Hops Buds is an effective treatment for insomnia

An essential ingredient in beer brewing for well over 1,000 years, hops have been used medicinally since medieval times. Today, herbalists and supplement manufacturers claim that adding hops to a diet can improve your overall health and even prevent certain diseases.

Early physicians observed that hops pickers tired very easily during the harvest and assumed that a sticky resin excreted by the cut plant caused this effect. In recent years, scientists have confirmed that humulene and lupuline found in hops have mild sedative properties that may have applications in medicine.

A few small studies have investigated the effects of hops on sleep-wake cycles using nonalcoholic beer. In a 2012 study published in PLoS One, female nurses working rotating or night shifts were given alcohol-free beer with supper for two weeks. Researchers monitored the subjects’ sleep patterns with a wristband sleep tracker and found that the beer not only helped them fall asleep 8 minutes faster, but also reduced anxiety levels.

These results are similar to a 2014 study of 30 college students. The three-week study used sleep-quality index questionnaires to determine sleep habits. After the first week, students were asked to drink non-alcoholic beer with dinner for the next 14 days. The study authors report significant improvement in sleep scores as well as the time it took to fall asleep.

Other research has focused on using hops along with valerian to treat insomnia. According to a 2010 review of studies from Australia, pairing hops with valerian may help treat insomnia. Of the 16 reviewed studies, 12 found that the combination improved sleep quality and reduced the time it took to fall asleep.

In some cases, this translated to two and a half hours of additional sleep per night and a 50% decrease in the number of nighttime awakenings. These effects may be especially beneficial in people with rotating work shifts and may even prove useful in treating mild anxiety.

Hops in combination with valerian and passionflower may be an effective alternative to prescription sleep medicine. A 2013 study compared the sleeping pill Ambien (zolpidem) to an herbal combination of hops, valerian, and passionflower, and both were found to be equally effective.

Hops tea is also great to use externally as well. By applying it to a cloth you can use it for the antiseptic qualities it offers. It can be applied to minor cuts, scrapes, burns, and bug bites to help relieve pain, speed healing, and prevent infection. It can be also used externally to ease pain that is related to arthritis as well. Other external uses for this tea are aid with rheumatism, warts, bruises, boils, and it can even offer help by reducing inflammation.