When “More” Doesn’t Mean Better!

If you’ve ever found yourself reaching for an extra capsule of a sleep supplement after a restless night, you’re not alone. In moments of frustration and exhaustion, it can feel tempting to think that just a little more will finally bring relief.

At Quadra Wellness, we hear this often: “I thought taking another pill would help me get through the night.” While herbal sleep aids can feel like a gentler option compared to prescription medication, taking more than the recommended dose still carries risks. Just because something is plant-derived doesn’t automatically mean it’s free from side effects or consequences.

Today, we’ll explore what happens when you take too many herbal sleeping pills, how they affect your body, and what you can do if you find yourself relying on them more than you’d like.

How Do Herbal Sleep Aids Work?

Many over-the-counter sleep supplements contain herbs believed to promote relaxation. Common ingredients include:

• Valerian Root: Often used to ease tension and support sleep onset.
  
• Chamomile: A mild sedative effect that may help with winding down.
  
• Lemon Balm: Sometimes used to calm restlessness.
  
• Lavender Extract: May influence GABA receptors to support relaxation.
  
• Passionflower: Thought to help reduce overactive thinking.
  

These herbs work primarily by interacting with neurotransmitters in the brain, especially GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which helps slow down nervous system activity. When taken as directed, some people find them helpful for occasional sleeplessness. But higher doses can amplify effects in ways that aren’t always predictable.

What Happens When You Take Too Much?

It can feel reassuring to assume that if one capsule helps, two or three must help more. But herbal sleep aids don’t work that way. When you exceed the recommended dosage, you increase the risk of:

1. Daytime Drowsiness and Impaired Function

Too much of a sedative herb can linger in your system, making it hard to focus or stay alert the next day. Some people describe this as a “hangover” feeling grogginess, slowed reaction time, and mental fog.

2. Digestive Upset

Higher doses of valerian, chamomile, and passionflower can cause nausea, stomach cramps, or diarrhea.

3. Interactions with Other Medications

Herbal ingredients can interact with medications like antidepressants, blood thinners, or sedatives, sometimes intensifying drowsiness or causing unexpected side effects.

4. Worsening Anxiety or Mood Changes

Paradoxically, in some people, excessive doses of calming herbs can create irritability or anxiety.

5. Disrupted Sleep Quality

While you might fall asleep faster, the architecture of your sleep, especially deep and REM sleep may be altered, leaving you feeling less refreshed.

It’s important to remember that everyone metabolizes these herbs differently, and sensitivity can vary greatly.

Discover gentle, effective ways to move away from relying on sleeping pills.

Why Do People Take More Than Recommended?

If you’ve ever taken an extra dose out of desperation, please know you’re not alone, and you’re not failing. Sleep struggles can feel relentless, and in that vulnerable moment at 3 a.m., reaching for another pill can feel like the only option.

Clients often share reasons like:

• Feeling panicked about not sleeping: Anxiety about lying awake fuels the urge to “fix” sleep quickly.
  
• Assuming more is safer because it’s plant-based: There’s a widespread belief that herbal automatically means harmless.
  
• Developing a pattern of dependency: Even when something isn’t habit-forming in the traditional sense, relying on it night after night can make sleep feel impossible without it.

5 Gentle, Evidence-Based Strategies Instead of Doubling Your Dose

While herbal sleep aids can be part of your toolkit, you deserve more sustainable support over the long term. Here are strategies you can start exploring tonight, no need to increase your pills:

1. Shift Your Focus from Forcing Sleep to Welcoming It

When you’re desperate for rest, it’s natural to try harder to make sleep happen. But research in CBT-I shows that effort and pressure often make insomnia worse.
Instead of striving, try creating an environment that gently invites sleep.

• Dim the lighting an hour before bed to signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down.
• Use calming scents like lavender or cedarwood, which can help set the mood for rest.
• Create a relaxing pre-sleep ritual: reading something light, stretching, or simply sitting quietly.
• Avoid ‘sleep performance’ thinking, where you judge how well you’re falling asleep. The less you monitor, the easier it often becomes.

This approach helps your nervous system feel safe, which is an important foundation for better sleep.

2. Practice Stimulus Control

When you lie awake in bed tossing and turning, your brain can start to associate the bedroom with wakefulness and frustration. Stimulus control is a CBT-I technique that breaks this cycle:

• If you are unable to sleep within 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Sit somewhere comfortable in low light and do something calming, like listening to soft music or reading a familiar book.
• Return to bed only when you feel drowsy again.
  

Over time, this retrains your brain to link bed with rest, not worry or problem-solving.

3. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Your circadian rhythm thrives on consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day even on weekends helps anchor your internal clock.

• Choose a bedtime that feels realistic and sustainable, not just ‘ideal’
• Aim to wake up at the same time daily, regardless of how well you slept the night before.
• Be patient: It can take several weeks for your body clock to adjust.

This steady rhythm creates a foundation for more predictable sleep patterns.

4. Explore Relaxation Techniques

If you often feel tense or wired before bed, simple relaxation strategies can help your mind and body transition more smoothly into sleep. Consider trying:

• Slow breathing exercises, such as inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 6.
• Progressive muscle relaxation, where you gently tense and release each muscle group from your toes to your head.
• Brief mindfulness practice, like observing your breath or body sensations without judgment.

These techniques can help quiet mental chatter and lower physiological arousal, making it easier to drift off.

5. Reassess Caffeine and Screen Time

Sometimes the most effective changes are also the simplest.

• Caffeine: Even afternoon cups of coffee or strong tea can linger in your system and disrupt your ability to fall asleep. Try limiting caffeine to before midday.
• Screens: Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs can interfere with melatonin production. Experiment with putting devices away an hour before bed or using blue-light filters if you need to use them.
  
• Explore how long-term use of sleeping pills may affect your sleep quality and well-being.

When to Reach Out for Support

If you find yourself increasingly dependent on herbal sleep aids or feeling anxious about bedtime, it may be time to seek professional support. Working with a therapist trained in CBT-I and ACT can help you create a more sustainable approach to sleep, one that doesn’t hinge on pills.

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone

Relying on herbal sleeping pills is a common response to chronic insomnia. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you’re doing your best with what you have. Over time, though, more pills rarely bring more peace.

Gentle, consistent strategies can help rebuild your confidence in sleep. You don’t have to do this alone. Ready to transform your relationship with sleep? Learn more about our “Gently to Sleep” program and take the first step toward restful nights and energized days. Contact us to schedule a consultation.