Best Tea for Anxiety: 10 Herbal Remedies Worth Trying

best tea for anxiety

This simple act of taking a moment to prepare and drink a cup of tea can slow you down, and make you feel more balanced. But, there is more than just a simple mechanism. Some types of tea can help you with anxiety and stress in a similar manner to prescription drugs.  We bring you the list of best tea for anxiety. 

Anxiety can be tough to cope with. If you’re familiar with the feeling of increased heartbeat, sweaty palms every time you are confronted with a new challenge or task this could be a sign of anxiety. With high demands of modern life, it’s easy to understand why the majority of today’s population have to deal with this problem. 

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress and the symptoms of anxiety can vary. Dealing with anxiety is never easy and the choice of relief medicaments is extremely wide. There are anti-anxiety medications prescribed by doctor and supplements made on a natural basis. 

People with anxiety often look for herbal teas for anxiety as a safer alternative to prescription drugs. This may be because some medications, for example, benzodiazepines, can have unwanted side effects.

Drinking herbal teas with reassuring calming and sedative properties can help you ease symptoms associated with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression

Table of Contents

How Can Drinking Tea Help You Relieve Anxiety?

First of all, drinking tea is a relaxing and peaceful practice. Sipping a cup of tea before sleep will help you relieve stress and make you feel more balanced. In addition to all health benefits of tea, it can also help you stay calm and peaceful.

There are science-backed up facts why tea is good for stress and anxiety. Thanks to one particular compound called GABA, a cup of tea can give you calmness and relaxation. GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid that works as a neurotransmitter in our brain. Neurotransmitters work as chemical messengers in our brain. GABA, for instance, works as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and it decreases the activity of stress-related messages providing you with the feeling of calmness. Simply put, your thoughts will be more focused on positive things. 

GABA also supports better sleep according to the researchers.  Even though GABA is mostly available in the form of supplements the good news is that it occurs in some herbs like Camellia sinensis, a plant used to make green tea and black tea.

Another anti-anxiety compound found in black tea, green tea and white tea is L-theanine. This amino acid is found exclusively in teas. L-theanine increases GABA, serotonin and dopamine. L-theanine also appears to trigger the release of alpha-waves, which is that state of mind when you are meditating.

Tea also contains numerous compounds such as antioxidants, flavonoids and alkaloids that work effectively against anxiety, depression, insomnia and similar conditions. Each herb has a unique active substance that has a beneficial effect both for our mental and physical health. Apart from that, antioxidants found in teas protect our body from the harmful chemicals produced when we are under stress.

Best Tea That Help With Anxiety 

Now that we introduced you with the powerful ingredients from teas let’s see in which herbs we can find it. Whether you suffer from chronic anxiety or you’re dealing with stress with everyday life there is a long list of teas that can help you with anxiety.

Most of them are suitable for long term use and what is more important – they don’t cause addiction and they are completely safe to use. There are a lot of teas that can be used to reduce anxiety symptoms and we will introduce you with best teas for anxiety and explain how they work. These are the best teas that help with anxiety.

Chamomile Tea for Anxiety

chamomile tea for anxiety

Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs and Chamomile tea is widely regarded as a mild tranquillizer and sleep-inducer. Chamomile tea for anxiety is one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Traditionally, chamomile preparations such as tea and essential oil aromatherapy have been used to treat insomnia and to induce sedation (calming effects). It is naturally low in caffeine and has a calming effect on your mind and body.  But there is scientific explanation, why is Chamomile tea good for anxiety. Its calming effects may be due to the flavonoid, apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. Simply put, compounds found in Chamomile herb bind to the same brain receptor as Valium do.

Apart from being beneficial for sleep disorder, study shows that long-term consumption of Chamomile tea can help with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). 

Green Tea for Anxiety 

green tea for anxiety

Green tea is one of the most commonly consumed teas due to its numerous heath benefits. But thanks to one powerful ingredient, Green tea is also very useful for people with anxiety. Thanks to a compound named L-theanine, Green tea is on the top of the list of best teas for anxiety.

As we previously said, L-theanine has an anti-anxiety effect. It treats depression, mood disorders, anxiety, ADHD and adrenal fatigue.  Green tea’s calming effect appears to be due to increased serotonin and dopamine production. Green tea won’t sedate you and it will help you feel calm, focused and more alert. Green tea also contains a flavonoid called epicatechin, which protects your brain from oxidative damage, helping to combat the negative effects that stress has on your body and can also be helpful for improving memory.

According to research, L-theanine ensures greater sleep satisfaction. This benefits from specific effects that L-theanine has on brain chemicals that play a role in sleep.

If you are prone to anxiety, we recommend replacing coffee with green tea. Comparing to green tea – coffee can increase your anxiety levels. Also, green tea has the same amount of caffeine as coffee and therefore makes it a suitable replacement. 

Ashwagandha Tea for Anxiety

aswagandha tea for anxiety

Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is among a group of herbs called ‘adaptogens’.Drinking Ashwagandha tea for anxiety can help adapt your body’s response to stress. For this reason, Ashwagandha is called an adaptogenic herb. It works by reducing your cortisol levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone and when its levels are elevated it leaves us with the feeling of anxiety. 

According to research, Ashwagandha can lower cortisol levels by 28%. Ashwagandha acts the same as prescribed anxiety meds such as lorazepam but it won’t cause addiction and you won’t develop tolerance after long-term use. It is considered as a natural and safer alternative to pharmaceutical drugs for anxiety treatment. Ashwagandha tea can reduce the severity of panic and anxiety attacks or prevent them if taken consistently.

Peppermint Tea for Anxiety

peppermint tea for anxiety

When made into herb, Peppermint tea works effectively to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. It has calmative properties and therefore it will relieve you from stress and mental pressure. Naturally present menthol in the peppermint tea is known as a muscle relaxant which provides the feeling of physical relaxation. Relaxation of the muscles also leads to more restful sleep.

If you are dealing with insomnia, sipping a cup of Peppermint tea before bedtime will calm your nerves, relax your muscles and put you into a peaceful sleep. Plus, peppermint has shown to be great for your digestive system, which can be helpful if your stress or anxiety levels tend to bring on tummy troubles.  

Ginger tea for Anxiety 

ginger tea for anxiety

Ginger is a medicinal plant with many therapeutic effects. Ginger tea contains a potent antioxidant, gingerol, which helps cleanse the harmful chemicals our bodies produce when we’re under stress. According to the study, ginger extract in 200 mg/kg dose can be an appropriate replacement for diazepam to reduce anxiety symptoms.

It has been shown that ginger tea increases the level of serotonin and dopamine – mostly known as “happy hormones“. Production of these hormones is usually reduced when we are anxious and stressed. Try drinking Ginger tea for anxiety or when you are feeling depressed and overwhelmed. It will leave you feeling refreshed and calm and can help make you feel more positive and get rid of negative vibes.

Lavender Tea for Anxiety 

lavender tea for anxiety

Lavender is known for its calming qualities which come from its aromatic scent. Lavender has a high concentration of volatile oils with therapeutic use in aromatherapy to relieve mild anxiety. Lavender tea can be used for mood imbalances such as anxiety, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress, including “nervous stomach.”

While lavender scent can soothe anxiety and stress, drinking Lavender tea has the same calming benefits. Lavender tea helps with insomnia, relaxation, depression, anxiety and agitation, especially those which cause panic attacks or sleeplessness.

According to the study, lavender capsule preparation was as effective as lorazepam in adults with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). 

Passionflower Tea for Anxiety 

passionflower tea for anxiety

Passionflower is a commonly used natural remedy for sleep deprivation and anxiety. It is particularly useful for increasing GABA levels. Passionflower tea can reduce the production of stress chemicals and make you feel calm due to its high content of phytochemicals.   

Passionflower herb has a long history of use as a sedative and people around the world have used it to treat anxiety. It has been primarily used for sedation, but nowadays it is proven to be an effective natural treatment for insomnia and anxiety.

The clinical trial found that Passionflower decreases anxiety improves memory. These effects could be due to Passionflower herb affecting GABA levels.

Valerian Tea for Anxiety 

valerian tea for anxiety

 

Many people use Valerian tea to get them to sleep when they are suffering from insomnia. Valerian tea is often referred to as “nature’s Valium“ for its natural sedative effects. While traditional use of Valerian is to treat sleeping problems, it can be also effective in treating anxiety. 

Consuming Valerian tea can increase the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. It will also naturally boost your focus, helping you to think more clearly. Long term consuming Valerian tea will keep serotonin and norepinephrine levels balanced to help relieve stress levels long-term. In this case, Valerian tea helps to deal with anxiety directly and not the anxiety itself. You still may have anxious thoughts, but they won’t manifest as physical symptoms. 

Try drinking Valerian tea before sleep, to see how it’s helping with your sleep. If it provides you with the desired effects, try drinking the tea during the daytime to see if it helps relieve anxiety symptoms. However, Valerian root does interact with some medications, so be sure to double-check if you are taking a prescription med. 

Kava Tea for Anxiety 

kava tea for anxiety

Kava is the most well-known and well-researched herbal treatment available for reducing anxiety symptoms. The plant of kava extract has a calming, euphoric effect that some people compare with alcohol. It has an active ingredient named cavain which affects the mood receptors and increases the dopamine production. In a randomized clinical trial, it has been shown that kava has a significant effect on reducing anxiety symptoms. 

Kava tea also has anxiolytic effects which makes it an excellent natural remedy for sleep disorders. Kava tea can interact with benzodiazepines and anti-depressants. Also, try to avoid mixing kava with alcohol. Kava interacts strongly with medications and therefore it should never be taken with alcohol. It also shouldn’t be taken by those with liver disease. 

Nevertheless, kava tea is one of the few herbs that appear to have a very well-known and real effect on anxiety and is something you can strongly consider. 

St. John’s Wort Tea for Anxiety

st johns wort tea for anxiety

The main usage of St. John’s Wort is in treating depression. It seems to be about as effective in treating depression as many prescription drugs. However, depression is closely linked with anxiety and therefore it can be used to treat anxiety and similar disorders.

 St. John’s works by keeping the brain from using up neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine. As a result, the neurotransmitters are more effectively used in the brain – to lift and regulate your mood. This can have an antidepressant and anti-anxiety effect in the brain. Together with Valerian, St.John’s tea can be an effective aid for anxiety and sleep deprivation.

Try to avoid taking St John tea while taking antidepressants. Taking St. John’s Wort tea with antidepressants might increase the risk of the accumulation of high levels of serotonin in your body. Too much serotonin can cause mild to severe side effects. When combined with Xanax it can decrease the drug’s effect

Herbal Teas for Anxiety: Things to consider

Anxiety can be caused by anything from stress to genetic predisposition. Typical treatments can include meditation, antidepressantsand therapies such as CBT.

The symptoms of anxiety can vary, it can make you feeling sick, dizzy, restless and each person can have a different story.  Anxiety can be though to handle and you probably tried with many different treatments to cope with it. So if drinking tea for anxiety is an option, you should consider trying it.

Herbal teas are extremely popular choices for controlling anxiety as they are generally safe compared with conventional medical therapies. They don’t need a prescription, so they can be purchased quickly, and they’re cheaper than therapy. They are suitable for long-term use as they don’t cause addiction. Over the last years, the exploration in the area of herbal psychopharmacology has received much attention. Studies showed a variety of herbal mechanisms of action used for the therapy of depression, anxiety and insomnia.

But there are few things to consider before starting with your herbal therapy.

First of all, if you are dealing with severe and more serious anxiety issues than herbal teas cannot be considered as your only therapy. Herbal teas for anxiety are a good choice to start with, but even in the best-case scenario, they’re just a Band-Aid for your anxiety. You still need to pair it with coping strategies and tools that will keep your anxiety from coming back.

If you are suffering from mild anxiety, replacing herbal teas with medically prescribed meds could be a much better choice. As we said, they won’t cause addiction and they are suitable for long term use. 

It is important to remember that what helps for one person, wont necessarily work for you. For this reason you can spend some time, and try with different teas to compare which is the best tea to help with your anxiety. You can also try with different herbal blend teas, as some herb combinations can be very effective in soothing anxiety and depression.

If you are already taking prescription medications for anxiety, always consult with your healthcare provider before starting with herbal therapy. Some of the herbs can interfere with your medications making it more or less efficient.

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