Uses for Lemon Balm in the Middle of the Night

The use of lemon balm goes back 2,000 years. Ancient herbalists believed that lemon balm was linked to bees because it has similar healing properties to royal jelly and honey. The plant's sweet, lemony fragrance is inhaled as an aromatherapy to soothe jangled nerves and relax the body. Its volatile oils act as a sedative, anti-depressant, relaxant, energy restorer and digestive stimulant. A cousin to the mint family, lemon oil was used in the Middle Ages to promote sleep and calm nerves.

Insomnia

• A good botanical sleep aid is lemon balm mixed with valerian root.

  Lemon balm's calming chemicals sedate racing thoughts and induce restful sleep. Sleeplessness causes mental disturbances, hallucinations, emotional instability and impaired judgment. Continually losing one hour of sleep nightly hampers the brain's higher order thought processes. Barbiturates cause disorientation, slurred speech and impaired memory, while higher doses induce paranoia and suicidal thoughts. Leaf chemicals terpene and eugenol calm muscle spasms and numb tissues so an insomniac can sleep all night long. For a good night's sleep, steep the leaves in boiling water for five to 10 minutes and drink.

Anti-Anxiety

• Depression can sometimes lead to despondency and suicide if left untreated.

  Lemon balm's sweet aroma calms hyperactivity by revitalizing the inner self and soothing the senses. Quiet peace replaces raging emotion as the balm nourishes the nervous system. Its volatile oils -- citral and citronellol -- lift the spirits and help nervous twitching. Like a tranquilizer, these chemicals stimulate tight muscles to relax and balance emotions. Balm oils help relieve anxiety, heart palpitations and phobias. The oils sometimes shock a depressed patient back into reality. Herbalists suggest rubbing the leaves into the palms and inhaling the sweet vapors; this should make you sleep like a baby.

Digestive Aid

• A colicky infant can rob an entire household of sleep because of uncontrollable crying.

  Ever wake up in the middle of the night with reflux or indigestion? Lemon balm is believed to help digestion by relaxing tense stomach muscles which, in turn, neutralize stomach acids that cause irregular sleep patterns. The herbal tea is the ultimate relief for gastrointestinal gas in the alimentary tract. It can also help a colicky baby sleep. Colic causes babies to constantly cry for no reason and new parents get up all night long to hold or try to comfort a screaming baby.

Fever Reducer

• Congestion and breathing difficulty can cause a person to lose valuable sleep.

  The warming effect of lemon balm tea brings on a sweat that breaks a cold, flu or fever. It particularly helps during the cold's early stages because its cools down elevated body temperature. Middle of the night chills are purported to disappear after drinking the tea because the tea causes the body to sweat out a feverish cold. A 1491 herbal manual, "Hortus Sanitatis," recommends placing the dried leaves on top of the head to "draw out congestion and leave one light headed." This medicinal manual also states that lemon balm helps clear a congested chest and relieve difficulty breathing.