If you suffer from chronic stress and anxiety, you may experience symptoms such as muscle tension, insomnia, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and difficulty concentrating. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if this chronic disorder interferes with your work and relationships. Herbs may help relieve the symptoms and allow you to enjoy life more. Check with your health care professional before using herbal remedies.
Herbal Actions
Some herbs for stress and anxiety claim to work directly on the brain chemicals that regulate your emotions. Others purportedly relieve physical symptoms like muscle tension and gastrointestinal problems. You can use herbs internally as teas, tinctures and capsules, or apply essential oils topically. If you suffer from chronic stress and anxiety, you may use herbal remedies daily, but consult a knowledgeable practitioner for instructions on dosage.
Lavender
Lavender, or Lavandula angustifolia, is a fragrant herb native to the Mediterranean. It has a long history of use as a sedative and antispasmodic, and traditional healers use the flowers and essential oil to treat stress, nervous disorders, insomnia, muscle pains and headache. In their 2000 book, "The Herbal Drugstore," Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster recommend inhaling the essential oil or adding it to your bathwater to relieve anxiety and depression. You can also rub the oil into tense muscles, apply it to your forehead and temples to relieve stress headaches, or make a tea from the dried herb. Lavender may enhance other sedative or antidepressant medications. Do not ingest lavender oil.
Chamomile
Chamomile, or Matricaria recutita, is an ancient relaxing herb used for anxiety, muscle tension and nervous stomach. The dried flowers are rich in essential oil and flavonoids, which have antispasmodic and anti-anxiety properties. In his 2003 book, "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine," clinical herbalist David Hoffmann states that chamomile settles the stomach, relaxes nerves and muscles, and is useful for all anxiety and stress-related disorders. This herb may cause an allergic reaction if you are sensitive to members of the Aster family.
Valerian
Valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is a native of Europe and Asia, but herbalists throughout the world use it to treat anxiety, insomnia, stress and muscle cramps. The active ingredients are chemicals in the roots called valpotriates. In their 2009 book, "Medicinal Plants of the World," botanist Ben-Erik van Wyk and biologist Michael Wink note that valerian affects the brain's benzodiazepine sites and GABA-a receptors --- parts of your nervous system involved in excitability, emotions and mood. They recommend valerian tea to relieve stress and anxiety, or adding the dried root to your bath. Do not combine valerian with other sedatives or antidepressants.
References
- "The Herbal Drugstore"; Linda B. White, M.D., Steven Foster; 2000
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
- "Medicinal Plants of the World"; Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink; 2009
Member Comments