I'm reading the book 'Why We Sleep' by Matthew Walker PhD and it's the best book on sleep I've ever read. It's approachable, readable, and makes sense to those of us who didn't go to medical school.
As an herbalist working with many women who have sleep issues, I've seen such a parallel between science the what's going on from a holistic standpoint. I see women who haven't slept through the night in months. Mothers running on fumes. Bodies wired and tired at the same time, brains that won't turn off at 11pm.
Matthew Walker is a neuroscientist at UC Berkeley who has spent his career studying what happens to the human body when it doesn't sleep. The book is full of moments where you put it down and stare at the wall. One of his lines: "The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life."
This is why I'm so excited for this month's subscription tea blend. A tea blend for SLEEP.
It contains five herbs, all chosen on purpose, all working at slightly different angles in the nervous system. Below, the science of each one and where it lines up with what Walker is teaching about why we struggle to rest.
Free PDF: How to Make Loose Leaf Tea → (the foundation for everything below)
Why sleep is so hard right now
Walker outlines a model called the two-process system. Your sleep is governed by two things working together:
- Your circadian rhythm — the 24-hour clock that tells your body when to be awake and when to wind down.
- Sleep pressure — a chemical called adenosine that builds up the longer you're awake. The more it accumulates, the sleepier you feel.
Caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors. That's why a 2pm coffee can still be in your system at 9pm, caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 7 hours. Alcohol, the other common "sleep aid," sedates you but fragments your REM sleep. Sedation is not sleep.
So when a woman tells me she "fell asleep fine but woke up at 3am," what's usually happening is one of these things, a stress-elevated nervous system that never fully downshifted, a cortisol spike from blood sugar drops, or wine with dinner that isn't actually letting her fall asleep. It's also the liver/pitta time of night when transformation is happening.
Now I know herbs can't fix everything. But they can help your nervous system actually downshift — which is the part most of us are missing.
The five herbs in this month's Sleepy Time blend
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
What it does: Increases GABA activity in the brain. GABA is the calming neurotransmitter your body releases naturally when it's safe to wind down.
Who it's for: The "my brain won't turn off" sleeper. The woman who closes her laptop at 10pm and is still rehearsing tomorrow's to-do list at 11:30.
Why I love it: It works on the part of the sleep equation Walker talks about least — the over-activated mind. You can have all the adenosine in the world, but if your sympathetic nervous system is still running, sleep won't come.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
What it does: Contains baicalin and scutellarin, flavonoids that bind to GABA receptors. Calms the nervous system without the next-day fog you get from pharmaceutical sedatives.
Who it's for: The woman who's been running on stress for so long she's forgotten what calm even feels like.
Why I love it: Eclectic herbalists in the 1800s used skullcap for "nervous excitement." That's a polite way of saying what most of us feel by Wednesday. It's a slow, steady, gentle herb. Not flashy. Just effective.
Kava Kava (Piper methysticum)
What it does: Kavalactones — the active compounds — modulate GABA-A receptors and help relax skeletal muscle.
Who it's for: The woman who carries her stress in her body. Tight shoulders. Clenched jaw. A low back that's a permanent set of guitar strings.
Why I love it: Walker spends a chapter on the parasympathetic nervous system and why most of us can't access it anymore. Kava helps the body remember what physical relaxation feels like. Sourced and dosed properly, it's one of the most underrated nervines in the Western herbal repertoire.
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
What it does: Apigenin, a flavonoid in chamomile, binds to the same brain receptors as anti-anxiety medication — gentler, slower, no dependence.
Who it's for: Honestly, almost everyone. Especially anyone whose sleep issues are tangled up with gut issues.
Why I love it: Walker has a whole thread about the gut-brain-sleep axis. Chamomile is rare in that it works on both ends — calms the nervous system and soothes the digestive tract. A two-for-one in plant form.
Rose (Rosa damascena)
What it does: Lowers cortisol, calms the nervous system, supports emotional release. The aromatic compounds (geraniol, citronellol) have measurable anxiolytic effects.
Who it's for: The woman whose bedtime brain replays every conversation from the day. The one who can't sleep because she's still processing.
Why I love it: Walker writes beautifully about REM sleep and how it's the brain's overnight emotional therapist. Rose helps the heart soften enough for that emotional processing to actually happen. In Ayurveda, rose has been a heart-opener for thousands of years. The science is now catching up.
How to actually use this blend
The May subscription blend is loose-leaf. Here's the protocol I recommend:
- Brew it 30–45 minutes before bed. Sleep onset isn't instant — give your nervous system runway.
- One full cup. Hot, not lukewarm. The warmth itself is part of the parasympathetic signal.
- Sip it slowly. Don't scroll. The ritual is half the medicine.
- Pair it with down regulating things. Same bedtime every night. Cool, dark room. No caffeine after noon. No alcohol nightcaps. Walker is unwavering on these and so am I.
Why Herbs Matter
I don't know anyone who wants to be on prescription medicine for sleep. I don't know anyone who gets excited for their insomnia. However, it's a common and very serious problem. By working with the right herbs for your body, overtime, and with longterm use, you can begin to heal the nervous system, calm the mind, and decrease muscular tension.
Sign up for the Monthly Tea Subscription
This month's subscription tea is the sleep blend I built around everything above.
Join the monthly subscription → Orders ship next week!
Missed this months blend? No problem! This Sleepy Time Tea is also very potent!
Couple the tea's with this Sleepy Time Tincture for a powerful sleep experience. Or as an alternative if you don't want that much liquid before bed.
