Calming Stress and Anxiety With Herbal Teas

It is no surprise that some teas can contribute to anxiety (i.e., caffeinated teas like black tea and green tea) while other teas relieve anxiety? If you’re feeling stressed, an easy way to feel a bit more calm can be through tea. But are you aware of the specific teas that aid in relaxing the body and the mind? Here are ten teas that science says can help promote a sense of calm:

1. Passionflower Tea

Research has shown that passionflower can improve sleep [1] and help people better manage anxiety [2]. Passionflower tea can be a bit bitter so you may want to mix it with other teas. Fortunately, more palatable Passionflower tea blends are available including "Nighty-Night" organic tea blend from from Traditional Medicinals®. Nighty-Night tea is described as tasting "minty and sweet with a note of citrus and spice."

2. Peppermint Tea

The smell of peppermint tea has been suggested to reduce depression and anxiety [3]. Peppermint tea also has some amazinginly beneficial health properties including easing digestive upsets, relieving tension headaches and improving sleep. Click here to shop for organic peppermint tea on Amazon now!

3. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is long thought to be a soothing, calming tea. Indeed, research suggests that long-term use of chamomile can reduce anxiety symptoms [4].

4. Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion root tea isn't considered a traditional calming tea, but if you've been stressed for a long time, dandelion tea may be exactly what you need. It helps cleanse the liver and increase bile production. So if your stress has been messing with your digestion or your life, try dandelion tea.

5. Ayurvedic Detox Tea

Another calming tea is Ayurvedic detox tea. It's a mix of herbs that help the body detox. And when the body has fewer toxins to deal with, it can relax more easily. You can find a great selection of quality Ayurvedic Detox Tea on Amazon.

6. Lavender Tea

Lavender has been linked to stress reduction and calmness. But it's important to keep in mind that lavender may have estrogenic* properties [5]. So if you have any signs of estrogen dominance or other hormonal issues, you might want to stay away from lavender.

* Estrogenic - A category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics.

7. Lemon Balm Tea (Melissa Tea)

Lemon balm appears to be effective in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. It appears to work by boosting GABA [6]. So if you think your anxiety is related to low GABA, Lemon balm tea may be a good tea for you.

8. Ashwaganda Tea

Ashwaganda is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are herbs that are thought to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety. This is why Ashwaganda tea may indeed be a good tea for calmness.

9. Milk Thistle Tea

Milk thistle is another detox herb that can help the body rid itself of toxins. Although the calmness-inducing effects might not be immediate, milk thistle can help reduce stress in the body.

10. What About Green Tea?

Green tea is high in l-theanine, an amino acid that might reduce anxiety [7]. However, green tea is high in caffeine, and caffeine is a known anxiety producer. Green tea is also high in quercetin.

Because quercetin has catechol structure, it is processed by our bodies in the same way as epinephrine and norepinephrine. If our bodies are busy processing quercetin, we may have a hard time processing these other stress reducing chemicals, So we might choose an l-theanine supplement instead of green tea, or at least opt for decaf green tea.

Now you know the teas that science says help reduce anxiety and restore calm! You have another tool for coping with stress and anxiety. For even more herbal tea benefits, check out the infographic below!

References 

1. ​Ngan, A., & Conduit, R. (2011). A double‐blind,placebo‐controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherapy Research, 25(8),1153-1159. 

2. Dantas, L. P., de Oliveira-Ribeiro, A., deAlmeida-Souza, L. M., & Groppo, F. C. (2017). Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental
extraction. Medicina oral, patologia oraly cirugia bucal, 22(1), e95. 

3. Vaezi, A. A., Parizi, S., Vahidi, A. R., &Tavangar, H. (2017). Study of the effect of inhalation of peppermint oil on depression and anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction who are
hospitalized in the intensive care units of Sirjan. Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2(62),55-62. 

4. ​Mao, J. J., Xie, S. X., Keefe, J. R., Soeller, I., Li, Q.S., & Amsterdam, J. D. (2016). Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine, 23(14), 1735-1742. ​

5. Ramsey, J. T., Li, Y., Arao, Y., Naidu, A., Coons, L.A., Diaz, A., & Korach, K. S. (2019). Lavender products associated with premature thelarche and prepubertal gynecomastia: case reports and endocrine-disrupting chemical activities. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 104(11), 5393-5405. 

6. Yoo, D. Y., Choi, J. H., Kim, W., Yoo, K. Y., Lee, C.H., Yoon, Y. S., ... & Hwang, I. K. (2011). Effects of Melissa officinalis L.(lemon balm) extract on neurogenesis associated with serum corticosterone and
GABA in the mouse dentate gyrus. Neurochemical research, 36(2), 250-257. 

​7. Higashiyama, A., Htay, H. H., Ozeki, M., Juneja, L.R., & Kapoor, M. P. (2011). Effects of l-theanine on attention and reaction time response. Journal of Functional Foods, 3(3), 171-178.