

German Chamomile ( Matricaria Chamomilla)- Anybody who has read about Peter Rabbit's harrowing adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden knows that Peter's mother made him a belly-soothing tea with Chamomile but what is not known as widely is its power as a calming sedative for anxious feelings and to induce sleep. German Chamomile, an annual standing 3 feet high is rather easy growing

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