How to Make Passion Flower Tea

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnate) is a very effective sleep aid. You can make a soothing, sedative passion flower tea in just a few minutes. You’ll be surprised at how well it works.

It can cause a different reactions in different people, but for me, it's a great mind and body relaxer.  I fall asleep more easily and am more likely to sleep through the night if I make an evening cup of passionflower tea. I don't like to take prescription drugs, and being able to head out to the garden to pluck a few plant leaves as sleep aids is a very, very nice alternative. You should seriously consider trying it if you're having trouble sleeping.  (You can also purchase passion flower tea or the loose leaves at your local health food store or online.)

Special note:  If you grow lemon balm, it's a sleep aid too, and makes a nice add-on ingredient in the tea.  It also contributes a pleasant aroma. To adjust the recipe, use three-quarters of a teaspoon dried passion flower to one-quarter teaspoon dried lemon balm (or 2 teaspoons to one of fresh herbs). The easiest way to do this regularly is to mix up a big batch and store it.

Passion Flower Tea Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces of boiling water
1 teaspoon of dried passionflower leaves (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

Directions

Put the leaves in a muslin bag or tea infuser and then add them to the hot water. Let steep for five minutes or so. Take this tea about an hour before bedtime and limit yourself to one cup within a 24 hour period.

Caution: Medicinal passionflower should not be ingested by pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding. Don’t take passionflower if you are on anti-anxiety or anti-depression medication. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until you know how your body will react to using passion flower. Some people have reported fogginess and an inability to concentrate after taking this herb, so take it only before bedtime – don’t change your mind after drinking the tea and decide to party or go for a drive.

For more information on growing and using passion flower.  Visit my post: How to Grow Passionflower

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Image: PassionFlower1.jpg
By Audrey from Central Pennsylvania, USA (Passion Flower Uploaded by Fæ) [CC-BY-2.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Passion_Flower_(2).jpg (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons