4 Herbal Teas You Need To Get Into If You’re Feeling Stressed
I used to be a bona fide coffee drinker until I realised how much stress it was giving me. So I quit drinking it in my early 20s. A drastic move considering most of my immediate family drinks coffee religiously. Which made family gatherings a little weird. They’d be swizzling their brews and I would suffice with either a glass of water or nothing at all. Thankfully, my family are easygoing.
But mid-2019 launched me into a new mental state. A bout of stress that came out of nowhere forced me to re-evaluate myself. Most of it was the big stuff, including the dangerous question: what am I doing with my life? But within that, I had to develop new methods of de-stressing and breaking the neverending spiral of overthinking. And one thing that really helped was herbal teas.
But little did I know then that herbal teas do more than soothe the soul. In fact, each of them has a plethora of possible health remedies. Considering that, here are four herbal teas you need to get into if you’re feeling stressed.
Peppermint Tea
During my period of stress last year, I noticed that a lot of the irritability came from my stomach. And that’s not surprising considering the stomach is key to our central nervous system. If it’s nervous, you’re nervous.
So it’s no wonder my first herbal tea was peppermint, which is a proven remedy to general stomach ailments.
Of course, I wouldn’t outright call it a mood enhancer but, because of how well it balances the digestive system, its a great addition to your herbal tea intake. Especially if you are suffering under a lot of stress right now. It can be just another addition to your stress remedy collection.
In saying that, it’s also great for relieving pressures in the bowels. If you’re feeling a little crampy or queasy, peppermint tea can set you right.
That being said, if symptoms persist, see your doctor.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile Tea is an acquired taste thanks to its earthy aroma. Which is why I recommend drinking it with a drop of honey.
But with or without honey, this hot beverage is a mild relaxant among other things. According to this peer-reviewed article by Janmejai K Srivastava, Eswar Shankar and Sanjay Gupta, chamomile tea boasts a range of health benefits, from anti-inflammatory to gastrointestinal remedies. In fact, there are 19 health benefits in the above-mentioned article, some of which are more plausible than others.
Of course, many studies are hesitant at calling it conclusive proof that chamomile is great for stress. However, In my experience, I find it does help depending on how you think about it. Much like a placebo effect, where if you believe something will help — even if it’s fake — your body will pretend it is real and will heal itself.
Lemon & Ginger Tea
Nothing pinches the cheeks and soothes an aching mind quite like Lemon & Ginger Tea. I find it’s perfect during those mornings where you feel groggy and flat. Sip on hot lemon and ginger as you practice your morning routine for that elevating feeling.
But it’s not just me that believes this. According to this article by Mehrnaz Nikkhah Bodagh, Iradj Maleki, and Azita Hekmatdoost, ginger is a proven remedy for many gastrointestinal disorders. And, as noted earlier, fixing your gut health is one key to sorting out your stress.
And there’s more to ginger than fixing your stomach. Healthline cites that ginger can sharpen cognitive function in middle-aged women while this rat experiment showed it could even protect the brain.
Passionflower Tea
The passionflower has some powerful properties, so much so that WebMD deems it “possibly unsafe” when taken in large amounts. In fact, it’s known to cause drowsiness if drunk regularly as a tea.
So I recommend drinking it only when you really need it. Like when you’ve had a crazy day and you need to calm the fudge down. Draw yourself a bath, light a candle or two and sip on some passionflower tea.
Passionflower tea is usually recommended before bed, as it acts as a sleep aid. In fact, Healthline recommends Passionflower Tea for a good night’s sleep.
Because a good night’s sleep could also relieve your anxiety, allowing your mind to rejuvenate and feel refreshed for another wonderful day.
Feature image: Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash
Originally published at http://thegaystraighttalker.com on August 17, 2020.
