Passionflower: properties and benefits of a great remedy to sleep better

To treat insomnia without sleeping pills, the passion flower or passiflora (Passiflora incarnata L.) It stands as the great natural herbal solution, for its anxiolytic and sedative properties and for the great benefits it brings to mental health.

There are several species of passifloras or passifloras, but the most widely used as a medicinal remedy is usually the purple passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)either purple passion flower in English. On the other hand, we find the blue passion flower (Passiflora caerulea), which is the one that is used with preference in gardening as a beautiful hanging plant on walls and pergolas. As food, to take advantage of its tasty fruits, a third species is usually used, the well-known passion fruit or passion fruit. Passiflora edulis.

How is it distinguished? passion flower or purple passion flower Passiflora incarnata is a climbing plant, up to 10 meters in length, which grows with a certain rapidity. It has tortuous stems, and leaves divided into three lobes, plus fine but resistant tendrils that allow it to climb walls or fences, tangled with other plants that serve as support.

The flowers are large and very showy., with a calyx formed by five greenish-white sepals, alternated with the five petals, of a similar color. Numerous stamens emerge from them, purple at the base and white at the top. The floral receptacle projects from the center, seated on a bed of bracts welded together, and the pistil, with the very apparent, thick, cross-shaped stigmas, arranged at its tip.

The fruits are ovoid in shape, with fleshy pulp, but with little flavor, because as we have seen, the passion flower species that is best valued for food is the passion fruit.

The set of passionflowers are climbing plants native to the American continent. The medicinal species, purple passionflower, is native to the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. It is cultivated, like other passion flower species, in gardens and parks and also in medicinal nurseries.

the passionflower dstake above all for its sedative properties, anxiolytic, slightly hypnotic and as a good muscle relaxant. It is intended for the treatment of insomnia, mild anxiety, palpitations and muscle contractures.

The flowers and upper leaves of the plant are used. And it is taken as an infusion, syrup, in drops or in capsules, as we will see immediately.

Passion flower properties

The active principles that determine the properties of passion flower are the flavonoids it contains, especially quercetol and kenferol. It also contains heterosides such as vitexin, phytosterols (sitosterol and stigmasterol), traces of alkaloids and essential oil.

The main properties of passionflower are as a sedative, anxiolytic, slightly hypnotic, muscle relaxant (muscle relaxant), antimigraine, hypotensive, antispasmodic and digestive plant.

What is passionflower used for?

The benefits of passion flower for our emotional and physical well-being make it one of the priority plants in any herbalist and also in pharmacies, to treat conditions as common as insomnia without medication.

Passionflower to sleep is useful whether you suffer from bedtime insomnia or the kind of insomnia that comes on in the middle of the night. Passionflower will help us sleep without interruption, or at least so that the next day we can get out of bed relaxed and rested.

Also has other medicinal uses. It is intended for:

Relieve nervous and digestive migraines. Nerve irritation and prolonged stress. Muscle pain and contractures that may arise in sports or during professional work. Appease or reduce nervous palpitations. Combat gastrointestinal spasms. Treatment of symptoms of menopause, such as muscle pain and low back pain, among others.

How to take passion flower to sleep and anxiety

The passionflower to sleep better It is usually taken as an infusion, generally associated with other herbs with which it is supplemented, two cups a day, the last half an hour before bedtime. In case of insomnia it is also recommended to take it in the form of capsules or tablets, easy to apply, one or two capsules daily.

for anxietypassionflower is prescribed in the form of capsules or tabletsbut also in infusion, associated with other anxiolytic and stimulant plants.

How to take passionflower muscle pain

For muscle pain and gastrointestinal spasms It is recommended to take passion flower infusion, but you can also use the juice of the fresh plant, the passion flower in the form of syrup (one tablespoon three times a day), in drops of liquid extract and again in the form of capsules.

In herbalists and many pharmacies It should not be difficult to acquire passion flower in sleeping pills (capsules, tablets), in bottles of liquid extracts or in tincture.

How long does passionflower take to take effect?

It is recommended to take passionflower half an hour before going to bed to facilitate entry reconciliation, but it may take more or less to take effect depending on the person, the activity that has been carried out during the last hours and even the diet. Passionflower tends to show up with a faster effect in people who do not usually take sleep medicationsbut it also serves as an alternative to drugs, with the advantage that it does not usually cause addiction.

passionflower combines well with other sedative and muscle-relaxing plants or muscle relaxants, such as valerian, poppy, California poppy, chamomile, hawthorn, linden, hops or lemon balm, among others.

Valerian and passion flower can be taken together, either in the form of an infusion or in herbal and pharmacy preparations based on extracts or pills that contain them.

Infusions with passion flower

Passionflower to sleep better: herbal tea with poppy, hops, lemon balm and bitter orange

To sleep better you can take a small cup in the middle of the afternoon and a second half an hour before going to bed of this infusion. Drink it hot, but without burning it.

Ingredients: Passionflower, California poppy, Papaver rhoeas poppy, Humulus lupulus hop, Melissa officinalis lemon balm, and Citrus aurantica bitter orange.

Preparation: Mix the plants well in equal parts (for example, 20 g of each plant). Separate about 5 grams of the mixture in equal parts for each cup of water that you are going to prepare. Place the herbs in a teapot and pour the freshly boiled water over them. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. You can add maple syrup or similar to sweeten it.

Passionflower for muscle pain: herbal tea with yarrow, white willow and other plants

To relieve muscle pain, you can drink two glasses a day of this infusion:

Ingredients: Passionflower, yarrow, white willow, viburnum, elderberry and star anise.

Preparation: Mix the plants well in equal parts. You will need a level tablespoon of the mixture in equal parts for each glass of water that you are going to prepare. You put it to boil for about 2-3 minutes, let it rest covered for 10 more minutes and strain it. You add lemon juice or syrup to hide the certainly bitter taste of the formula.

Passion flower contraindications

Despite the fact that the presence of alkaloids is very low, for minimum prudence, do not take passionflower during pregnancy and lactation.

Nor should you take passionflower if you are following a pharmacological treatment with sedatives, hypnotics and antihistamines, or at least it is preferable to consult with the doctor.

procure don’t drink alcohol if you take passion flower in all its forms. It rarely produces addiction in some people.

Jordi Cebrián Adviser: J. Mª. Teixé, herbalist of “El Manantial de Salud”