Stress is something we all experience each and every day. But it doesn’t have to

Has stress been getting you down lately? If so, you’re not alone. Stress is often linked to mental or emotional factors, but physical and environmental stress also impact health. And stress affects all of us!

Curious to hear which herbs can help? Find our favorite expert picks below.

The History of Herbalism: Ancient Remedies for Modern Woes

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda have promoted the use of stress-relieving herbs called adaptogens for ages. Ashwagandha, holy basil (also called tulsi), shatavari, and schisandra are herbs that offer significant benefits to the nervous system and endocrine health to cope with stress.

Adaptogens work by increasing your body’s resilience to stress and lowering its impact on your well-being. Regular use of adaptogens means better immunity, easier digestion, lower stress, more energy, and a faster recovery from stressful events.

The Effects of Stress

Stress and the Immune System

With chronic stress, communication between the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis and the immune system becomes impaired. This leads to health conditions like metabolic disorders, chronic fatigue, and other immune conditions. Immune herbs can help, including reishi and medicinal mushrooms like ashwagandha, and holy basil.

Stress and the Digestive System

Stress has the seriously uncool habit of totally shutting down the digestive process. Stress disconnects the brain-gut communication pathway and causes digestive upsets like diarrhea, constipation, nutrient malabsorption, and painful cramping in the gastrointestinal tract.

Stress can also mess with your appetite, either causing you to eat too little or too much. When you’re under stress, your body can’t break down food properly either so you don’t get appropriate nutrition no matter how healthy your diet might be.

What’s more, stress disrupts the gut microbiome. Healthy gut bacteria assist with mood regulation, immune health, nutrient absorption, and much more. Here’s the good news though: even if you can’t control stress in your life, you can get help from digestive herbs. A combination of bitter herbs does wonder for your digestion and pairs well with your other stress-relieving herbs.

Stress and the Adrenals

Stress taxes the adrenals too. Try a natural herb and nutrient supplement that pairs essential vitamins and minerals with adaptogens like schisandra, ashwagandha, Siberian ginseng, rhodiola, and astragalus.

Stress and Inflammation

Aside from its impact on the immune system and the digestive process, stress can worsen inflammation. Thankfully turmeric comes to the rescue. Turmeric and its active compound curcumin help provide anti-inflammatory benefits to counter the effects of stress.

How to Relieve Stress Naturally

To help your body adapt to stress we want to naturally lower your stress hormone, cortisol. You can lower cortisol naturally when you pay attention to stress triggers, practice mindful breathing techniques, move your body via exercise, and with the help of herbal remedies for stress and anxiety.

Anxiety reducing herbs include nervines, sedatives, and adaptogens. Nervines are herbs that work on the nervous system: milky oats and skullcap both act as nervines and help soothe anxiety. Sedatives are sleep-specific remedies, perfect for when stress affects sleep: valerian and hops, for instance. Finally, adaptogens are slow-acting, deep action herbs that work to replenish energy stores and lower the impacts of stress on the body as a whole.

Ashwagandha is a superior adaptogen herb well suited to our modern needs. Regular use supports adrenal health, boosts brain function, regulates healthy blood sugar levels, and helps improve immunity. Its Latin name, Withania somnifera, refers to its traditional use as a sleep remedy. But don’t worry! Ashwagandha is not a sedative and won’t make you drowsy. Rather it helps re-establish a healthy sleep-wake cycle and boosts energy levels throughout the day.

Ready to try these remedies for yourself? Tell us below which herbal stress-reducing remedy you’re most interested in!

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6240259/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991026/

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml

https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/stress

https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6143810/