Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) is a bush producing Sleep Seeds, which are the most important ingredient in many Ayahuasca Analogs. This is because they contain some of the same harmala alkaloids as Banisteriopsis caapi, the original ayahuasca plant. Syrian rue is also also known as: African rue esphand wild rue aspand harmal hermel harmel esfand Read my full […]
Category Archives: Sleep
Common Vervain (Verbena officinalis)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) has no known psychoactive effects, however it is used in Medical Herbalism for various purposes, including as a Sleep Herb. While the majority of Verbena species are native to the Americas and Asia, Verbena officinalis, is native to Europe where it has been held in high esteem since classical antiquity both as […]
Passiflora incarnata (True Passionflower) – The Sleep Flower
True Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), also known as Wild Passion Vine, Apricot Vine, and Maypop, is a plant native to North America, where it was used first by Native American tribes. It is a CNS depressant with sedative, calming, and soothing properties, which is prescribed for problems associated with stress, including nervous conditions such as tension […]
Lucid Dream Therapy for Insomnia (LDT-I)
Lucid dreaming enthusiasts have long been searching for a practical application of the phenomenon. Attempts to use lucid dreaming for the treatment of insomnia have been part of this quest. Yes, lucid dreaming does have huge potential for treating various types of sleep disorders. Preliminary studies have yielded promising results in this regard. In this […]
Sleep and the Immune System
The links between proper sleep and a properly functioning immune system have been obvious for medically-inclined people for thousands of years. Back in 350 BC, Aristotle noted a sleep response in feverish patients. The relationship between sleep and the immune system is bidirectional. One affects the other and vice-versa. It is relatively easy to demonstrate […]
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy-based approach to dealing with health issues that are habit/behavior/cognition-rooted. The goal of CBT is to change the way people think about a real or perceived health problem. Then, it aims to change their behaviors associated with that problem. In most cases, people’s health problems do indeed stem from […]
Bacopa monnieri – Natural “Methylphenidate”
A hypothetical candidate for the original soma plant of the Vedas, Bacopa monnieri (in Sanskrit sarasvati or “that which flows”), is a medicinal and nootropic plant named after Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning. This plant is used mainly to enhance cognition and memory and as an anxiolytic. Bacopa is […]
Sleep Restriction Therapy for Insomnia
Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT) is a component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). As such, it addresses certain aspects of insomnia. In the context of CBT, SRT teams up with other solutions such as Stimulus Control Therapy, which we have already discussed. SRT restricts time spent in bed and daytime sleep, intending to improve the quality […]
Stimulus Control for Insomnia
Stimulus Control is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) component, for the treatment of insomnia. Its main target is the deconstruction of the classical conditioning responses which lead to conditioned arousal. Its action is double-pronged. On the one hand, it breaks up the conditioned, conscious or subconscious “pairing” of the bed and bedroom with arousal and […]
How to Withdraw from Benzodiazepines
Have you been taking benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), etc. for years? Are you suffering from the adverse effects of these drugs, such as memory impairment, oversedation, and depression, among others? Do you feel that it is high time you weaned yourself off of this dubious chemical diet? Read on then, as we […]