How to Use Passion Flower for Health

Treating Anxiety and Insomnia with Passion Flower

Take a tincture once a day for minor anxiety or insomnia. Find passion flower tinctures at stores that sell herbal medicines, or online. Look for a tincture that contains only passion flower, alcohol, and water. Each tincture has a different strength, so follow the dosing instructions on the bottle. Usually, you need to add about 30-60 drops of tincture to a glass of water and drink it. You can also use tea or juice. Depending on the strength of the tincture, you may be able to take the tincture once a day or several times a day. Shake the bottle before using it so that the passion flower gets evenly distributed in the bottle. If you don't notice a change in your anxiety levels in 2-4 weeks, talk to your doctor about an alternative treatment. There is also a chance passion flower can help relieve symptoms of depression, but this hasn't been studied enough. Ask your doctor if it is safe to use passion flower with any other medications you use, if you would like to try it.

Try a tablet if you don't like the taste of passion flower. If you don't like the herby taste of the tincture, you can take it in pill form by looking for passion flower tablets. As with tinctures, the strength of each tablet is unique, so follow the recommended dose on the box. Usually, you will take one tablet a day, containing 350-450 mg of passion flower. Passion flower tablets can be found at stores that sell vitamins and herbal supplements. Passion flower may also be labeled under its Latin name, “Passiflora.” Look for tablets that are 100% passion flower.

Drink passion flower tea with lemon balm, hops, or valerian for a sleep solution. To possibly aid with getting a full night's sleep, look for a passion flower tea. Ingredients like lemon balm, hops, and valerian are often added to the tea and could make passion flower more effective in helping you sleep well. Passion flower tea usually comes in tea bags that you brew according to the instructions on the box. Drink one cup of passion flower tea before bed. It could make you drowsy if you take it in the morning.

Avoid combining passion flower with other medications. Sedatives and sleep medications do not mix well with passion flower, as they can cause major issues with slowing motor skills, mental functions, and heart rate. You should also avoid taking passion flower up to 2 weeks before surgery, as it can interfere with anesthesia. Stop taking passion flower if you notice any dizziness, confusion, or lack of muscle coordination.

Relieving Symptoms of Menopause

Relieve hot flashes and insomnia using passion flower tea. Women who drink passion flower tea daily are likely to report fewer hot flashes. They also tend to experience a full night's sleep more frequently than women who don't take passion flower. Passion flower could potentially relieve other symptoms of menopause, as well, but hot flashes and insomnia are the most reliably improved. Ask your doctor if it is safe to take passion flower with any other medications you take.

Drink passion flower tea once an evening or take tablets 1-2 times a day. Drink passion flower tea before going to bed to potentially aid in getting a full night's sleep. If you don't like the taste of passion flower, you can look for tablets to swallow like a pill. Some tablets are taken once a day, while some are taken twice. Follow instructions on the box to brew the tea correctly and get a full dose. Find passion flower tea or tablets at stores that sell herbal medicines.

Combine passion flower with lifestyle changes to treat menopause symptoms. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially before bed, eat 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and keep well-hydrated by drinking lots of water. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise daily. Yoga and walking are good options. Work with your doctor to come up with the right balance of treatments for you. While herbal treatments and lifestyle changes work for some, everybody is different.

Soothing Burns and Hemorrhoids

Use passion flower for minor burns only. If you have a major burn, seek medical attention right away. Minor burns cause redness and pain. If you also have swelling, blistering, or if your skin turns white or black, do not use passion flower. Passion flower has also traditionally been used for minor hemorrhoids, insect bites and stings, cold sores, and sunburn.

Create a compress for burns using passion flower extract and a cold, damp cloth. Rub a few drops of passion flower extract directly into the burned skin. Then, cover the area with a cold, wet cloth for about 10 minutes, or until the pain starts to go away. You can find passion flower extract at natural food stores that sell herbal supplements.

Apply passion flower extract directly to hemorrhoids. Use a dropper to apply a few drops of passion flower extract to the outside of the anus daily. Rub it into the hemorrhoids with your hand or a clean cloth. Only use passion flower extract externally for hemorrhoids. Combine passion flower with hemorrhoid cream for a more effective treatment.