Plants can be a powerful and effective arsenal for dealing with daily stress. So, we did some research to select five exceptional stress relief plants that you can find near you!
In herbal tea (loose plant) or essential oil (in bottles), certain plants can help you manage stress, relax and sleep better. They work quickly, but their effect is also long-term when you take them as a treatment (one to three weeks).
Some, like rhodiola, are only available in extracts (capsules or liquid extracts) or in the composition of food supplements because they are difficult to obtain in bulk. It’s a shame, because rhodiola is very effective in improving resistance to stress and promoting sleep.
Other stress relieving herbs are much more common and easier to use. Here are the main ones.
1. Feverfew
It has been used for centuries for its soothing action. It also calms certain pain due to stress (especially headaches), improves digestion and sleep. A must”.
In practice : to manage stress, feverfew is taken in herbal tea, at the rate of a tablespoon of dried flowers for a bowl of boiling water, to let infuse 10 minutes before filtering. No need to sweeten, because its flavor is pleasant. You can drink two or three bowls a day, the last one an hour before you go to bed.
It is difficult to find chamomile essential oil because it is very expensive. Stick to the herbal tea.
2. Lavender among anti-stress plants
Its name evokes the landscapes of Haute Provence, the fields striped with mauve that stretch to the horizon. Its scent is reminiscent of sun-dried linen and grandmothers’ wardrobes. Corn lavender is much more than that.
IDENTITY RECORD
Name: Lavender
Scientific name : Lavandula angustifolia
Botanical family: Lamiaceae
Parts used: flowers
Indications: skin problems, redness, scarring, wounds, acne, burns, insect bites, anxiety, sleep disorders, stress, digestive disorders, migraine
Preparation: infusion, compress
It is an ancestral medicinal plant, whose gentle soothing effects are well known. You can use it in herbal tea, massage or bath. There are several varieties of lavender. Choose officinal lavender (or true lavender).
In practice : its scent is powerful, do not use too much. A teaspoonful of the dried plant is enough for a bowl of boiling water, and let steep for 10 minutes. Then filter, and drink two bowls a day (possibly sweetened with a little honey), including one after the evening meal.
Lavender essential oil (lavandula officinalis) is not irritating to the skin. You can use it pure. Pour two drops on the inside of your wrists or on your plexus, and rub lightly to make it penetrate. The effect is rapid.
3. Marjoram
It is a major aromatic plant in Mediterranean cuisine. Its scent awakens meat, vegetable or fish dishes. Don’t hesitate to use it. In addition, you can consume the marjoram in herbal tea or use it to prepare a relaxing bath.
In practice : count a tablespoon of dried plant (flowering tops) for a bowl of boiling water, and let infuse 10 minutes before filtering. Marjoram lowers nervous tension and improves sleep. Drink two bowls a day, one after the evening meal.
Marjoram essential oil (Origanum majorana) is safe. You can use it like the previous one. You can also mix 20 drops with half a cup of baking soda, then pour it under the taps when you run your bath. Stay there for at least 10 minutes for the active ingredients to penetrate through your skin.
4. Lemon balm
Its slightly lemony flavor is delicious. In summer, dive a handful of lemon balm cool in a carafe of water, and let infuse for 2 hours in the refrigerator. The plant will give flavor to the drink, and will diffuse its soothing active ingredients. Its anti-stress action will however be clearer if you prepare a real herbal tea.
Find this plant and more than 60 others (also exceptional) in our Herbal medicine guide
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In practice : count two tablespoons of dried plant for a bowl of boiling water, and let steep for 5 minutes before filtering. It will lower your blood pressure and help you fall asleep. As an added bonus, it’s digestive, which can come in handy when stress interferes with digestion.
Lemon balm essential oil is very expensive. It is therefore better to use it sparingly. During the day, when you feel the stress, breathe directly into the vial. The scents are soothing. You can also put a drop on the inside of each wrist and rub to make it penetrate.
5. Hawthorn
This white flowering shrub is a major sleeper plant. THE’hawthorn is also part of the anti-stress plants: it calms nervous tension and soothes. It also acts on the cardiovascular system by soothing heart rhythm disturbances due to stress. A true ally of everyday life.
In practice : you won’t find hawthorn essential oil. But you can consume the dried plant in herbal tea (the flowering tops). at the rate of half a tablespoon for a bowl of boiling water, let infuse 7 to 8 minutes before filtering. Drink two to three bowls a day.
To sleep well, drink the last bowl after dinner, half an hour before going to bed.
If you go through periods of stress regularly (if not all the time!), Concoct a little program: breathing exercises every day, a suitable diet, and a few plants when you are really ready to crack. You will quickly see results …
And let us know in the comments if you use any of these herbs for stress management or if you think a major stress reliever herb is missing from our list!
