Herbs For Stress Relief – Herbal Remedies Which Soothe You

* Another purple flower that effectively relieves stress is lavender. It has a strong flavor, so I usually just add a few flowers to herb teas made with other herbs that reduce stress. In addition to relieving stress, lavender has antidepressant qualities. Lavender has been used for centuries to promote relaxation. One of my favorite ways to use lavender is as a cool or warm compress applied to the neck or forehead. Carry some essential oil of lavender wherever you go so that you will have help available the next time you feel stressed or have a headache.

* Hops are the plant used to make beer. It possesses potent sedative and antispasmodic effects. It relieves tension headaches. Hops are exceptionally bitter tasting. I prefer to use hops as a tincture. They can calm you and help you focus if stress makes you feel hyperactive and scattered. It will calm your stomach. Hops are among the best herbs to use for insomnia. The practice of filling small pillows with dried hops and using them to sleep on is an age old tradition which helps people to sleep. I like to make sleep pillows which smell good, so I add lavender to the hops when I make the pillows. Just make a small sack and tuck it into your regular bed pillow case.

* Herbalists frequently combine hops with valerian. Valerian is a tall plant with incredibly sweet tiny white flowers. However, when valerian dries, its sweet fragrance disappears only to be replaced by an odor of dirty socks. Hence, I generally use it in tincture form. A great sleep aid for most people; approximately five percent of people are effected in the opposite manner when they use it. Try a little bit to be sure that you are calmed by it. Valerian can be sedating, especially when combined with hops, so do not operate machinery or drive when using these two herbs until you know how you are affected by them.

All of these herbs relieve stress and anxiety. Some people respond better to one or another of them. See which ones work best for you.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in Nov 2013 by Patricia Bratianu RN PhD RH-AHG. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse for almost forty years in a wide variety of settings. As a Registered Nurse, she realized that conventional healthcare was not meeting the needs of all patients. She became an herbalist and obtained a PhD in Natural Health. Patricia is a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, passing the stringent peer reviewed process to become a Registered Herbalist.

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