Calm & Sleep · 2026

Medicinal herbs for sleep & anxiety

The gentle plants people have leaned on for centuries to wind down — what each does, and how to grow them.

Calming herbal tea with lavender and chamomile on a wooden table
01

Chamomile

The classic bedtime tea. Gently calms nerves and settles the stomach before sleep.

02

Lavender

Aroma for tension. A few dried buds by the pillow, or steeped with chamomile as an evening tea.

03

California Poppy

A mild evening calmer — not the opium poppy. Traditionally used for restlessness and light sleep.

04

Lemon Balm

Bright, lemony, and steadying. A daytime calm-herb that pairs well with chamomile at night.

Simple evening tea: steep 1 tbsp dried chamomile + 1/2 tsp lavender in hot water, 5 min, 30 min before bed. Honey optional. Not medical advice — talk to a professional if you take sedatives or have a condition.

Grown & used, on video

Grow your own calm

Chamomile, lavender and California poppy are all in Nicole Apelian's Medicinal Garden Kit — non-GMO seeds plus her remedy guide, the easy way to grow the whole calm-and-sleep shelf.

See all 10 herbs to grow →

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The Backyard Remedy Handbook

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