Ask the Experts

A: Canadian statistics show that 73 percent of working adults report at least some level of stress. Meanwhile, 45 percent have reported trouble going to or getting to sleep.

For many, it’s a vicious cycle: stress causes insomnia and insomnia causes stress. The good news is there are natural remedies to help you stress less and sleep better.

Passion flower

Passiflora incarnata can be safely taken by children ages 4 and up and can help calm nerves and reduce stress by boosting the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. By reducing anxiety, it has also been shown to help increase concentration levels.

In addition to helping to get through the stress of a heavy work load or tough exam periods, passion flower has been shown to help ease the nervousness of patients scheduled for surgery. Patients who consumed it reported less anxiety than those who received a placebo.

Valerian and hops

Valerian is an age-old herbal sleep remedy that also has some clinical trial evidence to support its use. Hops, best known as a beer ingredient, has also been used for centuries as part of herbal sleep medicines. The combination of valerian and hops has shown some positive results in clinical trials.

The combination of these fresh, organic plants in tincture form has shown, in research, to be fast-acting and to increase the quality and time spent in deep sleep (REM).

The only downside of this remedy is its taste; try mixing your tincture in an orange juice shot, followed by a glass of water to cut down on any unpleasantness. Sweet dreams!