DOSE:	3150 mg	oral	Valerian	(plant material)
	700 mg	oral	Passion Flower	(plant material)
	700 mg	oral	Hops	(plant material)
	700 mg	oral	Lemon Balm	(plant material)
	900 mg	oral	St. John's Wort	(plant material)
	1250 mg	oral	Kava	(plant material)
	100 mg	oral	Tryptophan	(powder / crystals)
	10 mg	oral	Melatonin	(powder / crystals)
	100 mg	oral	GABA	(powder / crystals)

BODY WEIGHT:

145 lb

I have been experimenting with Valerian Root, Kava Kava, St. Johns Wort, Hops, Passion Flower, and Lemon Balm, for almost 3 months now. I first tried Valerian and Kava due to the articles I’ve read boasting their usefulness as a mild sedative, treating both sleeping disorders, and general anxiety. My report is on my special “sleepy time” tea, which I brew on a weekly basis, for that occasional “totally chilled out, good as fuck sleep” effect. Now, I must clarify that the above mixture is nowhere near sedating as opiates or some anxiolytics that I have been prescribed – however, it is a very different type of sedation, one that comes with many benefits, which neither opiates nor anxiolytics can provide.

-00:30 / I prepare my tea by emptying a couple of tea bags while bringing 4 cups of water to a boil. I use Natures Bounty Valerian Root which contains a proprietary calming blend consisting of Hops, Passion Flower, and Lemon Balm. My regular dosage is seven gel pills (or 3150mg valerian, and 700mg of the proprietary mixture). I empty all the caps into the bag, and into a separate bag I empty the Kava Kava extract (1250mg/30% (750mg) Kavalacetones). I do this because you do not want to boil Kava at the same time as Valerian! The kava will clump up and you will not get your intended dosage. I have also noticed that the effects are stronger if you wait until the water reduces to a simmer, then adding the Kava extract.

-00:25 / Once the water is boiling, steep the bag of the Valerian mixture for approximately 5 minutes.

-00:20 / After 5 minutes is up, reduce the heat to medium and throw in the Kava mixture. I continue simmering the water on medium temperature for 10 minutes, then removing the pot from the heat entirely, leaving both bags steeping in the water until it is somewhat cool (about 10 minutes or so). This is the same method used for making poppy pod tea, however, that is beyond the scope of this report.

+00:00 / The water should be slightly warm and dark in color. It is best to add some honey or sugar (although I prefer it without sugar, as it will keep me awake; defeating the purpose of this mixture). I like to add ice cubes because it is hot in Florida during the summer, but anyone following this guide should make it to their own preference. I pour the entire contents into a big gulp filled with ice, and I immediately chug it down with 100mg of 5-HTP, 100mg of GABA, and 10mg of Melatonin. The 5-HTP, GABA, and Melatonin are only there to help with mood and sleep, they are not necessary but do help in their own ways.

+00:15 / After finishing my tea, I am already feeling slightly heavy from the chest and upwards. My eyes, when closed, almost seem see-through. It is very relaxing in this state of mind.

00:30 / My mind is clear, my coordination is sharp, but my physical sensations are floating around. The muscle cramps I received from jogging in the heat are almost entirely gone.

+00:45 / As expected, laying down causes me to feel like my insides are about to float out of my chest cavity. The sensation is hard to put into words. It is not painful, but rather not exactly pleasant. It produces a sort of “vibrating” effect that rocks me to sleep. I don’t recommend focusing on it too much because some first-timers will become anxious and assume they are dying; making a huge drama session over it.

+00:55 / My fiancé, who received the same dosage as me, has passed out on the bed watching the TV. I’m pretty sure that I’m up next.

+01:15 / I am very heavy now. My body tells me to sleep, but I am just forcing myself to stay awake in order to collect more information on the physical sensations etc…

+01:20 / I can’t resist the temptation of sleep. As soon as I laid my head down on the pillow and close my eyes, I was pushed into an intense spiral of color and imagery. This is where I began lucid dreaming.

+11:10 / I’ve woken up to the sound of chirping birds, thinking it must be around 6am. Turns out it is now 11am, and I am fully refreshed. I had some very lucid, vivid dreams which I can recollect in full chronological order.

This is my favorite combination of herbs in the world. I have stopped smoking weed and using painkillers (for sleep, not entirely ;)) because of this legal alternative. It really does the trick when you are uncomfortable, tossing and turning in bed late at night. I find that it is best to consume it on an empty stomach. I have to warn some users: if you cannot handle vivid dreams, then I do not suggest using 5-HTP, Melatonin, and GABA. I have noticed the frequency of lucid dreaming states increases with the consumption of said supplements.

Exp Year: 2009	ExpID: 80389
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jan 30, 2013	Views: 108,647
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St. John's Wort (142), Kava (30), Tryptophan (138), Melatonin (94), GABA (362), Valerian (48), Passion Flower (121), Hops (252) : Alone (16), Preparation / Recipes (30)