3 MINUTE READ
1. Lemon balm
• Historically used as a gentle tranquilizer and antidepressant and a lifter of moods (1).
• Calmer of the nerves, the ultimate mood stabilizer. Lemon balm is my herb of choice for any stress related nerves. Through my experiences Lemon Balm has a way of bringing you back down to your center, gently.
2. Spearmint
• A light herb that has a pleasant flavor, pairs well with almost anything and subtly calms your nerves. Also great at calming the digestive system. I find spearmint to be a great herb to use throughout the day; its properties aren’t as sedative as some of the other herbs listed here like Catnip or Lemon Balm.
3. Catnip
- Most of us can relate Catnip to a cat’s herb, the herb they love and seem to go “crazy” for. What is interesting with Catnip is that it has the opposite effect on humans as it does on cats. With humans Catnip is actually used as a sedative herb and a calmer of both the nerves and the digestion system.
4. Holy Basil
• Many of us know Basil which is often used as a culinary herb; Holy Basil is its cousin, with quite a different flavor. Holy basil is often used as an anxiety and stress reducer.
• A study was conducted by Roy State Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta, India in the use of Holy Basil and its effects on reducing anxiety. The study proved to drop anxiety, stress and depression by an average of about 30% after 60 days of use. (2)
5. Chamomile
• Commonly used in many sleepy time tea blends, Chamomile contains many nerve soothing components such as; magnesium, riboflavin, phosphorus and niacin (1).
• Chamomile has a very aromatic smell that through my experience seems to have a calming effect. It’s a very nice herb to take as a tea before bed time or to add to a bath.
Sources:
1. Edwards, Gail Faith. Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, NY: Ash Tree Pub., 2000. Print.
2. Engels, Gayle, and Josef Brinckmann. “Herb Profile: Holy Basil.” EBOSCOhost. HerbalGram, 15 May 2013. Web. 20 May 2015.