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There are many ways of coping with stress. Exercise, nutrition and sleep definitely play a very important role in leading a balanced life. However, what do you do if you can’t get a good night’s sleep?
Sleeping pills can sometimes help but are unsustainable in the long run. Drinking herbal teas can help you relax before going to bed and improve your sleep quality the natural way.
Chamomile
An all-time-favourite, chamomile tea not only reduces stress but also helps with insomnia.
Research has found that German and Roman varieties of chamomile tend to have the strongest concentrations of beneficial compounds and nutrients. The presence of flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, and other powerful antioxidants in this tea help relax your muscles while having a soothing effect on your nerves.
Damiana
This historic herb, native to South America, has been drunk by the ancient Aztecs for its aphrodisiac properties Nowadays, Damiana is considered to be an antidepressant and is known to support the central nervous system at times of emotional stress. Moreover, this herbal tea is known to alleviate headaches by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
Elderflower
You may already know this wonderfully fragrant herb as a refreshing and summery elderflower water. However, not many know that elderflower can also brew a very tasty tea, thanks to its calming aroma and relaxing nervine properties, elderflower can help you alleviate anxiety and assist in reducing symptoms of depression.
Mint tea
No relaxing tea list is complete without mint tea! The menthol which can be found in this herb is proven to be a muscle relaxant and has antispasmodic properties, helping you relax amid ongoing mental stress. Like chamomile, this herb can also help you with insomnia.
White tea
White tea is one of the less known types of the camelia sinensis – the same plant which produces black, green, oolong and pu-erh teas. But what makes white tea so incredibly relaxing? Thanks to the minimal processing, white tea contains the highest levels of L-theanine, which has a range of incredible health benefits, including improved mental focus, reduced stress and better sleep quality.
Greek mountain tea
Greek mountain tea, also known as Sideritis, is a hidden gem of the Mediterranean. In April 2015, the Molecules Journey identified four flavonoids found in Sideritis that can act more powerfully than monospecific drugs.
The flavonoids in Greek mountain tea have been found to increase the levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine, all of which result in stress-reducing and mood-elevating benefits.
Rose petals
The soothing aroma and the natural sedative properties of rose petal tea make it a wonderful brew to elevate your mood during the day or calm you down before going to bed. Added bonus – rose petal tea can also help balance hormones and alleviate menstrual pains.
If you’d like to try different loose-leaf herbal teas, but don’t know where to start, you can check out curated herbal tea boxes, like this one from Teapro.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg. He interviews people within psychology, mental health, and well-being on his YouTube channel, The DRH Show.