Herbs for Sleep and Stress

9 Sri Lankan medicinal plants traditionally used for this purpose. Open a herb to see its Sinhala, English and botanical names, the parts used, how it is prepared, the research behind it and safety notes.

Use with care: Traditional use does not prove that a herb works or that it is safe for you. Talk to a doctor or a registered Ayurveda practitioner before using herbs to treat a condition, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines, or treating a child. Read our disclaimer

Roots & Rhizomes

Amukkara (Withania somnifera): Ashwagandha, Stress and Safety

(Withania somnifera)

Amukkara (Withania somnifera) has travelled further than almost any herb on this site. Sold worldwid

Leaves

Lunuwila (Bacopa monnieri): Brahmi, and the Evidence for Memory

(Bacopa monnieri)

Lunuwila (Bacopa monnieri) is unusual on this site for a straightforward reason: there are actual ra

Flowers

Nil Katarolu (Clitoria ternatea): The Blue Flower Tea That Turns Purple with Lime

(Clitoria ternatea)

Nil katarolu (Clitoria ternatea) is the slender climber whose deep-blue flowers peep out of hedges a

Leaves

Maduru Thala (Ocimum tenuiflorum): Holy Basil, Tulsi and the Mosquito Leaf

(Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Maduru Thala (Ocimum tenuiflorum) carries two identities at once. To Ayurveda it is Tulsi, the elixi

Fruits & Seeds

Masan (Ziziphus mauritiana): Indian Jujube, the Childhood Fruit

(Ziziphus mauritiana)

Masan (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a fruit most Sri Lankans meet as children, scrumped from a thorny tre

Leaves

Sera (Cymbopogon citratus): Lemongrass, Citral and a Calming Cup

(Cymbopogon citratus)

Sera (Cymbopogon citratus) is the stalk you bruise and drop into a curry, and the tea you make when

Fruits & Seeds

Nutmeg (Sadikka): The Calming Spice That Must Be Measured

(Myristica fragrans)

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is a rare thing among kitchen spices: one where the difference between a

Flowers

Nelum (Nelumbo nucifera): The Sacred Lotus, From Temple Offering to Pharmacology

(Nelumbo nucifera)

Nelum (Nelumbo nucifera) is the national flower of Sri Lanka and the offering laid before every Budd

Leaves

Nidikumba (Mimosa pudica): The Touch-Me-Not That Folds Away

(Mimosa pudica)

Nidikumba (Mimosa pudica) is the plant every Sri Lankan child has poked. Touch a leaf and it folds s

Other uses

Digestion (42) Coughs and Colds (22) Skin Conditions (22) Blood Sugar and Diabetes (18) Fever (16) Urinary and Kidney Health (16) Cooling the Body (14) Joint Pain and Arthritis (13) Wound Healing (12) Immunity (8) Diarrhoea (8) Oral and Dental Health (8) Constipation (7) Cholesterol and Heart Health (7) Hair Care (7) Liver Health (6) Asthma and Breathing (5) Women's Health (4) Inflammation and Swelling (4) Memory and Brain Health (4) Eye Health (4) Weight Management (3) Piles (Haemorrhoids) (3) Intestinal Worms (3)