5 Herbs To Calm Anxiety

Are you ‘swimming’ in stress, lately? Bills and worries piling up? Challenges sprouting up in your job, family, and home? You may be suffering from anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. and affect 40 million adults. Generalized anxiety disorder, on its own, affects 6.8 million adults, with women twice as likely to be affected as men.

Whether you’re suffering from a lifelong illness or simply going through a stressful period in your life, natural herbs can help. Here are seven that are particularly good for calming you down – without putting you to sleep. (You’ll notice we have left out kava and valerian for this reason).

Lavender

This is a flowering plant which is part of the mint family. Clinical studies have shown it is effective for treating anxiety disorders.

In fact, it has been clinically proven to be as effective as benzodiazepines. And that’s without the addictive potential and sedative effects.

It works similarly to these drugs in that it enhances GABA levels in your central nervous system. (GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which calms the “Anxiety Circuits” in your brain.)

Dosage: Try about 80 mg/day of the supplement, or use the oil as an aromatherapy solution.

Passionflower

This is also a flowering plant found in South America and Asia. Clinical studies have found it is effective for reducing anxiety and has the same kind of effect as benzodiazepines. It also has sedative properties and can be used to combat insomnia. This flower works the same way as Lavender in that it modulates the GABA levels in your central nervous system.

Again, similar to benzodiazepines but without the side effects.

Dosage: Try one cup of passionflower tea three times daily, 45 drops of liquid extract daily, or about 90 mg/day.

Lemon Balm

This is another herb which is part of the mint family. It is native to Europe and the Mediterranean, where it has been used for thousands of years as a sedative.

Clinical studies have found it works by increasing your GABA levels in the same way benzodiazepines do. It also decreases corticosteroids (Stress hormones) in your brain which helps anxious people who are constantly in flight-or-flight mode. And it can help to improve sleep.

Dosage: Use in aromatherapy, try 300-500 mg of dried lemon balm three times daily, 60 drops daily, or 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of dried lemon balm herb in hot water for a tea four times daily.

Inositol

Technically this is not a herb. It’s a naturally occurring carbohydrate which is found in fruits and lecithin’s. And studies have found it can be as effective as prescription medications for treating anxiety. This is because it works in exactly the same way as those medications. What it does is it increases the serotonin levels in your central nervous system which helps to reduce anxiety.

And the best part is, this substance is non-addictive and non-habit forming. (Unlike most prescription medications.)

Dosage: About 200mg a day will do the work for you.

L-Theanine

This is an amino acid found primarily in certain plants and fungi. It is also in green tea and has anxiolytic (Anti-anxiety) and calming effects.

This is because L-Theanine regulates your GABA levels and modulates the serotonin neurotransmitters in your brain. (The same as benzodiazepines and anxiety medications.)

Plus studies have shown it can improve concentration levels making it perfect for stressed out students.

Dosage: A typical cup of black tea contains only about 25 mg of l-theanine and green tea only about 8 mg. While a cup of tea may be calming, if you want more potent effects, try a supplement, about 200 mg a day.

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