Calm Tomorrow Starts in Your Cells Today
Hops (Humulus lupulus) and Sleep:
A Gentle Traditional Companion for Evening Calm
Do you ever wish evenings felt quieter — fewer racing thoughts, easier wind-down, deeper rest? Across Europe, one of the oldest and most characteristic herbs used for exactly this purpose is hops — the same flowering cones that give beer its bitterness, yet in herbal tradition have been a bedtime favorite for centuries.
What Exactly Are Hops?
Humulus lupulus is a climbing plant native to Europe, Asia and North America. Only the female flower cones (commonly called “hops”) are used in herbal preparations. They have a distinctive slightly bitter, resinous and mildly floral aroma that most people immediately recognize from beer — but in much smaller, concentrated doses they have been part of European folk medicine since the Middle Ages.
Centuries-Old Evening Tradition
Already in the 9th century, Benedictine nuns filled pillows with dried hop cones for restless monastery guests. In the 19th century, factory workers in England and Bavaria kept small hop sachets under their pillows. Traditional herbal books repeatedly describe hop tea or hop baths as a gentle way to “quiet the nerves” before bedtime.
Today this tradition lives on — only more practical and precisely dosed.
Today this tradition lives on — only more practical and precisely dosed.
Why Hops and Valerian Are Almost Inseparable
In modern herbal medicine, hops are very rarely used alone. The classic and best-researched combination is hops + valerian root. The two plants complement each other perfectly:
- Valerian works primarily via GABA pathways
- Hops bring additional bitter acids and terpenes that interact with adenosine and GABA-A receptors
The Natural Compounds Behind the Gentle Effect
The most important substances in hop cones:
- Bitter acids (humulone, lupulone) → typical resinous taste
- Terpenes (myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene) → aromatic and calming components
- Flavonoids (especially xanthohumol) → antioxidant character
Simple Evening Habits That Amplify Any Natural Support
Tiny rituals make a big difference:
- Same bedtime ±30 minutes
- Bedroom cool (16–18 °C), dark and quiet
- No screens 60–90 minutes before bed
- A fixed wind-down signal: warm drink, a few pages of a book, 5 slow breaths
The Day–Night Rhythm Thousands of Europeans Trust
More and more people rely on a natural 24-hour concept that combines daytime balance with a proven herbal evening trio:
Morning & day → Stop Stress® Day with magnesium and B-vitamins (EFSA-authorised nutrients for normal psychological function and nervous system)
Evening & night → Stop Stress® Night with the traditional valerian + hops combination (on-hold EU botanical claim ID 2680) together with lemon balm (on-hold EU botanical claim ID 2302) — the classic soothing blend that has been part of European evenings for generations.
Together they create gentle support from the first coffee to the last page of the book — no heaviness, no dependency, just pleasant calm.
Morning & day → Stop Stress® Day with magnesium and B-vitamins (EFSA-authorised nutrients for normal psychological function and nervous system)
Evening & night → Stop Stress® Night with the traditional valerian + hops combination (on-hold EU botanical claim ID 2680) together with lemon balm (on-hold EU botanical claim ID 2302) — the classic soothing blend that has been part of European evenings for generations.
Together they create gentle support from the first coffee to the last page of the book — no heaviness, no dependency, just pleasant calm.
One Tiny Change Tonight
Put a small handful of dried hop cones in a cloth bag under your pillow or simply enjoy the aroma of a hop-containing tea.
Your nose will notice — and your evening will feel different almost immediately.
Ready for quieter evenings and deeper nights? Discover the complete Stop Stress® Day & Night rhythm with high-quality hop and valerian extracts at → www.stopstress.de
Sleep well — you’ve earned it.
Your nose will notice — and your evening will feel different almost immediately.
Ready for quieter evenings and deeper nights? Discover the complete Stop Stress® Day & Night rhythm with high-quality hop and valerian extracts at → www.stopstress.de
Sleep well — you’ve earned it.
References and Further Reading
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2023). EU Register of nutrition and health claims – authorised claims for magnesium, vitamins B6, B12, niacin and folate. Retrieved from https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/labelling-and-nutrition/nutrition-and-health-claims/eu-register-health-claims_en
European Commission. (2023). On-hold botanical health claims: Valerian & hops combination (ID 2680); Melissa officinalis (ID 2302). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/
Zanoli, P., & Zavatti, M. (2008). Pharmacognostic and pharmacological profile of Humulus lupulus L. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 116(3), 383–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.01.011
Franco, L., Sánchez, C., Bravo, R., et al. (2012). The sedative effects of hops (Humulus lupulus), a component of beer, on the activity/rest rhythm. Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 99(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1556/APhysiol.99.2012.2.6
Koetter, U., et al. (2007). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the sedative effects of a valerian-hops combination and diphenhydramine. Phytotherapy Research, 21(9), 847–851. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2193
European Commission. (2023). On-hold botanical health claims: Valerian & hops combination (ID 2680); Melissa officinalis (ID 2302). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/
Zanoli, P., & Zavatti, M. (2008). Pharmacognostic and pharmacological profile of Humulus lupulus L. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 116(3), 383–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.01.011
Franco, L., Sánchez, C., Bravo, R., et al. (2012). The sedative effects of hops (Humulus lupulus), a component of beer, on the activity/rest rhythm. Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 99(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1556/APhysiol.99.2012.2.6
Koetter, U., et al. (2007). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the sedative effects of a valerian-hops combination and diphenhydramine. Phytotherapy Research, 21(9), 847–851. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2193
Get in Touch
Write to us or call us. We love communicating with our customers.
Latvia
Brivibas gatve 369 k-2, Riga
t.: +371 67 323 499
hello@stopstress.de
Brivibas gatve 369 k-2, Riga
t.: +371 67 323 499
hello@stopstress.de
The Science articles on StopStress.de are for general educational purposes only and do not constitute medical, nutritional, psychiatric, or regulatory advice. References to nutrients, botanicals, neurotransmitters, hormones, sleep or stress biology describe general scientific or traditional information and do not represent authorised EU health claims. Botanical mentions relate only to traditional use or their on-hold status under Article 13(1). Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using supplements, especially in case of medical conditions, pregnancy, nursing, or medication use. For authorised claims and botanical on-hold status, please refer to the official EU Register:
https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/
https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/