California Poppy for Full Moon Sleeplessness

For those of us in tune with the rhythms of nature, the days and nights leading up to, and especially on the night of, the full moon can be sleepless and sometimes restless with wandering thoughts. There are several herbs that are beneficial for sleep and anxious mind, body, and soul like Skullcap, Lavender, Chamomile, Hops, Blue Vervain and Kava to name a few, but my favorite herbal ally for these times of the moonth with extra bright Super Moons like this one, is California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

The other thing I really like about this herb is that the entire plant is used in diffusions, tinctures or powders. Whereas flowers, leaves, or roots are exclusively used with some of the other plants mentioned. Although it is part of the poppy family and related to the opium poppy, it is gentle in effect and does not contain any real opium, although it does share some similar constituents with its poppy relative.

Read More: DIY: Ashwagandha Milk for Sleep

California Poppy is commonly used for insomnia, incontinence, anxiety and nervous tension, ADD & ADHD in children and young adults. It has also been used to promote memory in the elderly, for tooth pain, for acute nerve and muscular pain, and as a topical antimicrobial on cuts and scrapes.

My favorite way to utilize this plant is by making diffusion with the tea before bedtime. The tincture is also extremely effective, but there is something about a hot cup of tea before sleep.

As with all herbal medicines, it is important to trust the source. Herb Pharm is a trusted tincture company that can be found in Whole Foods and many other Health Food Stores. If you are lucky enough to live on the west coast, this plant is plentiful in all of the coastal states in the summer and early fall, especially California, so it is possible to harvest yourself. If you’re unfamiliar with this plant, the safest bet is to order the loose herb from a trusted source like Mountain Rose Herbs. Click here for more information on this plant and their web site for ordering.