Corner Herbal Nervine Teas for Stress Support

By Michelle Polacinski

Winter can be a stressful season considering the holidays, the continuous pandemic, and the cold weather that drives us indoors. Sometimes we find ourselves isolated under warm blankets with our favorite book or television show, unable to leave the house. That said, it can be easy to experience multiple bouts of fatigue, random muscle aches, and headaches. Adding a hot cup of herbal tea may be

Instructions for Great Tea

For each of the following herbal tea recipes, make sure to boil and simmer any roots on low with the pot covered for at least 15 minutes, preferably in a glass saucepan. For leaves and flowers, pour near-boiling water over the herbs, cover, and let set for at least 15 minutes before straining.

Destress from Work

After a long day of work, you may feel a significant amount of stress, making it difficult for you to relax and do anything other than scroll through your phone. This inability to unplug and destress from work energy or work mindset can make it feel like our work day is much longer than it really is.

Once your work day is over, try going for a short walk outside, do a quick yoga routine, or take a shower to change your mindset and allow your body to relax. Below is a great tea recipe for any post-work stress and fatigue:

Post-Work Tea

1 tsp chamomile

1 tsp lemon balm

2 tsp dried or fresh hops

Curing a Headache or Migraine

Headaches and migraines can add even more stress to an already stressful day. Sometimes stress can create inflammation and lead to further irritation, making it difficult to rest. While dealing with a headache or migraine, it may be best to avoid screens and instead, take a nap, or a hot epsom salt bath. Sometimes eating dark chocolate may help as it contains high levels of magnesium, the lack of which can cause headaches. If you experience constant headaches and migraines, it is best to avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, and sugar. The following tea recipe will quickly provide relief from most headaches and migraines:

Migraine Tea

1 tsp feverfew

1 tsp lemon balm

1 tsp red raspberry leaf

Aches and Pains

Life’s stressors (work, home, diet) can some times make our bodies feel achy. Stress tends to deplete our magnesium supply which can lead to aches and pains in our backs, shoulders, necks, and more painful periods for people with uteruses.

In this case, it can be helpful to take a hot epsom salt bath and eat foods high in magne sium such as dark, leafy greens, dark chocolate, nuts, and avocados. In other cases, these pains can stem from your nervous system needing some support.

Body Aches Tea

1-2 inches of fresh ginger root and/or fresh turmeric

2 tsp red raspberry leaf

3-4 dried or fresh hibiscus flowers*

*A note of caution: Hibiscus is known to decrease blood pressure. If you have low blood pressure, please use with caution or consult your doctor.