Sometimes it helps to have something you can take, to help you de-stress, even when you have a lot of personal-growth tools you are using already. I find a nice cup of herbal tea can help, and there are also herbs you can take, internally and externally, that will help shield you against the stress of daily life in our modern age. Supplements and aromatherapy can also be helpful.
It is important, when dealing with herbs, to make sure you’re not taking something that is contraindicated to any medications you may be on, and won’t aggravate any other conditions you may be experiencing. Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you. The prime example is St John’s Wort, which decreases the efficacy of many prescription medications (including oral birth control), and the bulk of evidence suggests does not work on depression after all, regardless of what all the articles on the internet keep saying.
Aromatherapy: My number one go-to for scents to help me relax is lavender, although I have a wonderful blend of lavender , chamomile, and blue vervain that is especially amazing when applied to the temples. It also works on an eye pillow, or mixed with some water and spritzed on your bedsheets for a soothing night’s sleep. The only problems I can find with lavender are the rare cases of people who have a lavender allergy. Never use a substance of any sort to which you are allergic. It should go without saying, but my lawyer likes me to say it anyway.
Blue vervain, by the way, also works amazingly well as a compress on tight muscles. Take a handful of the dried herb, put it in a saucepan with enough water to cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Wrap that up in a cotton cloth (like a bandana), let it cool enough that you’re not going to burn yourself, and put it on the affected area. Cover it with a towel to keep it in place and prevent it from cooling before it has done its job. I would leave it on for about 30 minutes, after which you may want to spray a little witch hazel on it, just to close the pores up a bit.
Teas and tisanes: Herbal teas for medicinal purposes are best made from dried herbs, rather than purchasing ready-made teabags where you can’t tell how old the herbs really are. Get a tea strainer or a proper English teapot, and you won’t have to worry about fishing leaves out of your teeth. Medicinal tea is also going to be a little stronger than most people make their tea. The nice thing about this is that you can create a mixture geared toward whatever you’re dealing with that day.
Wood betony is a great herb for a calming tea. It takes you out of your head and puts you back in your body, where it’s easier to sort things out.
Chamomile is the soothing tea with which I think people are the most familiar. It’s a mild sedative. It does tend to bother people with hay fever, so if that’s you, try something else.
Passion Flower is another mild sedative that lessens anxiety and creates a soothing tea. Do not use it if you’re on anti-anxiety medications, though.
There’s an Ayurvedic tea called Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng. It’s an adaptogen, which means that it helps the body resist or adapt better to stress. It’s not the most palatable tea, but if you make a strong brew, mix honey in, and drink it like a shot, it might be worth it. You might also consider adding some lemon balm (also an adaptogen) to the mix – it lowers stress, improves mood, and tastes pretty good to most people. Avoid the lemon balm, though, if you are on meds for hypothyroid. Other adaptogens include chamomile and passion flower, discussed above, and Reishi mushroom.
Green tea, although caffeinated, is actually pretty good for stress, although I wouldn’t take it before bed. It contains an amino acid called L-Theanine, which binds to GABA receptors and actually alters your brain waves.
Supplements: Kava has been making headlines in the last 10 years as being helpful for anxiety and depression, and the bulk of evidence seems to hold up. Most people prefer taking it in supplement form instead of a tea, but there are fans of the tea. It’s a bit of an acquired taste. Do try to get the root, without any of the leaves and stems mixed in, as those parts seem to put some strain on the liver. If you’re taking it in a non-tea liquid preparation (like a tincture), make sure it’s using a water extraction rather than an alcohol extraction, as the former contains an excellent antioxidant and will counteract any issue with the leaved and stems.
Valerian is a great muscle relaxant that I would only ever take in supplement form. The running joke is that Valerian is Latin for “stinky feet.” It’s great for physical relaxation and as a sleep aid, but don’t take it every day for more than 14 days or it will lose its efficacy on you.
One of my favorite non-herbal supplements for stress, insomnia, and pain relief is 5HTP, which is synthesized tryptophan, but you should absolutely not take it if you are an SSRI or SNRI, and check with your pharmacist for other contraindications.
Sources I will recommend for herbs, supplements, and teas, as well as information (I have not received any compensation from any of these companies):
As always, it’s not a bad idea to do some research on your own (the ABC website above is a great resource for scientific studies about herbs), and at least check with your doctor and/or pharmacist before embarking on any course of treatment.