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Page 26
Sleep Tea IV
Oatstraw, 2 parts
Lemon balm, 2 parts
Linden, 2 parts
Skullcap, 1 part
Chamomile, 1 part
Lavender, 1 part
Vervain, 1 part
Steep 1 to 2 Tbsp. of herb mixture in a cup of boiling water, covered, for 5 to 15 minutes. Drink warm before bedtime.
Sleep Tea V
Catnip, 1 part
Chamomile, 1 part
Passionflower, 1 part
Lemon balm, 1 part
Peppermint, 2 parts
Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1 to 2 tsp. of the mixture and leave to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink 1 cup before going to bed.
Herbal Tinctures to Help You Sleep
In general, alcohol is a better solvent than water for plant constituents, so mixtures of alcohol and water dissolve nearly all the relevant ingredients of an herb and at the same time act as a preservative. Alcohol preparations are called tinctures, an expression that is occasionally also used for preparations based on glycerin or vinegar, as described below. The method given here for the preparation of tinctures shows a simple and general approach; when tinctures are prepared professionally according to descriptions in a pharmacopoeia, specific water/alcohol proportions are used for each herb, but for general use, such details are unneces-

 
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