To help keep you calm

Photo by studio2013 on Vecteezy

By Carrie Dennett, Environmental Nutrition
Posted on August 13, 2021

Whether you’re looking for a little more calm or a peaceful night’s sleep, you might reach for plant-based therapies to help you relax.

Many plants have traditional uses as tinctures and teas for promoting calm and sleep, and now modern science is uncovering why.

Many sedative drugs activate GABA receptors, which inhibit excessive brain activity, helping keep us calm during the day and promote restful sleep at night. As it turns out, many calming plants do, too.

Chamomile is an ancient medicinal herb with many uses, including as a mild sedative to calm nerves, reduce anxiety and treat insomnia. Research using prescribed doses of chamomile extract to reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder looks promising.

Kava is a beverage or extract made from the plant Piper methysticum, a perennial shrub in the pepper family that is native to islands in the South Pacific, where it’s a popular social drink, regularly consumed to promote relaxation. Kava is often used to reduce stress and restlessness and promote better sleep.

Compounds in kava called kavalactones are thought to be responsible for its calming effects, and in appropriate doses may relieve symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety.

Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, is an herb included in many calming tea blends. Various research studies have found that lemon balm may help reduce stress, insomnia and mild-to-moderate anxiety symptoms. Plus, it tastes delicious.

L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea.

One 2020 systematic review found that L-theanine may help reduce stress and anxiety in people exposed to stressful conditions, but cautioned that larger and longer-term clinical studies are needed.

Caveat emptor

Herbal preparations are not regulated by the FDA, and manufacturers don’t have to prove that their products produce results.

To make sure what you’re buying contains what it says it does, purchase products from reputable manufacturers — preferably those that have undergone third-party testing and certification from groups such as ConsumerLab, U.S. Pharmacopeia or NSF International.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800-829-5384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com.