· ‘Tea is the elixir of life.’ ~ Lao Tzu ·
You are anxious, worried, and just need to calm the ‘F’ down. Don’t you wish there was a cure-all potion to calm those nerves? I know I often do!
Now there may not be a perfect potion, but what we do have readily available to us are teas. There are some excellent ones to help calm and relax your system. I bring you a list of easy-to-find teas that can do wonders to combat anxiety and ease your mind.
Tea Time!
Herbal tinctures, teas, and remedies have long been used to help support what ails us. There are countless herbs out there that can benefit us in so many ways, whether it be to enhance our physical or emotional wellbeing.
Teas are a safe, wonderful, and tasty (usually lol) way to utilize what mother nature has so generously given us.
For me, using tea to ease anxiety is a terrific resource. I personally struggle with anxiety on a much too frequent basis and tea really helps to calm my frazzled nerves.
Best teas to help you beat stress and calm you down
CHAMOMILE
A very popular and mild-tasting tea. Chamomile has been known to raise serotonin and melatonin levels helping to bring on relaxation.
You can also find chamomile in delicious blends like vanilla and lavender. Perfect for evenings.
PEPPERMINT
Not just for the holidays!
Peppermint is a natural muscle relaxant and can help ease digestion. Both of which can use a little assistance when we are feeling stressed.
Some research suggests even just the aroma may help to calm the nerves.
LEMON BALM
Lemon Balm is a favorite of mine (anything with lemon really).
This herb is well known for calming stress and anxiety. Studies, such as this one, have shown it to have significant benefits on mood.
Lemon Balm has also been shown to help reduce tension and muscle tightness in the body.
LAVENDER
People are generally very familiar with using Lavender essential oil as a means of stress relief, but you can also reap all of its benefits in tea form.
From soothing nerves and reducing tension in the body to assisting with digestion, this tea is a perfect antidote to a stressful day.
GREEN
Another extremely well know tea for its many many, many, health benefits.
This tea is a fabulous source of antioxidants to help battle the negative effects of stress on the body.
It is also a great source of L-theanine. L-theanine helps to regulate certain neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for our moods and emotions.
PASSIONFLOWER
Passionflower has been shown to increase our GABA levels (chemical messenger in the brain) making it an excellent, and long used, natural aid to combat stress and anxiety in the body.
Low GABA levels in the body have been linked to anxiety and depression.
GINGER
A wealth of health, if you will, for the body and mind. There are so many uses for ginger!
Which includes having a calming effect in times of stress that soothes the body and improves mood.
Ginger has been shown to benefit serotonin levels and is full of anti-oxidants, both huge reasons to drink up.
The ‘T’ on Tea
Herbs are generally a safe and amazing natural resource. Especially in tea form. Teas are less concentrated than supplements, tinctures, or oils. However, interactions and unpleasant side effects are still possible.
It is always recommended to discuss with your health care practitioner before adding any type of herbal remedy into your self-care routine.
This is especially true if you are on medications, pregnant, or have a diagnosed illness.
Remember we are all individuals and what works for one person may not necessarily work for you. So you may need to try out more than one before you find the one that is just right. Like Goldilocks.
Also, each tea here could most certainly have an entire post of its own and I would still not cover everything about it. I am simply highlighting a few of the key components in each that help with our topic of discussion.
Sourcing Your Tea
While it’s easy enough to just go to the grocery store and grab the cheapest tea you can find, it’s worthwhile to invest a little.
By invest, I don’t just mean in money, but also information. Know where your tea is coming from and try to buy fair-trade, ethically sourced brands.
Tea companies don’t always use best practices and it shouldn’t be assumed that they do. So do your research. And bonus, Fairtrade teas offer higher quality ingredients and are usually organic.
Some brands that I love include:
- Traditional Medicinals
- Pukka
- Yogi
- Stash
- Four O’clock
These are just a few but there are many more! I am in Denmark so depending on your country the brands in your area may differ from these ones. Have fun and shop around. Boxes are also labeled Fairtrade so they are easy to spot.
Okay, without further ado, I declare it’s tea time! ♥