Top 10 Calming Herbal Teas to Fight Coronavirus Anxiety & Other Forms of Distress

The Coronavirus pandemic has bought a surge of negativity and challenges around us. With the implementation of lockdowns and quarantine measures, anxiety has become a common agonising experience. And now even in the post-pandemic era, we still have to cope with anxiety and become restless not only because of the fear of such contagious diseases; for many, day-to-day pressures also make life difficult, and sometimes intolerable. 

How to tackle the Coronavirus anxiety, as well as other forms of restlessness? You can do a bunch of activities like breathing exercises, reading good books, and meditation. If you are already on it, you can pair these activities with good old herbal teas.

Yes! Herbal teas have been known for their soothing and calming properties for centuries. If you are feeling anxious and restless, a hearty herbal tea might be a solution for you.

In this article, we will explore ten calming herbal teas that can help fight Coronavirus anxiety, or any kinds of distress you are experiencing on a daily basis.

1. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been used since ancient Egyptian times for its calming effects. Brewing dried flowers in hot water bring out all the goodness of the chamomile. This sweet flavoured herbal tea is rich in antioxidants, which aids in calming down your nerves and promotes quality of sleep.

If you are finding yourself turning left-right while sleeping, chamomile tea will help to alleviate this restlessness and put you to good night's sleep.

2. Lavender Tea

Lavender is a very popular herb in aromatherapy – mere sniffing these purple flower buds can soothe your mind. The same properties reflect in Lavender herbal tea. Lavender, known as a calming herb, can treat and provide relief from chronic anxiety and panic attacks.

Lavender can also stabilise mood and improve the quality of your mental health. For much better effects, you can drink lavender in the evening while reading or meditating.

3. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is more than just a culinary herb or seasoning; its aroma has been shown to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, frustration, and fatigue. The well-known active component of peppermint – 'menthol' – is an excellent muscle relaxant.

So when you are feeling extremely tense and irritable, which are the symptoms of anxiety, drinking peppermint tea will help you achieve overall calm. 

4. Psilocybin Mushroom Tea

Psilocybin mushrooms are commonly known as magic mushrooms and are famous for their ‘euphoric abilities.’ The first evidence of consumption of magic mushrooms dates back to 9,000 BC in Saharan tribes of Africa.

Today, magic mushrooms are receiving a great deal of attention from the scientific community and are now part of scientific research to understand its effects in depth. Psilocybin mushrooms interact with serotonin receptors, resulting in lowering anxiety and depression. You can make tea out of magic mushroom powder and steeping it in hot water.

5. Kava Kava Tea

Kava Kava or Kava is a herb found in tropical climates and is known to produce pleasant sensations.

The effects of consuming kava can have a relaxing and calming effect on people. Due to its soothing effects, the healthcare community suggests kava as a possible treatment for generalised anxiety disorder.

The active ingredient – 'kavain' – affects mood receptors and helps to alleviate anxiety episodes. You can drink kava tea whenever you feel overly anxious at any time.

6. Passionflower Tea

Passionflower was traditionally used to treat mental health disorders. The flowers are a natural remedy to treat insomnia, anxiety, and stress. Passionflowers enhance the activity of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in your brain.

GABA is a naturally occurring chemical compound that reduces the activity of the central nervous system, resulting in feelings of relaxation, good mood, and improved sleep. Studies have shown that passionflower herbal remedies were successful in treating generalised anxiety disorder.

7. Ashwagandha Tea

Ashwagandha is a small flowering shrub native to India and North Africa. The plant has been used in Ayurveda to treat common ailments for more than 3,000 years. And today, modern science has acknowledged its health benefits for treating anxiety and stress; and also in improving the mood and memory of a person.

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen – meaning they help to resist physical, chemical, or biological stress over the body. Drinking ashwagandha tea could effectively lower overall anxiety and stress on your body.

8. Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon balm is a culinary herb that belongs to the family of mints with a natural hint of both lemon and mint flavour. Drinking lemon balm tea can reduce nervousness and edginess, which are symptoms of anxiety.

It reduces the effects of the stress hormone – cortisol – and helps to relax the body and elevate the mood. Lemon balm tea can also increase alertness without any symptoms of anxiousness in adults. So you can drink lemon balm tea while working from home to maximise work productivity.

9. Gotu Kola Tea

Centella Asiatica, generally known as Gotu kola, is native to Asia and is a very common culinary and medicinal herb. The use of Gotu kola is an essential natural remedy in ancient Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine.

This herb, known as the 'miracle elixir of life,' acts as a healer of the body. It is a natural muscle relaxant and also an adaptogen. Drinking Gotu kola tea can ease the signs of anxiety, mental fatigue, depression, and insomnia.

10. Rose Tea

Rose is very popular in aromatic therapy; its mild scent can have relaxing effects. The flavonoids present in rose targets the production of the stress hormones, which results in feelings of calmness. Drinking rose can also enhance mood and reduce body stress.

Rose Tea can also aid you in having a deep sleep with a reduced amount of time taken to fall asleep – this results in lowering the anxiety symptoms over time.

Conclusion

Drinking herbal teas is the best option you can have in these trying times. The health benefits of drinking these teas will also help to boost your health physically and mentally. It might help you get a bit stronger to fight common ailments, too. Consuming these calming herbal teas will make sure you are mentally fit and equipped to fight anxiety and stress. Stay strong and resilient as we navigate through difficult times – whether pandemic or post-pandemic!