Because sleep is so essential to your health and well-being, it's important to make it a priority. If you're struggling to get some decent shut-eye, Mother Earth News suggests brewing a cup of tea made from relaxing, non-habit-forming herbs such as catnip (Nepeta cataria), which is a gentle sedative; chamomile (Matricaria recutita), which helps calm your nerves and sooth the stomach; or passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), a safe sedative that eases anxiety, worry, or an overactive mind.