The 5 Best Calming Teas for Anxiety and Stress Relief
Feeling anxious or stressed out? Try sipping on these 5 calming teas to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
Ahhh…that cozy feeling of drinking a hot cup of tea. Have you ever wondered why drinking tea can be so calming? It is because teas have specific herbal actions that affect the body in various ways! Read on to find out more!
THE 5 BEST CALMING TEAS
1. Chamomile
Latin Name: Matricaria chamomilla
Benefits: Chamomile has a mild sedative action, meaning that it promotes relaxation and aids in restful sleep. Chamomile is also a nervine herb, which is why it is beneficial for anxiety. Furthermore, its vulnerary action makes it a popular herb to treat gastrointestinal inflammation such as gastritis, stomach ulcers, and digestive pains.
2. Lavender
Latin name: Lavendula angustifolia
Benefits: Lavender is a nervine herb, which means that it can help calm the nerves. It is also a mild sedative, so it is best to consume it in the evening before bed as it can help with sleep. In addition, the essential oil is commonly used in aromatherapy to fill the air with its beautiful scent. This aroma can promote a sense of calmness and relaxation.
3. Passionflower
Latin name: Passiflora incarnata
Benefits: Due to its anxiolytic action, passion flower is beneficial for anxiety and nervousness. It is also great for stress-induced restlessness such as restless leg syndrome and tremors. Passionflower can help to calm not only the mind but the body as well.
4. Lemon balm
Latin name: Melissa officinalis
Benefits: Lemon balm is another great nervine herb. In particular, it is beneficial for anxiety, stress, and nervous tension. Lemon balm is also helpful for those who experience digestive issues due to anxiety such as irritable bowel syndrome.
5. Valerian
Latin name: Valeriana officinalis
Benefits: Due to its strong nervine and sedative actions, valerian is helpful for conditions of anxiety, insomnia, and nervous tension. Valerian is helpful for those who are over-stimulated and stressed out because it calms down the nervous system.
Don’t forget to steep it!
Steeping your tea helps to extract the essential oils and produces a stronger tea. This will allow you to reap the benefits of the tea! It is fairly simple, here is how to do it:
Place the tea bag into a mug with boiled water
Cover the mug and let the tea steep
For herbal teas, you typically want to steep it for 10-15 minutes
If you are unsure, check the instructions on the tea box and it should say how long to steep it for
Where to start:
Not sure which of these calming teas is right for you? Start by picking one tea to try out and see if you enjoy it. You can also try combining a couple of different teas together and create your own herbal blend!
Here are some ready-made blends of calming teas that you can try out:
Traditional Medicinals – Cup of Calm: a calming tea that contains chamomile, passionflower, and lavender, amongst a few other good herbs!
Yogi Tea – Calming: a soothing tea that contains chamomile, lavender, and licorice.
Tazo Tea – Calm Chamomile: a relaxing tea that contains chamomile, lemon balm, rose petals, and more!
Yogi Tea - Bedtime: a tea to help promote restful sleep. It contains valerian, passionflower, chamomile, lavender, and other herbs!
Did you know that green tea can also reduce anxiety and promote relaxation? That is because it contains L-theanine! You can read more about L-theanine here.
