Lavender: discover this sleep-boosting superstar

If you have trouble sleeping at night, chances are you've tried almost every remedy under the sun. Have you considered lavender? Lavender is gaining respect as a natural, effective anti-insomnia treatment that not only helps you to relax, but also makes your home smell great. Here's how.

Are you sick of tossing and turning? Do you long to relax and catch some shut-eye? Never fear, lavender is here as an effective remedy in the battle against insomnia. Here's how this fragrant herb can help you.

Lavender, a simple herb in the mint family, is a fragrant plant with striking bluish-purple flowers that grows in mountainous Mediterranean climates. While it is fragrant in its herb form, many consumers use lavender dried or as an essential oil.

• Lavender has a distinctive, refreshing smell that lingers between the floral and the medicinal. It's used in many soaps, lotions and other bath products.

Since ancient times, lavender has had a reputation for its ability to soothe and purify. In recent years, it has also gained scientific recognition as a herb known to increase sleepiness and alleviate insomnia.

So why does lavender have the ability to help you relax and get to sleep? Scientists have long believed that the answer lies in your nose.

• Studies have shown that what you inhale can affect how you sleep. In fact, when test subjects inhaled lavender before bed, their brain waves slowed down and they experienced more slow-wave or "deep" sleep.
• Furthermore, test subjects who inhaled the scent of lavender seemed to experience a deeper, more satisfying sleep than subjects who inhaled almond oil before bed.

Ready to find out if lavender can help transport you to dreamland? There are three simple ways to incorporate lavender into your nightly sleep and hygiene routine.

1. Body care
   Look for body care products formulated with lavender scents, or consider buying lavender essential oils.
2. Aromatherapy
   For an aromatherapeutic effect, try putting a few drops of lavender oil on a cloth and breathing it in before sleeping. You can also mix the lavender oil with water in an aromatherapy diffuser to add a dose of fragrance to your entire room.
3. Lavender-scented products in bed
   For a soothing effect that lasts all night long, you can also purchase eye pillows and bed accessories that are filled with dried lavender.

By making lavender a regular part of your bedtime routine, you'll increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep by calming and preparing your body for quality rest.