How to make an herbal sleep pillow

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:23

Useful properties and rules for using herbal pillows. Making and decorating a product for sleeping. Herbal sleep pillows are a great help for insomnia and many health problems. The era of rapid technological progress is forced to overstrain our brain with a huge amount of information. And a modern person intuitively wants calmness and relaxation. All this can be achieved by using herbal pillows in the home.

Description and purpose of herbal pads

Our ancestors knew how to use the gifts of nature with benefit, for example, medicinal herbs and plants. Herbal pillows are an interesting use case. This is new to us, but really just a well forgotten old way to improve sleep.

What are they? In fact, it is a pouch made of natural fabrics and stuffed with herbs, beautifully decorated with a removable pillowcase. The shape of the pillow depends on the imagination, preferences of the user and the purpose of the product.

The aromas of plants have a beneficial effect on the nervous system of a sleeping person, providing their inherent healing effect or even acting in a complex manner in the case of a mixture of herbs. In addition to the healing effect, herbal pads also have aromatic and antibacterial properties. During the night, their smell is absorbed into the sleeping person's hair, and also saturates the room, cleansing it of unfavorable microorganisms.

The traditional pillow can be used for normal sleeping at home, placed under the head, and in the form of a roller - in order to relieve the cervical spine. Such orthopedic pads are very good for long trips to relax and unload the neck muscles.

Benefits of herbal sleep pillows

The herbal sleep pillow is deservedly considered a wonderful remedy for getting rid of many problems, because most medicinal plants act in a complex manner.

Here are some of the most common health issues with herbal pads:

Insomnia and sleep disturbances … Sleeping effect is the main property of herbal pillows. Depending on the plants used, they can simply induce sleep, or they can calm the nervous system, eliminating nightmares.
Fatigue and anxiety … It happens that even after sleep you do not feel rested. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common condition for a modern person. Sleep on a fragrant pillow will be strong, and the morning will be kind and vigorous, because the smells of medicinal herbs, gently acting on the human body, will relax and soothe.
Heart work … The smell of herbs can speed up or slow down the heartbeat. Skillfully using this property when compiling herbal preparations for pillows, you can resist hypertension and heart attack.
The work of the bronchi and lungs … Even traditional medicine recognizes the benefits of inhalation with plant extracts. The effects of sleeping pillows are akin to this. Herbal aromas with antibacterial effect purify the air in the room and make it easier for the sleeping person to breathe. Immunity is increased, and recovery from flu and colds is faster.
Snore … The smell of hop cones is quite capable of defeating this urgent problem for many, which official medicine is not yet capable of.

Please note! Even a one-piece herbal pillow (not to mention the infused collection) can help heal several ailments.

Contraindications to the use of herbal pillows

Long-term inhalation of the smell of medicinal plants while sleeping on a herbal pillow is a real aromatherapy. Naturally, any therapeutic effect has its own contraindications.

Given the fact that many people have individual reactions to plants, before making such a product for yourself or your loved ones, make sure that its future owner does not have any allergies and is prohibited by the attending physician. Pregnant and lactating women, as well as children, should be especially careful.

And even if the use of herbs is allowed, be careful when putting kids to bed. Curious kids are quite capable of tearing the fabric to get to the rustling content and taste it. And this can lead to at least nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Another important point: be sure to listen to your feelings, and if you do not like the smell of the plant, do not use it, no matter how incredibly useful healing properties it has. You should have fun and positive sensations from sleeping on a herbal pillow!

The shelf life of such a herbal joy is one year. Then it should be changed, because the aroma of herbs does not last forever. And if your pillow is damp, do not regret and throw it away immediately, because mold and mildew, which are likely to start in it in this case, are very dangerous to health.

Important! You can sleep on any herbal pillow for a maximum of seven days in a row.

How to make an herbal pillow for sleeping

The healing properties of herbal pillows are due to what kind of plants they are filled with. Therefore, you need to be especially careful when choosing and collecting herbs for their production. Let's talk about everything in more detail.

Choosing herbs to fill your pillow

By filling your herbal cushion with certain plants, you thereby form its medicinal properties. But, again, trying to make it the most useful, do not forget that the smells should be pleasant for you. If the scent of a herb is annoying, it is best to replace it with another with similar properties.

The selection of pillow herbs is huge:

Anise … It will save you from nightmares by dulling emotions, and will also contribute to rejuvenation during sleep.
Altay … It has the ability to facilitate breathing and coughing, therefore, a herbal pad filled with it is recommended for patients in the off-season.
Orange … Has a tonic effect on the human body. Evokes pleasant dreams about relatives and loved ones.
Birch … The smell of its leaves strengthens the immune system, has antibacterial properties, and helps with headaches. Contraindicated in pregnant women.
Black elderberry … The scent of its inflorescences has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, helps relieve pain, relieve breathing and cure colds. Not recommended for use by pregnant women and those with gastrointestinal diseases.
Valerian … Able to relieve tension and make sleep deep.
Basil … In addition to helping to remember dreams, it also protects against mosquitoes, which are deterred by the aroma of this plant.
Heather … It is very effective for combating insomnia and relieving increased nervous excitability.
Carnation … This plant, like basil, promotes dream memory and repels mosquitoes with its aroma. It can also restore the forgotten in your memory. It has a rather strong odor, so it should be used in small quantities.
Meadow geranium … Do not confuse this plant with indoor pelargonium! It will help to calm down, relieve headaches and plunge into a restful sleep. Strengthens the immune system, has antibacterial and antiviral effects. Not recommended for children under six years of age and pregnant women.
Angelica … Dreams inspired by this plant are considered prophetic.
Oregano … This plant has a tonic effect. Having slept peacefully all night on a grassy pillow made of it, waking up, you will be cheerful and ready for great achievements. But be careful, the smell of oregano also reduces libido and has abortive properties.
St. John's wort … Relieves depression, enhances immunity, has bactericidal properties, can facilitate breathing, calm down and give a healthy sleep. Pregnant and lactating, hypertensive patients, as well as children under 12 years old, the use of this plant is contraindicated.
Hyssop … Feel free to use this plant if you do not like the smell of oregano, they have similar tonic properties.
Clover … It is able to moderately reduce blood pressure, relieve headaches, has antiviral and antibacterial effect. May make breathing easier when coughing. Not recommended for pregnant women.
Narrow-leaved lavender … Helps with insomnia. It soothes and relieves stress, improves the functioning of the heart and brain, relieves headaches, strengthens the immune system. Its smell is also able to drive away mosquitoes and moths from your bed, is pleasant and unobtrusive, and lasts a very long time - from the sealed incense urn in the tomb of Tutankhamun, it was felt after three thousand years! This plant is not contraindicated for children and allergy sufferers, but it is better not to use it for pregnant and lactating women.
Laurel … The dreams brought by him are pleasant and can become prophetic.
Marjoram … Soothes, relieves stress and relieves depression and melancholy.
Melissa or lemon mint … In addition to sound sleep, this plant is able to bestow freshness and tranquility, relieve headache, toothache and heartache. Avicenna and Paracelsus considered it a "delight of the heart", equating in value to pure gold. But for those with low blood pressure, it is contraindicated.
Peppermint … Calms the nervous system, improves brain and heart function (working to prevent heart attack). It invigorates, relieves fatigue and headache, however, it is not in her power to relieve stress. It is not recommended for use by pregnant, lactating and children under seven years of age.
Common wormwood or chernobyl … Has anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing properties. It will help to cope with fatigue and depression, speed up the metabolism, subtly soothe, bringing vivid (and sometimes prophetic!) Dreams. It will make breathing easier, restore efficiency, relieve cramps. Protects from blood-sucking insects and mice, scaring them away with its scent. But do not overdo the dosage, an excessively strong smell of this herb can cause headaches. Contraindicated in children under seven years of age and pregnant women.
Motherwort heart … This herb has been known as a medicinal plant for over 2000 years in Tibetan and Chinese medicine. Has antibacterial, sedative, anticonvulsant and hemostatic effect. Improves the activity of the heart, strengthens the immune system and stimulates the central nervous system, helping to overcome insomnia. In Russia, the buds and stems of motherwort were sewn into the pillows of restless children. This herb is contraindicated for those with low blood pressure and bradycardia.
the Rose … It will restore your strength during sleep and make dreams soothing and calm, prophetic or romantic.
pharmaceutical camomile … Hypoallergenic, recommended for children. Peaceful sleep on such a herbal pillow is provided for everyone, because this ancient medicinal plant is able to cure depression, neuroses, ease breathing, relieve headaches and heartaches. But you should be careful when dosing! An excess can cause depression of the central nervous system, cause coughing and headaches. Contraindicated in pregnant women, people with mental disorders.
Rosemary … The smell of this plant awakens memory and clarifies consciousness, tones, can relieve headaches and help avoid nightmares. Do not overdo the dosage, as the aroma of rosemary is very strong.
Yarrow … The smell of this herb stimulates the immune system, protects against influenza and respiratory diseases, and has bactericidal properties. Contraindicated in those with high blood pressure.
Conifers … The aromas of the needles of plants such as pine, cedar, fir or juniper have antiseptic properties, can relieve heartache, soften mood swings, and relieve obsessive thoughts. Fir, for example, relaxes and brings calmness, while cedar saves from unpleasant dreams.
Common hops (cones) … This plant is able to relieve headaches with its aroma, soothe and induce sleep even with prolonged and persistent insomnia. Hop has such a calming effect that it can even reduce potency, so men should use it with caution.
Citrus … Smells of orange, lemon, grapefruit or tangerine not only tone and refresh, but also act as an aphrodisiac.
Thyme or thyme … Has a powerful antiseptic and analgesic effect, has a slight hypnotic effect, bringing calm and sweet dreams. Strengthens the immune system, relieves depression. For colds, the scent of this herb will help make breathing easier. Contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, ulcers and those with kidney and liver problems.
Sage … The smell of this plant also has a tonic and healing effect, strengthens the immune system, relieves inflammation, and prevents viral and respiratory diseases. It can calm, give strength, make you think rationally. It is better not to use this plant for pregnant, lactating and epileptics.

Herbal pillows can be either mono- or multicomponent, contain a set of medicinal plants. The healing effect depends on how skillfully the components of the collection are selected.

Collecting raw materials for filling the pillow

Where to get herbs to fill the pillow, everyone decides for himself. You can go the easy way and buy everything at your nearest pharmacy (don't forget the expiration dates!). Or you can prepare herbs yourself, however, for this you will have to read additional literature, because each herb has its own collection time and harvesting features (where and how to dry), spend a lot of time and effort. But on the other hand, you will be confident in the environmental friendliness and effectiveness of raw materials.

What your herbal pad will be stuffed with can be divided into two groups: fragrant healing collection and odorless plant parts to add volume. There should not be a lot of herbal collection, because an excessively strong aroma can harm the sleeper. The herbs should be fresh (to smell) and well dried (to keep them from rotting).

So that the pillow is not microscopic and it really would be possible to sleep on it, it is stuffed with parts of "neutral" plants (straw, sedge, willow-tea fluff, heather, bracken fern), which give shape. A 20x20 cm pillow will need about half a kilogram of dry filler.

You can compose a herbal collection yourself, not focusing on those proposed here, but following your preferences and tastes. Such a set of herbs will be truly unique! But ready-made recipes are still very convenient, because they facilitate the choice and save time.

Here is some of them:

From mental fatigue: mix in equal amounts of twigs of tansy, chamomile, black currant and yarrow.
For morning vigor: rose petals, hop cones, lavender and marjoram sprigs.
For muscle relaxation: equal parts of laurel, sweet clover and wormwood leaves.
To improve the functions of the bronchi: leaves of rosemary, eucalyptus and birch.
To raise the tone: equally - lemon balm leaves, dried orange and lemon peel, 2 drops of lemon aromatic oil, 1 drop each of orange and tangerine.
To find harmony: rose petals, leaves and stems of lavender and lemon balm, 4 drops of rose essential oil, 1 drop of lavender oil.
For restless babies (ages 1 and up): A small amount of chamomile and thyme and 1-2 drops of lavender oil.
From excessive sweating: chamomile flowers, calendula flowers and sage leaves.
Royal Herbal Sleeping Pillow: Peppermint, Valerian, Heather, St. John's Wort, Buckthorn, Chamomile, Shamrock, Hops, Primrose and Lavender. King George III of England loved to sleep, breathing in the scent of these plants.

There are many herbal remedies to tackle a common problem like insomnia:

Hops, lavender and verbena - in equal amounts, powdered violet root - 1/10 of the amount of hops;
Laurel and fern;
Fern, laurel and hop cones;
Hop cones, fern, laurel and mint;
Immortelle, pine needles, hop cones, mint, geranium, oregano, rose petals, bay leaf;
Hop cones, fern, geranium;
Pine needles, mint and hazel leaves, oregano;
Thyme, mint and sage leaves, lavender sprigs;
Wormwood twigs, mint leaves, meadowsweet and lemon balm, chamomile flowers;
Tansy, sweet clover and lavender sprigs;
Chamomile officinalis, rosemary and yarrow;
Nettle, hops, oregano, calendula flowers and birch leaves;
Rosemary and chamomile;
Hop cones, leaves of mint, lemon balm, yarrow, laurel, sprigs of lavender, meadowsweet, sweet clover, wormwood, chamomile and tansy flowers;
Melilot, lavender and tansy;
Melissa, mint, wormwood, meadowsweet and chamomile;
Melissa, thyme and valerian (to a lesser extent).

Remember! If you add oregano, mimosa, strawberry or jasmine to any collection, then their presence will enhance the effect of all other herbs. And be careful when using jasmine, as overdose can trigger nightmares.

Fabric and decorative elements for making pillows

Making a herbal pillow is a snap. From the tools you will need scissors, a ruler, chalk for marking, thread and a needle, a paper funnel, a sewing machine (you can do without it, in the old days everything was done by hand).

There are also few materials: fabric for a pillowcase and a “napernik” cover, which, by analogy, can be called a “nadravnik”, parts of plants to add volume and actually a healing aromatic collection, decorative elements.

Let's consider some materials in more detail:

Cover fabric … Naturally, it should only be natural, for example, flax will do. It is quite thin, but strong (2 times stronger than cotton and 4 times stronger than wool), easy to wash, hygroscopic, has a bactericidal effect, and therefore the fungus does not linger on it. Cotton is more common, more practical and cheaper than flax. Wool is the most hygroscopic of all fabrics, its ability to perfectly absorb moisture is undoubtedly a big plus, because dampness is strictly contraindicated for herbal pillow filling.
Pillowcase fabric … Poplin, calico, cambric, satin, silk will do. From what kind of fabric to make it, decide for yourself. Each of them is good in its own way. It all depends on the purpose of the pillow. For example, coarse calico is inexpensive and has good wear resistance. Poplin is more pleasant to the touch, but its price is also relatively low. Such fabrics are suitable for ordinary bedding for your own needs. Batiste is light, transparent, but not strong enough and wear-resistant. From it you can sew a thing for a gift for a special occasion, for example, for a wedding, assuming that it will not be used too often. Satin is a fairly strong and more expensive fabric, it shines pleasantly and caresses with a touch, not like silk, but very similar. From such fabric, just like from silk, it is good to sew a gift version of the pillow.
Threads … Very strong. You can even synthetic. These are not easy to break, which is very important if the pillow is intended for a child.
Decor … Considering the fact that a herbal pillow is following folk traditions, it is logical to choose something authentic as a decor. For example, embroider - and then you will need a needle and thread for embroidery. Moreover, the threads should be of high quality, not fade. If you decide to decorate the product with beads, then choose those that will not harm the sleeping person, for example, some aggressive components of their varnish coating. Lace, ribbons and braid must also be safe, made from natural materials.

Instructions for making a pillow from herbs

You need to start work in a good mood, think about something pleasant in the process. All this will enhance the positive energy of the herbal pad. You can, of course, not believe in this, but our ancestors acted that way, starting good deeds with songs and prayers. In any case, a positive attitude will not do harm.

Instructions for making herbal pad:

Preparation … First, decide on the parameters of the product. Based on the amount of fabric you have, you determine the size of the pillow, and the shape based on its future functions. For those who have neck problems, such as osteochondrosis, a roll-shaped pillow is suitable. And for a gift for Valentine's Day, you can sew in the shape of a heart.
Cut open … Use heavy waxed paper or graph paper for the pattern. Using a pencil and a ruler, draw it, cut it out, lay it on the fabric and circle it with chalk. Cut open, leaving 1 to 2 cm seam allowances.
Sewing … Fold the pattern right side in and stitch it in, leaving about 10 cm unstitched. Unscrew the cover and use a paper funnel to fill it tighter with herbs, sew the hole by hand. Sew the pillowcase in the same way, however, one side should be left unstitched, process the edges, think over the zipper option (a zipper is very convenient), and then decorate as you please.

Features of decorating a pillow from herbs

So that the pillow pleases you not only with its healing properties, but also with its appearance, and also so that it would not be ashamed to give it to someone, it will not be superfluous to do the decor. It doesn't have to be complicated, because it is a functional thing, and it is very uncomfortable to sleep on three-dimensional embroidery or a pile of bows.

Consider ways to decorate the pillow:

Embroidery … The filling of the product can be individual, designed for a specific family member. Therefore, it will be appropriate to embroider a beautiful ligature of the owner's initials in one of its upper corners. The same applies to a gift pillow. An embroidered bunch of medicinal plants will also look good. You can embroider with threads, beads or ribbons.
Bows, ribbons, lace, braid … Delicate, not prickly, edging the pillow, they will decorate it and will not interfere with your sleep. And in one of the corners you can sew a loop of ribbon or braid so that the pillow can be hung.
Buttons and beads … They can be used to create a very interesting modern decor. For example, by sewing embroidered flowers as centers. And so that they do not press on the sleeping person's face, the upper part of the pillow should be decorated.
Patchwork (patchwork) … In the old days, zealous housewives often did such things, because a whole piece of fabric was expensive. Nowadays, patchwork is more like a way to give a second life to beautiful patches. Textured fabric is a decor in itself, but you can also compose it in the form of a plot picture or pick up an abstract drawing in color to the interior of the bedroom.

How to use a scent pad correctly

It is not enough to do a thing, you also need to know how to use it, even if it is a simple pillow. And if herbal!.. There are certain rules:

Keep the smell … Such a pillow is used for a maximum of a week, and then they take a break. At this time, they put it in a bag and tie it tightly so that the aroma does not fade away.
Shake well before use … You can even wrinkle and beat the pillow a little to enhance the herbal scent.
Change periodically … Do not store for more than one year. Change to a new one with a different composition of herbs. You can repeat the previous collection in a couple of years.
Replace with "sleepy bag" … If you are still not used to sleeping on a herbal pillow, but you are completely satisfied with its effect, replace it with a small bag with the same herbs, put it at the head of the bed and enjoy! The most important thing is your comfort!

How to make a herbal pillow - watch the video:

A DIY herbal pillow is a wonderful folk remedy for many health problems. Filled with the healing power of herbs and charged with positive energy of good thoughts, it will be a great gift for your loved ones and you personally.