Herbs for Insomnia

I am a dentist, aged 60 years. I had bypass surgery in 1999. I am a diabtic and hypertensive which is controlled by ramipril to 130/84. Of late I am always very tense and am not getting sound sleep. A friend of mine suggested Passiflora incarnata in mother tincture form. Kindly suggest some herbal medicine to calm my nerves and to induce good sleep.

Passiflora incarnata (passion flower) is a good relaxant, allowing sleep when the mind won't switch off. A "mother tincture" is a regular alcoholic tincture. For more information on passionflower, please see our website www.richters.com. Choose Q&A from the main menu, then enter "passion" for the search.
For more information on herbs for insomnia, enter "insomnia" for the Q&A search. The herbs listed are unlikely to interfere with your medication, but because tension and stress can be exacerbated by high blood pressure, you should monitor your blood pressure regularly, looking for a reduction as your tension decreases.
There are some good anti-anxiety herbal teas on the market. Ask for a good brand at a health food store with knowledgeable employees. Usually, taking calming herbs 3 to 4 times a day is more helpful than taking them only at night.