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Page 18
Green Medicine for a Good Night's Sleep
The key to successful treatment of insomnia is to find the cause and deal with it. This may be anything in the realm of human life, from deep grief to constipation. Psychological issues often need attention, but then so do health problems causing pain or discomfort. Dietary indiscretions must be identified as must environmental factors (e.g., freeway noise or a snoring spouse). Insomnia can push the practitioner's diagnostic skills to the limit, making the orthodox M.D.'s free and easy prescribing of sleeping medications at least understandable.
The herbal repertoires of the world abound in plants that can prove successful in the search for a good night's sleep. However it can sometimes be helpful to think in terms of groups of herbs that share properties. These are often called the actions of the plants. Herbal actions that might be indicated for the processes involved underlying insomnia follow:
Hypnotics are herbs with a reputation for easing one into sleep. They are usually strong nervine relaxants rather than plant "knockout drops."

 
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