Stress buster causes uncomfortable changes in your body that, in the long run, can lead to critical issues like depression, a weak immune system, heart problems, and obesity. You perhaps know that like several medical conditions, medicines and supplements can’t cure stress. However, non-toxic plants, also known as adaptogens, can help your body fight various stressors and function more optimally. Although most people are unaware of a herb’s benefits, Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medical practitioners have been using roots and herbs for ages to cure many physical and mental conditions.

How Can Adaptogens Make You Calm?

Adaptogens possess stimulant and neuroprotective properties that help tackle stress-generated physical and chemical discomforts. The adaptogens create stability in your pituitary, hypothalamic, and adrenal glands by working at the molecular level. Adaptogens enhance attention and improve mental work aptitude, besides preventing fatigue. Adaptogens stretch your body’s stress-handling ability so that you can keep anxiety and depression at bay for extended periods.

Now that you know the effectiveness stress buster of adaptogenic herbs in addressing stress let’s look at five stress-buster herbs to keep you calm. 

• Kratom

Originally a herb from Southeast Asia, Kratom has recently increased its following in the USA and Europe due to its ability to deal with anxiety and stress. Mitragynine, the active component in kratom, engages with our brain’s opioid receptors for relieving neuropathic pain. The same phenomenon may also be responsible for the herb’s antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects among the consumers. 

People who are subject to regular stress have insufficient serotonin and dopamine levels. Serotonin improves your happiness quotient, while dopamine helps you feel motivated and contended. Kratom alkaloids promote both serotonin and dopamine release in your brain, which makes you positive and cheerful.

Before you taste your first kratom drink, remember that it can have mild side effects like constipation and nausea. Kratom has various strains like Red Sumatra, Green Cambodian, Green Bali, White Maeng Da, etc. Borneo Kratom might be useful in treating stress and anxiety. However, you must take it under the guidance of an expert. 

• Rhodiola

Rhodiola is a traditional medicinal herb popular in parts of Europe, Asia, and Russia. This herb, mostly growing in cold and mountainous regions, has been used for hundreds of years to address chronic stress and fatigue. Rhodiola’s adaptogenic qualities help enhance your physical resistance to fatigue and stress, assisting you to cope better with unfavorable events.

A recent study reported that a regular intake of Rhodiola boosts psychological stability, stabilizes cardiac health, and reduces tension for people going through stress-related burnout. The study’s conclusion suggests that consuming the herb stress buster also impacts memory retention and concentration—moreover, Rhodiola aids in giving you relief from related situations like emotional instability and insomnia.

The herb provides the best results when taken on an empty stomach in the morning. The ideal dose for Rhodiola is 400–600 mg per day. 

• St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort is known for its unique shape and excellent mood-enhancing properties. The plant mainly grows in Australia, New Zealand, and North America. 

Alternative healing practitioners have been using the herb for centuries to address health issues like depression and insomnia. The herb contains chemicals like hyperforin and hypericin that interact with the central nervous system and control mood-related complications. It is also highly effective for addressing the initial symptoms of menopause.  

St. John’s Wort is effective in treating mild depression, poor appetite, and sleep-related issues.

• Turmeric

Turmeric is in use in Asia for over a millennium as a spice and a medicinal herb. Curcumin is turmeric’s active ingredient, and it has shown great promise in addressing problems such as chronic inflammation, stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies indicate that the compound can reverse the adverse changes caused by chronic stress. Curcumin’s anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and antidepressant properties are accredited to its ability to increase serotonin and dopamine in the body.  

Although consuming turmeric as a spice is common, eating dried and fresh turmeric roots can enhance the herb’s therapeutic effect for addressing stress and anxiety. If you are consuming raw turmeric powder, a gram of it twice a day would be sufficient to reduce occupational stress and enhance life-quality.  

• Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera, is a woody herb growing in India and Africa. In Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), the plant has a special position due to its rejuvenating and energizing effects. 

Studies have shown that ashwagandha possesses significant adaptogenic qualities to resist stress for prolonged periods. For example, a stress hormone called cortisol is released by our body’s adrenal gland when we suffer from anxiety and falling blood sugar levels. According to studies, ashwagandha may help reduce cortisol levels in such circumstances. Researchers have also noted that ashwagandha may block our brain’s stress buster pathway by regulating the nervous system’s chemical signaling process.

You can consume the herb in several ways, the most common ones being ingesting it as tea, as a liquid extract, as a powder with warm milk, or as a tablet or capsule. 

Final Words

Medicinal herbs can be surprisingly helpful in reducing stress in your regular life. But to tackle stress, you also need to take care of your work-life balance, diet, sleep, exercise, and relationships. Do remember that these herbs may act differently for different individuals. So talk to an expert before you choose a product suitable for your stress level.  

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