Calming Teas

We all know that a positive attitude lends itself to a positive day, but we also know that some days are just harder than others; either there are extra stressors that day, or we just react more strongly to them.

There are many ways of dealing with such days, amongst my favourites are meditation, yoga, hiking, getting myself to a forest, and tea. And when I don’t have much time, nothing beats tea for me… a cup of something calm and a quiet moment, and I’m good to go.

What are Calming Teas; what teas help dissolve the stress and lighten the load?

Calming Teas

Green Tea ~ works best for me. Green tea contains the amino acid, L-theanine. L-theanine increases the activity of GABA (a neurotransmitter) and raises the levels of alpha waves, dopamine and seatonin, all of which produce an anti-anxiety, de-stressing, and overall calming effect.

Green Tea(1) is always my go to tea, but there are also some wonderfully soothing herbal infusions to be enjoyed. (Technically only tea from the Camellia sinensis plant is tea; everything else is an infusion or tisane(2)).

Chamomile ~ is beneficial for both the nervous and digestive systems, has excellent anti-inflammatory properties(3), and contains ‘spiroether’ (which is an antispasmodic) making it particularly good for treating tired muscles, pre-menstrual cramps, cramps generally, and overall tension.

Lemon Balm~ soothes frazzled nerves, relieves tension(4), alleviates heartburn(5), and promotes an overall sense of wellbeing! Even the scent has a tendency to impart joy.