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How many sleepless nights have you suffered through already? You've tried changing your sleep habit schedule, drinking less coffee, working out in the mornings, but it still doesn't help your brain shut off at night. Sleep aids and prescription medicines work, but usually leave you feeling groggy and dopey the next day. Surprisingly, Chinese herbal formulas may help with your insomnia in a natural way.

A combination of ginseng and ziziphus or concha marguerita and ligustrum have been known to help with insomnia and the accompanying heart palpitations, worrying, night sweats and bad dreams. If your sleep disorder leaves you feeling chronically fatigued all the time or deprives you of your appetite, then try ginseng and longan or ginseng and tang gui tea. Chamomile is used for mild bouts of sleeplessness that is stress-related and Emperor's tea is another popular natural remedy for restlessness.

Are you thinking of creating a Chinese herbal formula at home? It is really very cost efficient and easy to do once you have the basics down! Trade in those expensive cold medicines for a home brewed echinacea elixir! Before you begin concocting a herbal formula on your own, a visit to a herbalist is always a good idea to determine your individual needs.

The best container for making your Chinese herbal formula is preferably ceramic (but glass is ok too). You should avoid cast iron or metals because some herbs create chemical reactions with those materials. Your teapot should also have a lid, which you should never lift while cooking, as it can allow the vital healing properties to escape. In ancient times, the preferred water used came from a spring, although today you can fill your pot with whatever you prefer.

When cooking your Chinese herbal formulas, the water should cover your herbs by an inch and a half. Let the water absorb into the herbs for at least fifteen minutes (preferably an hour) before you heat them. Once you get your herbs to a rolling boil, turn the flame to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Of course, cook times vary depending on what you're brewing. Natural medicines aren't tricky to make, but it requires some attentiveness.

After you finish cooking, strain the tea and try some. Some people find the initial brewing of their Chinese herbal formulas unpalatable, in which case they should try adding more water (or a drop of honey if absolutely necessary) before nixing the whole brew. While the taste may be shocking at first, you'll find that the body will warm up to it over time. Some of their medicine books recommend putting your tea in for a second steeping. The first steeping will affect energy/Qi levels, while the second steeping offers effects on the blood level. You can even split the batch in half, putting one half in for a second steeping to combine both effects.

Which kind of Chinese herbal formulas will you be making? For optimal effect, tonification formulas should be drank on an empty stomach or an hour before eating. Pain relievers and formulas used to treat afflictions below the diaphragm should be taken an hour before eating so the food pushes the effects down. By contrast, a Shen calming Chinese herbal formula for insomnia relief should be taken an hour after eating or two hours before bed, as the food helps direct the effects upwards to the head. Formulas for heat syndromes should be taken chilled and cold syndrome herbal supplements should be taken hot.

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