Tossing and turning at night? You aren’t the only one. Medical research shows that about 10-30% of the general population suffers from chronic insomnia, a condition defined by The Sleep Foundation as “a long-term pattern of difficulty sleeping1.”
While there isn’t an abundance of recent data available on the use of sleep aids, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a massive study released in 2013. Citing data that spanned from 2005 to 2010, the CDC reported that nearly 5% of all American adults aged 20 and older had used a prescription sleep aid within the past month2. And, as Harvard Medical School writes, “some of these prescription medications are linked to daytime sleepiness, a risk of falls, and more3.”
Those concerns are just one of the many reasons why so many sleep-deprived people are turning to all-natural ingredients like lemon balm to establish healthier sleep patterns.
A member of the mint family, lemon balm is believed to promote numerous benefits for those in search of more restful sleep. In an experiment conducted on mice, lemon balm was found to increase the levels of GABA—an amino acid that acts as a brain neurotransmitter4. Ultimately, those elevated GABA levels have the potential to act as a sedative that can lead to better sleep.
Other published research indicates that high doses of lemon balm resulted in a reduction in insomnia by 42% in a small-scale human study6. Researchers also uncovered that lemon balm may be able to ease stress and anxiety7, two significant contributors to insomnia and restlessness.
Unlike some sleep aids, lemon balm is generally well-tolerated in humans and safe to take—which is why it’s featured as one of the key ingredients in Woven Earth’s Sleep Full Spectrum CBD capsules. Lemon balm brings added potency to our time-release formula that also includes full-spectrum hemp oil, L-theanine and ashwagandha.
Just take one of these capsules 30 minutes before bed & see how you feel the next day. We recommend adjusting dosage by 1 capsule incrementally week-to-week based on desired results. To learn more about Woven Earth’s Sleep Capsule click below.
Citations
- 1 Sleep Statistics—Facts and Data About Sleep 2022. (2021, October 25). Sleep Foundation.
- 2 Products—Data Briefs—Number 127—August 2013. (2019, June 7).
- 3 Learn the risks of sleep aids. (2017, July 1). Harvard Health.
- 4 Yoo, Dae Young et al. “Effects of Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) extract on neurogenesis associated with serum corticosterone and GABA in the mouse dentate gyrus.” Neurochemical research vol. 36,2 (2011): 250-7. doi:10.1007/s11064-010-0312-2
- 5 Cases, Julien et al. “Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances.” Mediterranean journal of nutrition and metabolism vol. 4,3 (2011): 211-218. doi:10.1007/s12349-010-0045-4
- 6 Kennedy, David O et al. “Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm).” Psychosomatic medicine vol. 66,4 (2004): 607-13. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000132877.72833.71
- 7 Ghazizadeh, Javid et al. “The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 35,12 (2021): 6690-6705. doi:10.1002/ptr.7252
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