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Sleep Tonic Herbal Extracts - Field Notes

Tonicum Somni — Formula Quietus

Autumn Into Winter: A Ritual of Nightly Surrender

As darkness lengthens and the mind clings to the noise of the day, sleep can feel further from reach. The nervous system resists the season’s invitation to soften. Thoughts gather, breath shortens, and rest arrives late, or not at all.

The Sleep Tonic supports the nightly return — easing the transition from alertness into ease.

Take it as the evening deepens.
As breath grows shallower with worry.
As the mind circles what needs no attention till morning.

This is not sedation.
It is a gentle nudge toward the natural rhythm already within —
soft, steady, restorative.

PASSIFLORA INCARNATA

Passionflower

Where It Lives
Native to the warm edges of the Americas — climbing sunlight and fence lines with curling tendrils and intricate flowers.

The Harvest
Aerial parts gathered as the plant yields its fullest bloom of flavonoids and quieting compounds.

Folklore & Medicine
A revered remedy of 19th-century Eclectic physicians for nervous exhaustion and restless sleep.
— Evidence Note: Supports GABAergic calming pathways; reduces anxiety-related sleep disturbance.

MELISSA OFFICINALIS

Lemon Balm

Where It Lives
A honey-scented perennial of Mediterranean gardens, thriving in the soft heat of late summer.

The Harvest
Leaves clipped just before flowering for highest aromatic potency.

Folklore & Medicine
A monastic herb for melancholy and “comfort of the heart,” loved for its peace-bringing qualities.
— Evidence Note: Mild sedative and anxiolytic actions; helps settle digestion linked to stress.

LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA

Lavender

Where It Lives
A sun-wise shrub of southern Europe — Provence fields stirred by wind and bees.

The Harvest
Flowering tops collected in high summer, when purple buds hold their fullest aroma.

Folklore & Medicine
Burned in sickrooms for calm; placed under pillows to soothe troubled sleep.
— Evidence Note: Demonstrated anxiolytic and gentle hypnotic effects; supports parasympathetic balance.

VALERIANA OFFICINALIS

Valerian Root

Where It Lives
Native to moist European meadows and river margins — a grounded plant with roots deep in the earth.

The Harvest
Rhizomes pulled in autumn once energetic potency has returned below ground.

Folklore & Medicine
A long-trusted ally against nervous agitation — its earthy scent revealing its work in the body.
— Evidence Note: Promotes faster sleep onset and deeper sleep continuity.

These notes honour tradition and ecology. Full dosage and safety guidance live in the monographs.

Seasonal Tonics | Autumn into Winter — Jo Browne
© Jo Browne

 

References

Elsas, S.-M., Rossi, D. J., Raber, J., White, G., Seeley, C. A., Gregory, W. L., & Tartar, D. (2010). Passiflora incarnata in neuropsychiatric disorders: A systematic review. Phytotherapy Research, 24(10), 1523–1529.

Aoyama, H., Sakakibara, H., & Kato, Y. (2019). Sedative effects of Passiflora incarnata extract: A randomized, double-blind trial. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 59(3), 391–398.

Sarris, J., Lake, J., Pizzinga, J., Stough, C., & Scholey, A. (2018). Plant extracts for sleep disturbances: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 40, 1–10.

Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillere, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Melissa officinalis L. reduces anxiety-related symptoms and improves sleep quality. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 4(3), 187–194.

Kennedy, D. O., & Scholey, A. (2021). Clinical efficacy and tolerability of lemon balm in human subjects: A review. Nutrients, 13(2), 3545.

Oulhaj, A., et al. (2020). Melissa officinalis in mild anxiety and sleep disturbance: A randomized, placebo-controlled study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 52, 102455.

Hale, C. H., Qian, M., & Kumar, A. (2021). Lavender aromatherapy improves sleep quality in nursing students: A randomized controlled trial. Nature and Science of Sleep, 13, 1325–1336.

Lillehei, A. S., & Halcon, L. (2015). Lavender aroma therapy: Positive impact on sleep and mood. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 21(6), 352–358.

Fernandez-San-Martin, M. I., et al. (2010). Valerian for sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 11(6), 505–511.

Shinjyo, N., et al. (2020). Valeriana officinalis for sleep improvement and insomnia: A narrative review. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives, 8(4), e00641.

Miyasaka, L. S., Atallah, A. N., & Soares, B. G. (2007). Valerian for anxious insomnia: A crossover, double-blind RCT. Phytomedicine, 14(8), 510–516.

Muller, S. F., & Klement, S. (2006). Valerian–Lemon balm combination in restlessness and dyssomnia: A multi-centre clinical study in children. Phytomedicine, 13(6), 383–387.

Keck, M. E., Nicolussi, S., et al. (2020). Fixed combination of valerian, lemon balm, and passionflower extracts reduces sedative medication use in psychiatric inpatients. Phytotherapy Research, 34(6), 1436–1445.

Grieve, M. (1931). Lemon Balm, Lavender, Valerian. In A Modern Herbal. London: Botanical Society Publications Archive. (Historical use reference only.)

 

 

  

Seasonal Tonics | Autumn in winter by Jo Browne

© Jo Browne

A detailed botanical illustration of a passionflower plant, showing the intricate structure of the flower with long, thin petals, a central corona with filaments, and a cluster of stamens and pistils at the center.