6 Calming and Relaxing Herbal Teas for Stress

6 Calming and Relaxing Herbal Teas for Stress

Stress is a common problem in our busy, fast-paced world. Certain seasons of life are more stressful than others, but feeling anxious and overwhelmed has unfortunately become a part of life for too many of us.

There are, however, some natural ways to deal with stress, and herbal teas are one of the best remedies for holding too much tension. The act of taking time to sip a cup of tea can in itself be stress-relieving, but using specific herbs will give the tea even more calming properties.

Here are six calming and relaxing herbal teas for stress that you can try out today and add to your daily routine. Make to check out our previous post on how to make loose herbal tea

Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is a very familiar herb that has many benefits for the digestive system because it can help to relax muscles in the digestive tract. It’s also used to settle an upset stomach.

Peppermint can likewise have a calming effect on the whole body and nervous system. Drinking a cup of peppermint tea is a good way to reduce stress and relax after a long day. Even breathing in the steam from the tea will help you to feel less tense and stressed. A word of caution, if you are breastfeeding or pumping and have milk supply concerns, peppermint is not an ideal herb to use as it can lower milk supply.

Making Peppermint Tea: Peppermint tea is easy to make. Use 1-3 teaspoons of dried peppermint leaf for every cup of boiling water. Allow it to steep for at least 5 minutes and then enjoy! You can use fillable tea bags, a mesh tea ball, or just strain out the herbs before drinking.

Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is another herbal tea that’s very helpful for easing stress. As an herb, chamomile is one of the most highly regarded for its calming effects. It may also help you fall asleep, especially if stress is one of the things that keeps you awake at night.

Part of chamomile’s benefits for stress and sleep come from its magnesium content. Studies show that magnesium can relax the body and mind by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (1) and also helps regulate melatonin, a hormone that has a big role in sleep. (2)

Making Chamomile Tea: This is another herbal tea that’s easy to make. Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of dried chamomile to one cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and drink before bed (or any time during the day when you feel stressed).

Chamomile Tea Blend: Chamomile also works well with other herbs to provide even more stress-reducing benefits. In the Sweet Slumber Tea blend, Chamomile is combined with other herbs like Catnip and Passionflower, which both have calming properties and help with sleeplessness.

Holy Basil Tea
Holy basil is probably a less familiar herb than either Peppermint or Chamomile. Also known as tulsi, holy basil is an adaptogenic herb that’s commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Adaptogenic herbs work with your body to support a healthy stress response and help your body to deal with and recover from stress. Holy basil, in particular, can help to nourish mind and body, protect against stress, and restore a frayed nervous system. (3)

Making Tulsi Tea: Use about 1-2 tablespoons of dried tulsi and add a cup of boiling water. Let the tea steep for 10-15 minutes before drinking. Add honey, maple syrup, or another natural sweetener if desired.

Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm is another calming and stress-reducing herb. It belongs to the mint family, and true to its name has a pleasant, lemony fragrance and taste.

Lemon balm can help to relax both the body and mind. It eases nervous tension and may also help with falling asleep. A 2018 study found that patients with chronic stable angina who took lemon balm supplements for 8 weeks reported decreased depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder. (4)

Lemon balm is best enjoyed fresh and is also easy to grow (be careful it doesn’t take over your whole backyard). However, it’s also available dried and is often mixed with other herbs in tea blends.

Making Lemon Balm Tea: To make an herbal tea with lemon balm, add 1-2 tablespoons of the dried herb to one cup of boiling water. If you are using fresh lemon balm, use 2-3 tablespoons of the leaf. Lemon balm would also blend well with peppermint or chamomile.

Lemon Balm Tea Blend: Lemon balm features in the Headache Releaf Tea blend. Not only does this herbal blend help to ease headaches, it also combines lemon balm with other calming and stress-relieving herbs like Lavender, Passionflower, and Peppermint.

Lavender Tea
Lavender is an herb that is well-known for its calming properties and ability to reduce stress. Dried lavender can be used in a sachet under your pillow to help with sleep, and even inhaling the fragrance of lavender can help with stressful feelings.

The flowers (dried or fresh) can also be made into a tea that is wonderful for relaxing after a long day. In addition, lavender blends well with many other calming herbs.

Making Lavender Tea: Use 1-3 teaspoons of dried lavender for every cup of boiling water. Let the tea steep for at least 5 minutes and add lemon or sweetener if desired. Lavender typically has a strong flavor, so adjust according to your preference.

Lavender-Rose Blend: For extra calming benefits to remedy stress, rose can be used along with lavender in a tea. Simply mix equal parts of dried lavender and dried rose petals together. Use 1-3 teaspoons of the mixture for each cup of water and let steep for 5-10 minutes.

Adrenal Love Tea
Constant or chronic stress can take its toll on your body. One of the results of being stressed all the time is adrenal fatigue. While it can take months and some lifestyle changes to fully recover from adrenal fatigue, herbs can play a big role in restoring adrenal health.

Adrenal Love Tea is a blend of herbs, including rhodiola and licorice root, that together have an adaptogenic effect, meaning they help the body to cope with stress and strengthen the nervous system.

If you have been dealing with adrenal fatigue from prolonged stress, give this blend a try!

The next time you find yourself having a difficult day, try some of these herbal teas for stress relief. It’s a completely all-natural way to help your body relax and deal with stress better. And they taste good, too!