Best Hot Tea for Anxiety (15+ List)
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OptimistMinds
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
This is a list of hot teas that will help you deal with anxiety. The list covers more than fifteen different kinds of tea. Each tea description is followed by three product recommendations.
What are the Best Hot Teas for Anxiety?
There are so many different kinds of herbal teas out there. We sieved out the best ones for anxiety below:
- Lemon Balm
- Peppermint
- He Shou Wu
- Chamomile
- Passion Flower
- Rose
- Ginseng
- Gotu Kola
- Lavender
- Valerian Root
- St. John’s Wort
- Turmeric
- Rhodiola
- Holy Basil
- Licorice
- Kava
- Ashwagandha
- Reishi
Hot Teas That Ease Anxiety
Drinking a hot cup of tea can be a very relaxing experience whether you have anxiety or not. There’s something special about a hot beverage as the warmth spreads slowly throughout your body to make you feel better.
But if the tea is made of plant extracts that are known to have anxiety-busting effects, there’s nothing like it. In this blog, we are going to explore some effective herbal teas that can lower your anxiety. Just one cup can have immediate effects that make you feel calmer and composed.
Let’s describe the best hot teas for anxiety:
Lemon Balm
Clinicians often prescribe lemon- balm as a mild mood elevator and calming agent for patients who have anxiety. This is a perennial herb that is part of the mint family. Along with anxiety, it is believed to help with stress, insomnia, indigestion, and dementia.
Abascal and Yarnell (2004) discussed in their article that nervine herbs like lemon balm are safe and non-addictive. They suggested that these should be used instead of addictive benzodiazepines.
Our Top 3 Lemon Balm Tea Recommendations
Peppermint
Akbari, Rezaei, and Khatony looked at the effect of peppermint aroma on pain and anxiety in hospital patients. Their results show that the smell of peppermint has a positive impact on the subjective experience of discomfort and anxiety.
Peppermint tea is one of the quick ways of getting access to the benefits of these extracts. It has a refreshing flavour that will make you feel relaxed and uplifted. Try some peppermint tea the next time your anxiety gets out of hand or causes you pain.
Our Top 3 Peppermint Tea Recommendations
He Shou Wu
The root of Reynoutria multiflora, better known as Chinese knotweed, is used to make he shou wu or fo ti. This plant is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as one of the most popular remedies.
He Sou Wu tea is consumed for the purpose of healthy aging and conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. One must note that overconsumption of this tea may lead to toxicity. There is not a lot of accessible research done on this but Chinese healers swear by it.
Our Top 3 He Shou Wu Tea Recommendations
Chamomile
Chamomile is a type of flower commonly used to brew tea. It is considered an effective relaxant and is used for numerous health conditions like inflammation, menstrual disorders, insomnia, and pain.
Long-term oral administration of chamomile has been found to be safe and can significantly reduce moderate-to-severe GAD symptoms. Chamomile can be consumed through a hot cup of tea.
Our Top Chamomile Tea Recommendations
Passion Flower
In 2019, a Japanese trial showed how effective passionflower supplements can be in reducing anxiety. The investigators also found that exposure to this natural extract and improves a person’s diurnal rhythm.
A helpful rhythm adaptive to our circumstances in life promotes wellbeing. The diurnal rhythm has advantages because it makes the most of daylight. Passionflower supplements and tea will reduce anxiety as well as improve the quality of your daily life.
Our Top Passion Flower Tea Recommendations
Rose
This publication reports that rose tea is an effective remedy for anxiety, especially if it is caused by menstruation. The study investigated the impact of this tea on adolescents experiencing dysmenorrhoea.
Their findings suggest that drinking rose tea is a safe, readily available, and simple treatment for menstrual pain, distress, and anxiety. Subjects showed greater psychophysiologic well-being through time.
Our Top Rose Tea Recommendations
Ginseng
The roots of Panax plants are called ginseng. These roots have been used in traditional medicine for over centuries. Ginseng is commonly sold as dietary supplements because of its many benefits.
Research on these benefits have investigated the effect of ginseng on diabetes, menopause, and memory. Experts have even demonstrated that ginseng helps in the attenuation of anxiety symptoms.
Our Top 3 Ginseng Tea Recommendations
Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola, or Asian pennywort, is a herbaceous, flowering, perennial. In Asia, it is popularly used as a culinary vegetable and is said to be good for high blood pressure. Gotu kola is often promoted as a remedy for skin conditions or wounds.
It is also supposed to increase mental clarity. This evaluation of the anxiolytic effects of gotu kola revealed that its methanol and ethyl acetate extracts impart this influence.
Our Top 3 Gotu Kola Tea Recommendations
Lavender
Perry, Terry, Watson, and Ernst (2012) wanted to check whether lavender really does have anxiolytic effects. They used seven electronic databases to extract data of existing studies to create a meta analysis.
Out of the 15 randomised clinical trials that matched inclusion criteria, seven appeared to show beneficial effects of lavender. The researchers concluded that oral lavender intake does have a therapeutic effect on anxiety. Lavender tea can be taken as a remedy for anxiety.
Our Top Lavender Tea Recommendations
Valerian Root
Recently, investigators examined the effects of Valerian extracts on hospitalised patients with coronary heart disease. They used the Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory to measure these effects. If you’re stuck in a hospital bed with an ailing heart, it’s natural to think about death.
The study compared the effects of Valerian oils with those of Oxazepam, an anti-anxiety drug. Surprisingly, valerian essence was found to be equally effective. If you’re not a fan of pharmacotherapy, valerian root can be a good substitute for Oxazepam.
Our Top Valerian Root Tea Recommendations
St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is a flowering plant either grown or found as a weed across the globe. It’s been used in herbal medicine for centuries and is used for healing wounds. Current trends in scientific inquiry want to examine if St. John’s wort can impact mental health.
It is found that in terms of anxiety, this is a better medicine for a comorbidity with depression. Often depression and anxiety go hand in hand. In such cases, St. John’s wort tea is a good remedy to try.
Our Top 3 St. John’s Wort Tea Recommendations
Turmeric
Cortisol levels can be lowered using turmeric, report these Indian nutritionists. Turmeric is a close relative of the ginger plant and is often confused for it. But once cut open, the turmeric’s distinct bright yellow colour reclaims its identity.
Indian culture celebrates the nutritional benefits of turmeric as can be seen from its generous use in cooking. Besides lowering stress hormones, turmeric can also help with pain, inflammation, rashes, and healing injuries.
Our Top 3 Turmeric Tea Recommendations
Side Note: I have tried and tested various products and services to help with my anxiety and depression. See my top recommendations here, as well as a full list of all products and services our team has tested for various mental health conditions and general wellness.
Rhodiola
Rhodiola rosea is a flowering plant found in arctic regions. Parts of this plant have been used in alternative healing treatment plans for depression and anxiety. A pilot study examined the effect of rhodiola on the symptoms of general anxiety disorder (GAD).
The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale was used to measure symptoms. The findings suggested that rhodiola improved these symptoms significantly. Thus, rhodiola tea can serve as an excellent anxiolytic.
Our Top 3 Rhodiola Tea Recommendations
Holy Basil
Penny Pettman did a review of literature on the natural ways to relieve anxiety and stress. One of the methods discussed was the use of holy basil to reduce stress hormones. Anxiety is correlated with high production of cortisol and adrenaline.
Therapy for anxiety disorders primarily consists of training the client to learn how to slow down this production. Holy basil products as an adaptogen may be of assistance here.
Our Top 3 Holy Basil Tea Recommendations
Licorice
Anxiety disorders cause individuals to persistently return to fight-or-flight mode. This is when the body feels stressed and starts producing cortisol. Anxiety both produces and uses up cortisol.
A paper citing research done on the use of botanicals for stress found interesting results for licorice root. The studies reveal that licorice might act synergistically with cortisol.
These compounds can mimic cortisol and by doing so extend its half life. It was concluded that licorice root can help counter the immunosuppressive nature of long-term anxiety.
Our Top 3 Licorice Tea Recommendations
Kava
The effect of Kava on anxiety symptoms was shown through a 2002 study. Back then, the overarching concern was on side effects from high dosage. A more recent study found Kava supplements a promising treatment.
Also called kava kava, this is a crop of the Pacific Islands and its name has Tongan and Marquesan origins. Though kava kava is used for many indegenous practices, the clinical evidence is limited.
Our top 3 Kava Tea Recommendations
Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha, is a plant native to India and North Africa. The Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine published that ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress.
The 2012 study was conducted to assess the anxiolytic effects of ashwagandha. By measuring the serum cortisol levels of subjects, the authors confirmed this hypothesis.
Our Top 3 Ashwagandha Tea Recommendations
Reishi
Ganoderma lucidum or Reishi is a mushroom that grows in hot and humid areas. It is kidney-shaped, red in colour, and looks like it has a coat of varnish.
People take reishi mushrooms to enhance their immunity, improve sleep, and help with high blood pressure or cholesterol. Ali, Muhammad, and Akbar (2016), found that reishi mushroom has anxiolytic activity which is comparable to 1 mg/Kg of diazepam.
Our Top 3 Reishi Tea Recommendations
Conclusion
This was a list of hot teas that will help you deal with anxiety. The list covered more than fifteen different kinds of tea. Each tea description was followed by three product recommendations.
Our list included the following teas: Lemon Balm, Peppermint, He Shou Wu, Chamomile, Passion Flower, Rose, Ginseng, Gotu Kola, Lavender, Valerian Root, St. John’s Wort, Turmeric, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, Licorice, Kava, Ashwagandha, and Reishi.
FAQs (Best Hot Tea for Anxiety)
Why is tea calming?
Regular tea is calming because of its catechins, amino acids, and antioxidants. When consumed, these compounds have a relaxing effect on the body as the parasympathetic nervous system gets activated.
The teas mentioned here are even more relaxing than regular tea. That’s because they are made of herbal extracts known to show anxiolytic effects. Moreover, herbal teas are caffeine-free so they won’t lead to excessive energy.
What vitamins help with anxiety?
The best vitamins that help with anxiety are Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.
Which fruit is good for anxiety?
All citrus fruits are great for anxiety because they are rich in Vitamin C. These fruits include oranges, grapefruit, lime, lemon, mandarin, tangerine, bergamot, etc.
What is the best natural cure for anxiety?
The best natural practices that can cure anxiety are:
Avoid caffeine and other stimulants
Practice meditation and relaxation techniques
Challenge anxious thoughts and identify unhelpful thought patterns
Drink green tea, reishi, holy basil tea, or chamomile tea
Try aromatherapy
Citations
Take Control of Your Anxiety Today: Personalized Counseling with BetterHelp
