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Episodes of anxiety and nervous unease affect each of us from time to time. However, it doesn’t have to be a persistent problem, because there are many natural remedies for calming.
So let’s take a closer look at how our nervous system reacts to states of anxiety and also at treatment options offered by substances available at home.
States of nervous discomfort can manifest in different ways. Here are a few of the most common symptoms:
- heart palpitations
- feelings of sudden danger
- inability to concentrate
- muscle stiffness
- dry mouth
- sweating
- nausea, trembling sensations in the stomach
Powerful elixir against stress and anxiety
Lemon and honey are known for their calming and relaxing effects. Certain substances in honey have a soothing effect on the nerves, which becomes more noticeable when consumed in larger amounts.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger. You can start with 1 teaspoon and if you can handle the strength of the elixir, you can add the second (you can buy ginger as a root in any grocery store for a few cents)
- 1 teaspoon of honey
Preparation
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Divide the prepared remedy into 3 portions, store in the refrigerator and take 3 times a day (morning, at noon and in the evening).
You can also prepare it fresh each time; in that case use one-third of the amounts of ingredients.
You can take it either directly (but it will be quite strong) or diluted in a glass of plain water.
Other herbs for calming the nerves
If interested, you can also try some of the other herbs with good effects on the nervous system.
lavender
One broadly targeted, double-blind, randomized study from 2010 compared lavender oil with the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam.
It found that both substances were effective against generalized and persistent anxiety. The advantage of lavender is that it does not have the sedative side effects that classic calming drugs do.
Dosing: Take an 80 mg lavender supplement per day, or use the oil in aromatherapy.
Lemon balm (Czech: meduňka)
A study published in 2004 administered to its participants an extract of lemon balm (either 300 or 600 mg), or a placebo. It then evaluated their mood after 1 hour.
The higher dose resulted in calming, reduced stress, improved mental well-being and increased alertness. Even the lower dose helped study participants complete more mathematical tasks in less time.
Dosing: Take 300 to 500 mg of lemon balm extract 3 times a day. Alternatively, 60 drops per day or a quarter to a whole teaspoon of dried lemon balm herb in hot water as tea 4 times a day.
L-theanine
This is not directly an herb, but a water-soluble amino acid. However, it has such good research results behind it that we had to include it here.
It is predominantly found in green and black tea. It is also available as a dietary supplement.
Studies have found that it has a direct effect on the nerves and brain, helping reduce stress and anxiety without causing drowsiness or sleepiness.
