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Originally Posted by skatealex2
Does Valerian cause vivid dreams like melatonin? Also how does it effect sleep quality? I was thinking of getting some for whenever I t-break
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There are many safe & effective herbal sleep aids. Here's a few of my favorites in the order I prefer them, starting with my favorite...
Rosemary - This herb is most commonly used in America as a spice for cooking poultry. You can make a tea with it that has a pine like taste (tastes much better than it sounds)! Also known for hundreds of years (Shakespeare used it and was often quoted as saying, "Rosemary, that's for remembrance!") to help improve memory, which most stoner's could use anyway. Best way to make the tea as a sleep aid is 1 ounce of dried herb per 8 ounces of water. Boil the water first, when you first take the water off the heat source, add the herb, cover and steep until it's room temperature. Strain with a wire colander to get all the herb particles out of it, pour over a glass of ice & enjoy. I used it for years back when I was a corporate sell-out and had trouble sleeping (because I was a corporate sell-out!). It's perfectly safe to make tea with the Rosemary sold at grocery store's as a spice, although this will get expensive. The good news is this is a very hardy, easy to grow herb. So if you try it and like it, buy some Rosemary seeds from any online herb store and grow your own. Fresh herbs always have the greatest medicinal value anyway.
I made this tea for a very heavy drug using biker once who came to me for help when he was having trouble sleeping because he went cold turkey on all drugs at once. It took me days to convince him to try it (strange how so many drug users who will try anything to get high, but are reluctant to try something that's actually good for them!). He told me the next day that was the best sleep he's had in years. He actually apologized (this guy wouldn't apologize for fucking your mother) for making fun of me in the past for being into herbs as an alternative to modern medicine!
Kava Kava (root) - A Hawaiian shrub used for hundreds of years ceremonially by native Hawaiians for it's narcotic properties. Be advised heavy and/or extended Kava Kava use can cause liver damage, which is why the wise Hawaiians only use it occasionally. As I always say "do your homework and make sure you are using something new properly before trying it out for the first time"! For sleep, add 1 ounce of bulk Kava Kava root (looks like white wood chips) to 16 ounces of water, heat to boiling, then remove from heat. Once it cools, drink and enjoy! Really traditional Kava users will use coconut milk instead of water (tastes awesome!) Kava tea will numb your throat like coke, which gives you an idea of how strong it is! Wanna make a fun alcoholic beverage at a party? Prepare according to the directions above using coconut milk. Once it cools, fill a glass with ice, add an ounce or two of coconut flavored rum, and fill the rest of the way with the Kava Kava tea. Warning, you may have a big sleep over on your hands because this drink will mello folks out so much they won't want to drive home! A great alcoholic beverage to accompany your favorite weed!
Valerian - Also great for sleep, although I've never seen it knock someone out the way Rosemary or Kava Kava does. Valerian
root is the part of the plant most commonly used medicinally. You won't find this at the grocery store as a spice, and it's not a plant that grows itself (gotta have a green thumb and the right climate). But it is easy to purchase from online web stores in bulk form or in pills.
Lavendar - Used a lot in aromatherapy for it's calming effect, it also makes a good tea for insomnia, especially when mixed with Valerian root. Even when mixed with Valerian root, IMHO not as strong as Kava Kava tea or even Rosemary tea. Most people prefer Lavendar & Valerian root tea for sleep because of it's pleasant taste (medicinal herbal teas can taste nasty to someone who isn't used to them).
* A great online store for buying herbs and getting information on how to use them properly is Iherb.com Do yourself a favor and check it out.*
Hope this helps,
- SkunkApe