My Favorite Herbs and Oils for a Restful Night's Sleep

Written by Dorene Petersen BA, Dip.NT, Dip.Acu, ND (NZ), RH (AHG)  |  Founding President, ACHS.edu & the Apothecary Shoppe

Looking for natural ways to improve sleep? These herbs and essential oils have been used for centuries to support relaxation, calm the nervous system, and promote better sleep. Below are five simple recipes you can make at home.

After more than four decades working with medicinal plants—sourcing chamomile in Hungary, valerian in the Pacific Northwest, lemon balm from small organic growers across Europe—I have learned that some of the most powerful tools for better sleep are also the simplest. A good night's rest does not always require a prescription. Sometimes it requires a teapot, a few trusted herbs, and a little lavender on your pillow.

Here are the sleep herbs and essential oils I return to again and again, along with five recipes straight from the ACHS curriculum you can make at home tonight.

The Herbs I Trust for Sleep

Valerian Root Valeriana officinalis

The herb I reach for first when sleep feels genuinely elusive—two thousand years of use and modern clinical research to back it up. Yes, it smells like dirty socks. That pungent, earthy aroma is actually a quality indicator—properly dried, therapeutically potent root should smell assertively of itself. Give it two to four weeks of consistent nightly use, and it rewards you with genuinely restorative sleep, no grogginess the next morning.

Passionflower Passiflora incarnata

My quiet favourite for the nights when the mind simply will not stop. Racing thoughts, mild anxiety, the wired-but-tired feeling modern life specialises in—passionflower is gentle, reliable, and beautiful in a tea blend.

 

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis

The herb I recommend to anyone who finds sleep herbs a little intimidating. Mild, delicious, and used for nervous tension since at least the Middle Ages. It blends beautifully with almost everything.

 

Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora

Rounds out the classic nervine quartet—herbs that work on the nervous system gently and in beautifully complementary ways. Together, these four are the foundation of our Knockout Drops formula, one of the most time-tested sleep preparations in Western herbalism.

The Essential Oils I Reach for at Bedtime

On the aromatherapy side, I keep three oils on my bedside table: Lavender for its well-documented calming effect on the nervous system, Cedarwood for its grounding, earthy warmth, and Clary Sage for the nights when stress and emotional tension are what's keeping me awake. Together they create a layered, genuinely soothing aromatic experience that signals to the body—clearly and repeatedly—that it is time to rest.

5 DIY Sleep Recipes to Try Tonight

Recipe 1: Sleepy Time Tea

Quick, gentle, and delicious — a perfect introduction to sleep herbs.

Ingredients

• • 1 teaspoon Roman Chamomile flowers Chamaemelum nobile

  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Balm leaves Melissa officinalis

  • 1/2 teaspoon Lavender flowers Lavandula angustifolia

Instructions

1. 1. Mix the herbs and add to a ceramic or glass teapot.

   2. Pour two cups of hot — not boiling — water over the herbs.

   3. Cover and steep for 10–15 minutes.

   4. Strain and enjoy before bed. Sweeten lightly with honey if desired.

   5. Do not store — prepare fresh each evening.

Source: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Herb 101: Introduction to Herbal Medicine — Sleepy Time Tea.
https://achs.edu

 

Recipe 2: Knockout Drops — Classic Nervine Sleep Formula

The ACHS curriculum’s most celebrated sleep formula. Three preparation options.

Ingredients

• • 1 ounce Valerian Root Valeriana officinalis

  • 1 ounce Passionflower herb Passiflora incarnata

  • 1 ounce Skullcap herb Scutellaria lateriflora

  • 1 ounce Hops strobiles Humulus lupulus

Instructions

As a Tea

1. 1. Mix dried herbs and store in a sealed glass jar.

   2. Steep 2 heaped teaspoons in a covered cup of hot — not boiling — water for 10–15 minutes.

   3. Drink 30–60 minutes before bed.

   4. Do not boil valerian — heat destroys key volatile constituents.

As a Tincture

1. 1. Place herb blend in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

   2. Cover with 80-proof vodka until fully submerged.

   3. Seal and store in a warm, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking daily.

   4. Strain through cheesecloth or filter and bottle in dark glass.

   5. Dose: 1 teaspoon in 1/4 cup water each evening as needed.

As Capsules

1. 1. Grind dried herb blend into a fine powder.

   2. Fill size 00 vegetable capsules.

   3. Take 2 capsules 1–2 hours before bed.

Source: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Herb 101: Introduction to Herbal Medicine — Insomnia Tincture / Knockout Drops. https://achs.edu

Recipe 3: Make Your Own Valerian Capsules

Because valerian is effective — but not pleasant to taste.

Ingredients

• • Dried Valerian Root Valeriana officinalis

  • Vitamix Dry Grains Container

  • Size 00 empty vegetable capsules

  • Capsule machine (optional)

Instructions

1. 1. Ensure valerian root is fully dried.

   2. Fill blender no more than halfway.

   3. Grind on high for 30–60 seconds until a fine powder forms.

   4. Tap container gently before opening.

   5. Fill capsules (~500 mg each).

   6. Store in a sealed glass jar away from heat, light, and moisture.

Dose
1–2 capsules (500–900 mg) taken 1–2 hours before bed.
Allow 2–4 weeks of consistent use for full effect.

Source: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). HERB 303: Advanced Herbal Materia Medica — Valerian Monograph (Updated March 2026). https://achs.edu

Recipe 4: Relaxing Bedtime Diffuser Blend

A simple sensory cue that signals the body it is time to rest.

Ingredients

• • 10 drops Bergamot Citrus aurantium var. bergamia

  • 3 drops Clary Sage Salvia sclarea

  • 2 drops Roman Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile

  • 2 drops Benzoin resinoid Styrax benzoin

Instructions

1. 1. Add 2–3 drops of the blend to your diffuser with water.

   2. Begin diffusing 30 minutes before bedtime.

   3. Run for 30–60 minutes as you wind down.

Source: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Aromatherapy Textbook — Relaxing Bedtime Blend. https://achs.edu

Recipe 5: Goodnight Foot Oil

A simple bedtime ritual that supports relaxation through touch and aroma.

Ingredients

• • 1 teaspoon Sweet Almond carrier oil

  • 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil Lavandula angustifolia

  • 2 drops Cedarwood Virginia Essential Oil Juniperus virginiana

  • 1 drop Ylang Ylang Essential Oil Cananga odorata

Instructions

1. 1. Blend essential oils into the carrier oil.

   2. Massage into the feet, ankles, and lower legs before bed.

Source: American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Aromatherapy Textbook — Bedtime Body Oil. https://achs.edu

 

Sleep Well. And Do So Wisely.

Sleep is not a luxury. It is the foundation on which everything else rests. These herbs and essential oils have supported restful sleep for decades and are available, certified organic, pesticide-free, and identity-verified in our Restful Nights Collection:

Sources

These formulations and recommendations are adapted from course materials used in accredited integrative health and herbal medicine programs at the American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS).

• American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Herb 101: Introduction to Herbal Medicine — Sleepy Time Tea; Insomnia Tincture / Knockout Drops.
  https://achs.edu

• American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). HERB 303: Advanced Herbal Materia Medica — Valerian Monograph (Updated March 2026).
  https://achs.edu

• American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). Aromatherapy Textbook — Relaxing Bedtime Blend; Bedtime Body Oil.
  https://achs.edu

For additional evidence-informed articles, herbal monographs, and integrative health resources, visit the ACHS Blog: https://achs.edu/blog/

 

Disclaimer

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Always use herbs and essential oils with caution. Consult your healthcare practitioner before use if pregnant, nursing, or taking medication. Keep all products out of reach of children.

 

About the Author

Dorene Petersen BA, Dip.NT, Dip.Acu, ND (NZ), RH (AHG)  |  Founding President, American College of Healthcare Sciences

Dorene Petersen has studied and sourced medicinal plants across four continents -- from chamomile fields in Hungary and Korean farms at 3,000 feet to turmeric markets in Kerala and spice bazaars in Morocco and Istanbul. As Founding President of ACHS.edu and the Apothecary Shoppe, she has dedicated more than four decades to integrative health education and the rigorous intersection of traditional wisdom and modern botanical science.