Is there anything more soothing than cuddling up with a mug of your favourite tea? If you’ve been having a stressful day, our list of the best herbal teas for calm and relaxation should help!
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There’s something so inherently soothing about the gentle ritual of making a delicious cup of herbal tea. It’s a little island of peace in our busy days, a promise that we can slow down for a moment and take some time for ourselves.
When life gets busy, hectic, and stressful, these little everyday moments of self-care become even more vital. And you can add to the sense of comfort by turning to herbs that help to calm the nervous system and soothe anxiety.
In this blog post, we’re sharing our list of the best herbal teas for calm and relaxation. Perfect for stressful days or anytime you need a bit of a reset.
How Do Calming Teas Work?
Before we dive into which herbal teas to choose for calm and relaxation, a quick note on how herbs can help to calm your body and mind.
We can broadly split calming herbs into two groups. Nervines are herbs that support the nervous system and help us when we feel anxious or worried.
There are various different categories of nervine, including tonics, stimulants, and relaxants. We’re concentrating on nervine relaxants in this blog post – these are the herbs that have a mildly sedative effect. They help our bodies and minds to relax.
As a result, nervine relaxants are ideal for the end of a hard day, or for when you’re having problems winding down for bed.
Since they also relax our muscles, nervines can be useful when you are carrying a lot of tension in your body too.
The second group of herbs that are used for stress are adaptogens. Unlike nervine herbs, which directly affect the nervous system, adaptogenic herbs tend to influence our body’s processes, including the production of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Adaptogens are named for their ability to help us adapt physically and mentally to stressful situations. They support us in finding our sense of balance and help bring our bodies back into a state of equilibrium.
Herbs that act as adaptogens are also thought to improve mental clarity, increase our focus, and give us steady, long-lasting levels of energy.
As a result, you might want to reach for adaptogens when you know you have a stressful day coming up and want to face it from a place of calm and balance.
Herbal Teas to Help You Relax and Unwind
Once you know a bit more about the different types of calming herbs, you can pick the right one for your particular needs.
For example, if you are looking to relax and unwind at the end of a long day, you’ll probably want to reach for a herbal tea that contains plenty of nervine relaxants.
Some examples include:
- Chamomile
- Valerian
- Lemon balm
- Passionflower
- Lavender
Our two favourite teas for relaxation are NutraRelax and Chamomile & Valerian.
NutraRelax is especially good if you’ve had a difficult day and want to release tension, both physically and mentally. It is packed with nervines, including lemon balm, passionflower, chamomile, hawthorn berry, and lavender.
Meanwhile, Chamomile & Valerian is the tea we reach for when we are having problems falling asleep at night. Both these calming herbs are well known for their ability to help us drift off peacefully and get a better night’s sleep.
Herbal Teas to Face the Day Calmly
If, on the other hand, you want to start your day from a place of calm and balance, you might prefer to opt for a herbal tea blend that is rich in adaptogenic herbs.
There are lots of different adaptogens out there. Some of the best to use in herbal tea include:
- Ashwagandha
- Ginseng
- Rhodiola
- Gotu kola
- Astragalus
We’ve packed all of these stress-busting adaptogens into our NutraBoost herbal tea, which makes it a perfect choice to help you find calm and relaxation when life feels hectic.
One caution – this blend is designed to give you mental clarity and a sense of long-lasting energy. As a result, we don’t recommend it for just before bedtime. Instead, turn to one of the nervine brews mentioned above in the evenings and save NutraBoost for the daytime.
