Relaxing herbal teas: the best natural remedies for stress
The hectic daily rhythms, the continuous commitments and worries, which accompany us from work to home, cause fatigue and stress. Very often, their combined action results in difficulties in sleeping: if some of us experience irregular sleep - interrupted by several awakenings during the night - others, on the other hand, even experience insomnia. How to fight, therefore, these enemies of our Of course, relaxing herbal teas can be a solution. A cup of these infusions brings a beneficial effect in a short time thanks to the active ingredients of some herbs that are particularly effective for making us calm physically and mental.
In fact, in nature, there are many plants capable of providing a placebo effect on our nervous system and, in general, on the whole organism. From the classic herbs such as chamomile, lemon balm and valerian, to those more recently discovered such as mallow, lavender and hawthorn, their leaves and their flowers, used individually or combined, in a cup of boiling water will become the ideal remedy to counter that sense of exhausting fatigue that each of us feels at certain times.
Don't forget that, in addition to natural herbal teas, there are some good habits that can help you fight fatigue, anxiety and stress:
Relaxing herbal teas for a restful sleep
The herbs used to prepare a relaxing herbal tea are different and not all of them have the same properties. Some, for example, have a particularly beneficial effect on the regularity and tranquility of sleep. These are the famous chamomile and valerian, to which are added hawthorn and lavender, less known for their positive action that helps us sleep.
Chamomile
Without a doubt, chamomile is the best known plant as a natural remedy against fatigue and to allow you to fall asleep even in the most difficult situations. In fact, its properties promote relaxation and help to reconcile sleep even in conditions of anxiety or stress disorders. The absence of hypnotic effects makes its flowers suitable for use even in prolonged periods of time. The simplest way to prepare a cup of chamomile is, in the absence of the classic sachets, the infusion of two teaspoons of flowers in one cup of boiling water for 10/15 minutes.
Valerian
Another great classic of relaxing herbal teas for the evening and night hours. The properties of valerian are sedative and anxiolytic, and they act directly on our nervous system: for this reason, it was even used after the First and Second World Wars, to try to reduce the stress load accumulated by soldiers. Again, the preparation involves a cup of boiling water and a teaspoon of the plant's root.
Hawthorn
Less known than the first two, but no less effective, hawthorn is a small shrub covered with flowers that has been used for centuries for its beneficial properties, mainly due to the presence of two active ingredients of the flavonoid category: "hyperoside and vitexin, in fact, have sedative components and act on the sense of stress and anxiety perceived by our central nervous system.
Lavender
Have you ever gone to a wellness center and try a lavender sauna or experience a relaxing massage with its natural fragrances? Well, the reason why this plant with an extraordinary scent is so used is due precisely to its sedative qualities, which help fight agitation and restlessness, promoting restful sleep. To prepare an infusion with this medicinal herb, it can be found in the form of essential oil and it will be sufficient to mix two teaspoons in a cup of water.
Linden
Finally, if you want to finally sleep without that feeling of anxiety anymore, lime tree can be for you: in fact, as well as for colds and throat problems, this is one of the best known relaxing herbal teas, for its calming and anti-stress effect, which makes it perfect in situations of insomnia. Linden herbal tea contains molecules capable of stimulating and relaxing the Central Nervous System.
A relaxing herbal tea for the well-being of the whole organism
Periods of anxiety and stress can have negative effects not only on sleep, leading to insomnia, but, in general, on our whole body. There are plants with relaxing properties that act in totality on our organism, concentrating in any case on the most sensitive parts and which are most affected by situations of fatigue and agitation, such as, in particular, the stomach and intestines.
Mauve
A very effective herbal tea is the mallow one: this type of herb, in fact, in addition to bringing a feeling of well-being on a mental level with its calming active ingredients, its action focuses on the intestine and urinary tract, relaxing the abdominal muscles. and facilitating the passage of toxins, thus bringing relaxation to our entire body, passing through the nervous system.
Melissa
Another must one of the relaxing herbal teas is that with lemon balm. You know when we say "I have" anxiety that grips my stomach "? Well, the excessive level of agitation leads to disturbances in the areas of the digestive system, with discomfort and cramps. The properties of this plant make it possible to relax the stomach and its walls, making it ideal for anxiety that attacks and affects the bowels. Finally, it is recommended for pregnant women who suffer from nausea.
Verbena
If all the other relaxing herbal teas acted at the level of the nervous system and that of the digestive system, the one with Verbena also has benefits with respect to the immune system. Thanks to these multiple qualities it was defined as "magic herb" and it was said that it should be picked at night of 24 June, St. John's Night.
The best recipes
Most of these plants, except chamomile and verbena which naturally have a fairly sweet taste, are bitter on the palate. Some people, therefore, prefer to drink these herbal teas by adding a small amount of honey or sugar, or with other medicinal herbs famous for their flavoring action, such as in the case of cinnamon, orange peel or flowers.
Finally, it is possible to combine the shrubs and flowers of the relaxing infusions, perhaps managing to combine the calming effects of those functional to a good rest with the purifying ones of the plants suitable for intestinal regularity. A recipe for a double effect herbal tea is:
- Hawthorn (leaves and flowers)
- Linden (leaves)
- Lemon balm (leaves)
- Orange peel
