My body is unusually sensitive to not only pharmaceuticals but also it seems some herbs. I’m fond of زعتر za‘tar, a Middle Eastern herbal blend of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, all ground up together. Combined with olive oil, it makes a yummy, classic seasoning for bread. I have some I mixed up last year.
Well, as you know, ground herbs and spices lose their savor over time. So sometimes I sprinkle a little extra, newer, thyme into it on my plate for more flavor. Whenever I do that, it’s inescapable that eating straight thyme like that has a powerful soporific effect on me. Just a few pinches of the stuff will knock me out faster than Ambien. I mean Ambien just helps me to sleep; thyme actually forces me to sleep. Soon after eating it, my eyes start closing and I’m seized with an uncontrollable urge to lie down and nap. I’m guaranteed to be out like a light and sleep very soundly for a minimum three hours. Cannot, must not be used before driving or operating machinery.
In Middle Eastern culture, it’s believed that thyme is a good brain food that promotes the intellect. School kids are fed za‘tar at breakfast on exam days. Ha! If I were to go back to university to take some courses and tried that… it’d be ridiculous. Major flunkitude would be the result.
I’m guessing the reason thyme has a reputation as good for thinking is its calming effect on the brain. The reasoning would go something like this: when you’re agitated and upset, you can’t think very well, right? So calm down the brain and it will function better. Jethro Kloss made the same claim for sage (Salvia officinalis), which also has a sedative effect on me when I drink tea made from it. The two herbs are close relatives in Lamiaceae, the mint family. Even though there are many other well-known herbs in Lamiaceae that don’t knock me out. Well, all I can say is the effects are highly dependent on an individual and her body’s reaction to different substances.