7 Herbal Supplements for Stress Relief

​Stress is 100% natural and even good for you in certain doses. It pushes you to be better, it helps you avoid danger and it improves your alertness, brain power and immune system. While stress is beneficial in small doses, frequent exposure to it can lead to serious health consequences. If you know your stress levels stopped being healthy a long time ago, you can try managing your stress with a few herbal supplements.

Valerian root​

​You might have heard about valerian in Game of Thrones, but it's actually a real plant used throughout Europe to treat anxiety, stress, nervousness and sleep issues. If you suffer from lack of sleep due to stress or any other issues in your life, try adding valerian to your nighttime routine. Getting a full night of sleep is great for stress relief so try this potent plant and add it to your stress battle plan.

Lavender​

​This plant is very popular among essential oil lovers and for all the right reasons. Lavender is typically used for relaxation thanks to its stress and anxiety-reducing properties. Various studies suggest that lavender can reduce anxiety and stress as well as improve mood and sleep. If you get the right product, you can use it as tea, diffuse it in your essential oil diffuser or treat yourself to a calming lavender facial steam or body lotion.

Kratom​

This mysterious plant is relatively unknown in the new world even though it has been used as a remedy for different syndromes and disorders for thousands of years especially in places like South Asia. Kratom is used for relieving pain, but it's also beloved by people suffering from low energy levels and stress. While effects of kratom vary from person to person, generally, red strains tend to be most suitable to deal with stress. However, if you feel drained of energy, you can try the green or yellow strains and add them to your supplementation plan. Just like with most plants on this list, we need to wait for additional research to confirm the full potential of the plant, but finding the best place to buy kratom will ensure you're getting high-quality products. No matter if you choose capsules or powders, your strain needs to come from a vendor approved by the kratom industry.

Lemon balm​

This supplement comes from the mint family and it can help people improve their mood and achieve higher levels of calmness. And according to many sources, one dose of lemon balm has a long-lasting effect of up to six hours. Plus, the plant itself is very safe and suitable for many different people.

Ashwagandha​

This plant has a long history in Ayurvedic medicine and the entire ashwagandha plant, from its root to its seeds, can be used in health purposes, especially for stress reduction. Ashwagandha is a star when it comes to stress relief and it works much better than a placebo (almost 40% better). After continuous use of about 60 days, this traditional plant can show impressive levels of stress reduction.

Kava​

Kava is a plant native to South Pacific and it has various health benefits. It's best used for anxiety, stress, insomnia and PMS, but it sometimes can have side effects, so use it safely and consult your doctor. If they say you can enjoy this herbal drink, make sure to use a small dose and avoid taking it with alcohol.

Ginseng​

Ginseng supplement comes from ginseng plant, a root native to America and Asia. There are many different types of ginseng with widely different active ingredients—Siberian, Asian, Eleuthero ginseng and other. All in all, Chinese traditional medical experts have been using ginseng for thousands of years and noticed good effects on mental clarity, stress reduction and energy levels.

It's a potential solution for people suffering from depression that are looking for natural ways to boost energy and improve motivation. While the studies are not yet relevant enough for ginseng to be recommended by the FDA, but you can consult with your health consultant and see whether they recommend this supplement or not.

Stress management is very important in today's hectic world, so make sure to do everything in your power to keep its levels healthy and beneficial. These plants might help, especially if you combine them with meditation and other stress-battling activities.