Natural Remedies for Anxiety -Herbs for Anxiety
Anxiety disorders come in two basic forms. The chronic form involves a recurring sense of foreboding and worry accompanied by mild physical symptoms. A panic attack, on the other hand, comes on suddenly and unexpectedly, with symptoms that are often mistaken for a heart attack or another life-threatening condition. There is sometimes a feeling of not being able to get a full breath of air. Symptoms come on suddenly and diminish suddenly and can be quite frightening.
Rhodiola:
It was found to support the healthy function of the neurotransmitters Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Dopamine and GABA, an effect that may be partially responsible for helping to reduce anxiety, mental fatigue and poor mood among those taking the herb regularly. It is often used to support cognitive functions such as memory and attention.
Natural Remedies for Anxiety:
The herb passionflower: (Passiflora incarnata) was used as a folk remedy for anxiety and insomnia. Two studies involving a total of 198 people examined the effectiveness of passionflower for anxiety. One study found passionflower to be comparable to benzodiazepine drugs. There was also improvement in job performance with passionflower and less drowsiness with passionflower compared with the drug mexazolam, however, neither was statistically significant. Side effects of passionflower may include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and rapid heartbeat.
Lemon balm: is an attractive herb with yellow or variegated leaves smelling strongly of lemons. Is a great addition to any garden since it is very attractive to bees. A tea made from the leaves is said to relieve tiredness, sooth headaches, and calm nerves.
Skullcap: is a very useful herbal remedy for treating anxiety that works on two levels. Firstly it has a gentle sedative action to relax and calm an agitated nervous system. Secondly it has a tonifying action that can strengthen and support an exhausted and debilitated nervous system that can often lead to various states of anxiety and depression.
L-theanine, an amino acid derived from Green Tea, is another herbal anxiety remedy with a significant anti-anxiety effect. Many people report that L-theanine works as well as prescription anti-anxiety medications, but L-theanine is not addictive or habit-forming. Quite a few herbal remedies for anxiety claim to contain “L-theanine” but actually contain a low-quality Green Tea extract with only a small amount of L-theanine, so make sure that you take an herbal anxiety remedy with 98% or 99% pure L-theanine.
Kava Kava is one of the main anti-anxiety herbs. It has a very quick calming effect on the nervous system with an uplifting, euphoric feeling. It is also a muscle relaxant and mild sedative. It is specific for anxiety, tension, stress, irritability and insomnia. Kava is very good for people whose mind races.
The herb valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is best known as a herbal remedy for insomnia. Valerian is also used in patients with mild anxiety, but the research supporting its use for anxiety is limited. Valerian is usually taken an hour before bedtime. It takes about two to three weeks to work and shouldn’t be used for more than three months at a time. Side effects of valerian may include mild indigestion, headache, palpitations, and dizziness. Although valerian tea and liquid extracts are available, most people don’t like the smell of valerian and prefer taking the capsule form.
