Stress Relieving Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm, a deliciously lemon-scented plant from the mint family.

A wonderful addition to your herb garden, super easy to grow, the bees go crazy for it and it has some pretty good benefits for us too!

🍃 It’s particularly good for nervous system support as it can help to relieve stress and tension. A small study in 2004 found that lemon balm reduced the negative mood effects of induced stress, and participants reported ‘significantly increased self-ratings of calmness’ compared to the placebo. (1)

Sleep

🌙 Lemon balm can also function as a mild sedative, part of the reason I love it in the evening! It can help if you have trouble switching off and falling asleep. It has also been seen to improve restlessness and sleep problems in children.

Anxiety

🌸 There have also been some interesting studies in relation to anxiety, and in 2014 a study showed that lemon balm had a positive effect on mood, including reduced anxiety levels in healthy young adults. (2).

✨ If that wasn’t enough, it’s a fantastic aid for digestion and can help with symptoms of indigestion and nausea. The same components that calm the nervous system also have an antispasmodic effect on the digestive system.

🌱 Lastly, it is rich in polyphenols, which can contribute to a healthy microbiome and this also gives it antiviral properties.

Would you grow this in your herb garden?

Disclaimer **if you have a thyroid disease or dysfunction, be sure to consult a qualified health practitioner if you are thinking of trying lemon balm as it may reduce TSH.

References:

1- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15272110/

2- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/11/4805/htm