sown & uprooted

With the darker seasons of the year approaching, I wanted to bring you a recipe that will help you conquer stress and anxiety or overcome insomnia.

While spring and summer are usually the seasons when we feel more positive and joyful about life, autumn and winter time ask us to slow down. Less sunshine, shorter days and more darkness: the colder seasons are likely to make us more sensitive to stress, depressive moods and anxiety.

Humans have reacted to stress in the same way for thousands of years: the body prepares itself for a strenuous physical activity. For our ancestors stress almost exclusively meant a threat to life from animals or hostile tribes. Even today, stress causes the muscles, the circulatory system and the central nervous system to become more ready to act, with the two stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol being released in particular. In the central nervous system, the processing of stimuli in the cerebrum is reduced. Altered release patterns of the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline ensure that reaction patterns of the brain stem are used instead because a cognitive assessment of the situation would take far too long. Nowadays, this stress response is usually no longer appropriate and these preparations of the body only make sense if followed by physical exertion. This makes it easy to see why it is healthy and sensible to actively reduce the energy provided through sports.

Physically, longterm stress creates various issues, weakens our immune system, causes digestive problems and chronic muscle tension. Mentally, stress manifests itself in the form of nervous restlessness, sleep problems, depression, burn-out and anxiety. In addition to relaxation exercises, sport and a mindful approach to one’s own resources, various chemical or natural medications can be used to reduce stress, anxiety, nervousness and difficulties to fall asleep.

A Herbal Remedy for Stress and Anxiety Relief

Although we can feel depending on the herbs and their healing benefits for a little while until the symptoms pass, unlike their chemical alternatives the benzodiazepines, this herbal remedy does not cause substance addiction. So here comes a tea recipe that will provide fast and lasting relief from stress and anxiety. Plus it will help you sleep better through the night.

A Tea Recipe to Calm Down and Sleep Well

This tea tastes beautifully, helps us let go of stress and ruminating thoughts, finding moments of true relaxation. The herbs in this tea show short term effects after around 30 min, with long term benefits unfolding their magic after around two weeks.

⏱️ Prep Time 2 min

⏳ Waiting Time 10 min

🫖 Pot Size 250 ml (~ 1 cup)

✨Daytime evening, before bed

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of Valerian root
• 1 teaspoon of Passionflower
• 1 teaspoon of Camomile
• 1 teaspoon of Hops (alternatively you can use Lemon Balm)
• 1 teaspoon of Lavender (optional)

Directions

1. Cover the brew with a lid or small plate and leave to steep for 10 mins.
2. Enjoy!

Personally, I simply love the flavor of valerian root and lavender which is why I am combining them in this recipe.

You can create an unwinding ritual around this bedtime tea, taking deep belly breaths to cleanse your mind of thought, mindfully inhaling the smells and essentials oils escaping from your cup of tea, slowly finding yourself in relaxation mode even an hour or two before it’s time to go to bed for a peaceful deep sleep. 

Clinical Effects & Traditional Beliefs Surrounding the Herbs used in this Tea

You will often find passionflower mixed with valerian root and hops, as this tea recipe is using herbs traditionally applied by various healers to promote relaxation and a good nights sleep. A combination of herbs that you will also find available in herbal medications at your pharmacy.

Passionflower or Passiflora Incarnata originally came our way from Mexico where already Aztec healers highly valued the plant for its benefits to heal insomnia, irritability or nervousness. Passionflowers are a manifold species and due to minor differences in color the Passiflora Incarnata can easily be mistaken for a Passiflora Caerula and vice versa, so it’s better to ask an expert before aiming to pick the plant when wishing to privately make herbal medicines.

A spiritually common name for the plant is “Passion of Christ” as “passionis” derived from the Latin word for “suffering”, “passio”. The name was established in the 16th century by Spanish clinician and botanist Nicolas Monardes. Witnessing the iconographic signs of the passion of Christ in the flowers, he called the whole species “flos passionis”, describing a complex iconographic connection of representations of the three nails pounded through his flesh, the five wounds of Christ, the column on which he was bound, his torn apart clothes, the crown of thorns, his innocence and 10 of the apostles.

It certainly is intriguing to say that the plant helps us transcend mental suffering, find healing and regain the vital life force required to live a life in alignment with our authentic self-expression, enabling us to be innocently positive when we once more take the steps back onto our path.

Over the last twenty years, various clinical studies have been carried out which have shown that passionflower has an anxiolytic and sedative effect on the central nervous system. The efficacy of passionflower was investigated for its influence on the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Low GABA levels in the central nervous system are associated with nervous agitation, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

GABA modulates a number of behavioral mechanisms and physiological processes: sleep, eating behavior, sexual behavior, pain, cardiovascular regulation, thermoregulation and mood. Chronic stress has a negative effect on the GABA system. Stress reduces the number of GABAergic interneurons in the hippocampus and impairs cognitive processes. There are two types of GABA receptors: GABAa and GABAb receptors. GABA is the most important target in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders. GABAa receptors are also targeted by the addictive, chemical alternatives, the benzodiazepines. The various mechanisms of action of passionflower on the neurotransmitter GABA were consistent in their results, which explained why no dependency potential developed when taking it.

Valerian or Valeriana Officinalis also showed enhancing effects on the binding of GABA to its receptor, in particular of the GABAa receptors. In valerian root mainly the contained valerenic acid and valerenol are influencing the GABA metabolism and interact with the GABAa receptors. GABAa receptors are the most important inhibitory receptors in the brain and spinal cord. When they are activated, the excitability of the nerve cells is reduced, resulting in a tension-relieving and sleep-promoting effect.

Manifold magical lore is surrounding the herb. Jesus was anointed in Bethany with nard oil made from Indian valerian. Valerian was hung on the ceiling of the room; if it moves with the person entering the room, it is a person who wants evil. However, valerian is also a plant of the elves and water nymphs who dance with it in the moonlight, a plant of light and air that conveys lightness. Baldur, the light-filled god of the Germanic tribes, gave it its German name, Baldrian, because, like the god himself, valerian compassionately helps and blesses anyone who needs help. When the goddess Hertha rides through the forest on her hop-tailed, white stag, she carries a valerian plant with her.

Hops or Humulus Lupulus has a proven sedative and sleep-inducing effect and is said to have a positive effect on the melantonin metabolism. Hops is a symbol of fertility. It was often believed that hops sprouts fresh shoots on Christmas night between 11 pm and 12 am, even under the deep snow. At midnight they disappear again. Perhaps this goes back to Germanic gods who storm through the forest at these times and need the hop tendril as a bridle.

Camomile or Matricaria Chamomilla has been with us as a herbal remedy since the Paleolithic Age. The seeds said to survive in the soil for up to 100 years. Its botanical name derives from the Latin word matrix, one of its translations: womb. The name Matricaria was given to the genus because Matricaria chamomilla was used in ancient herbalism to treat cramps and sleep disorders, especially menstrual cramps. Camomile tea has a calming and invigorating effect after serious illnesses and helps with flatulence, stomach ache and colds. The sedative and spasmolytic effect of camomile calms and relaxes.

Lavender is another classic among the herbal remedies for our mind, relaxation and sleep. Explore some more insight in my article It’s time for girl talk. (mingled with a tea recipe).

I hope this inspires you to try some herbal remedies when having to conquer stress and anxiety or simply needing support to fall asleep.

– with love –

Lina

sown & uprooted

https://for-a-better-living.com

Please note: As with all things in life, some things will have ripple effects and the amounts make the difference. So please don’t overdose herbal teas either. Especially if you are on medication, suffer a medical condition, are prone to allergic reactions and during pregnancy it’s recommended to seek medical advisory before starting any self medication.