Natural Herbal Support for Your Nervous System
It is within the nervous system that the connection between mind and body is most apparent. When anxiety affects us, we have physical reactions such as heart palpitations, blushing, panic attacks and shortness of breath. When depression affects us, physical symptoms can come into play: a lack of energy, sleeping a lot, and a lack of motivation.
Sometimes, it is a disease that causes the nervous system to become out of balance; for example, the flu causes mild and short-lived depression in many people, and it is usually short-lived. Other chronic diseases can also be associated with depression, long-term incapacity or a reduction in ability and function and can be very frustrating and depressing.
Trauma or shock can cause a feeling of panic associated with the fight or flight adrenal response, and this physical emotional response can continue much longer than is necessary, causing a long-term condition of anxiety and fear, sometimes diagnosed as post-traumatic-stress-disorder
Regardless of the cause behind the imbalance, herbs can provide support in some way. There is an abundance of herbs for the nervous system and emotions, and choosing the correct one is most important. For example, I have treated many people who have tried St. John’s wort as an antidepressant without success, despite its reputation. This is because it was the wrong herb for their particular type of depression.
The basic rule in treating the nervous system with herbs is to chose a herb you think suits your needs, then if you feel no difference within 1 month, it could be that the herb was not right for you, or some other health issue needs addressing as well, such as a poor circulation or digestion. Where you are having little or no success self-prescribing, or where there is a complex picture of health, it is always better to consult a medical herbalist.
Damiana Turnera diffusa
Nervine tonics
Nervine tonics ‘feed’ and strengthen a depleted nervous system damaged, perhaps, by trauma, overwork and stress. The nervine tonic herbs help us to feel stronger and more able to cope with life and the stresses in our lives, and they increase our mental and emotional stamina.
One highly prized nervine tonic amongst herbalists is Oats. This can be taken as a tincture, a tea, a capsule, or you can just eat porridge.
Other tonics include Vervain and Damiana. Damiana is also particularly good for nervousness around sexuality or for low self-esteem; it can help to raise a depleted libido and help you to feel good about yourself again.
Nervine relaxants
Nervine relaxants help the mind and body to relax. They are used when stress and tension have built up or anxiety overwhelms and, in cases of insomnia, to aid sleep. Many nervine relaxants are also antispasmodic, working on the muscles to encourage physical relaxation.
Herbs with this nervine relaxant action include Wild Lettuce, Lavender, Lime flower, Passionflower, Valerian and many more. When trying to choose which nervine relaxant is most appropriate for your needs, it is often helpful to look at their other actions and see which fits the specific needs best.
Peppermint Mentha × piperita
Nervine stimulants
Perhaps the most fashionable herbal nervine stimulants are coffee and tea. They work to stimulate the nervous system and also have actions on the adrenal glands. They are very strong herbs and really should be treated as medicines: used as required, not as a frequent beverage. Excessive or inappropriate use of these strong herbs can cause side effects from overstimulation of the nervous system and lead to anxiety, palpitations, decreased digestion, diarrhoea, constipation, arthritis, gastritis, depression and other imbalances.
There are, however, gentler nervine stimulants which can be used to ‘wake up’ brain function, help memory, raise energy levels and aid concentration. Some good examples of these are Peppermint, Rosemary, and Sage; these are much gentler and can be drunk in moderation every day without side effects or risk of addiction.
Antidepressants
It’s been suggested that twenty-five per cent of the population is suffering from depression at any one time. Stress and the frustrations of life often lead us to feel low and depressed, and these feelings can be alleviated by using antidepressant herbs. If you tend to feel depressed, they are also useful to take as a prophylactic.
There are many antidepressant herbs, and where the depression comes from and how it manifests itself is what guides a herbalist to choose the right one. For example, Orange flower is great for people who don’t communicate when they get angry about something; they hold on to their anger, becoming frustrated and eventually depressed. Orange flower helps them to express themselves more easily, cutting out the first step of their vicious cycle of depression. Whereas Rose is used to treat any type of depression associated with a broken heart or a loss of trust, Lemon balm soothes grief and allows us to let go and start to connect with life and being alive again.
Anxiolytics
The anxiolytic herbs are mildly sedative like the nervine relaxants, but they also have the specific action of relieving anxiety and any associated symptoms. Lime flower, for example, helps relieve anxiety, which affects the heart, causing palpitations and panic attacks.
Valerian is extremely calming and, in an anxious person, can help to make the world appear less, while Borage makes us more courageous and more able to face whatever life throws at us with inner strength.
A Summary of Useful herbs for the Nervous System
Anxiety
Affecting the stomach: Chamomile, Lemon Balm
Affecting the heart: Rose, Lime flower
Developing courage: Borage, Thyme, Cacao
Recovering from trauma: Oats, Valerian, Wild lettuce
Depression
Caused by drugs or alcohol: Milk Thistle, Peppermint
Caused by negative thoughts: Passiflora, Scullcap, Lemon balm, Peppermint
Caused by grief, loss: Rose, Lemon balm
Caused by anger: Peppermint, Chamomile, Lemon Balm
Insomnia
Caused by over thinking: Valerian, Wild lettuce, Scullcap
Waking early and not getting off to sleep again: Bitter Orange flower, Valerian
Struggling to get off to sleep: Passiflora, Valerian, Lemon balm
Disturbed by nightmares or bad dreams: Chamomile, Blue lotus
Tiredness and exhaustion
Caused by overworking: Liquorice, Borage
Associated with lack of motivation: Ginger
Associated with low drive: Rosemary helps with stagnation caused by a lack of exercise
Headaches
Hangover headache: Peppermint, Milk thistle, Chamomile
Sinus headache; Elderflower, Peppermint, Eyebright
Migraine
Prevention: Feverfew, Lime flower, Clary sage and Wintergreen essential oils
Associated nausea: Ginger, Peppermint
How to Take the Herbs - what form to choose?
The herbs suggested here can be taken in many forms, capsules, teas, tinctures, its best to choose one that suits your life style, a herbal tea is more soothing, a capsule suits a busy lifestyle and a tincture, essential oil, or flower water will give you a fast acting effect.
Ultimately, your well-being journey is deeply personal. To truly unlock the potent benefits of the plant kingdom and gain access to a wider spectrum of high-quality, potent remedies, consider the value of professional support. As a plant spirit medicine woman and qualified Medical Herbalist with 30 years of experience, I offer consultations to provide you with a personalized strategy and access to dispensary-grade herbs. If you feel called to explore this path and connect with the healing power of plants in a deeply individual way, I invite you to reach out.
Learn More About Individualized Herbal Strategies
Book Your Free 30-minute Herbal Discovery Call to explore your health goals and assess how my expertise can support you.
As a crucial reminder, please do consult your doctor or another appropriate healthcare professional if you have any undiagnosed health concerns, are currently taking medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding before commencing any new herbal therapies.
