Best Herbal Tea Recipes for Anxiety and Calming Stress

Do you feel worried, stressed, or suffer from anxiety? Learning to relax and de-stress your mind (and body) is the key to a healthy, happy life. 

But for many of us, that’s easier said than done! 

Now, as delicious as a cup of Earl Grey may be, there are tons of herbal healthy tea blends that pack a mighty punch with their relaxing health benefits. 

And fortunately for tea drinkers, these stress-reducing herbal teas can help you sleep and introduce a little bit of Zen into your life. 

With everything from lavender, lemon balm, chamomile, and valerian root, you can create your own tea blends at home by blending different flavors.  

The goal is not to be perfect, here. So don’t be afraid to experiment with these herbs and create a unique blend that delights your palate.  Heck, you can even make things simpler and make your tea in the microwave. These are some of the best teas and blends for when you’re feeling anxious and stressed.

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Relaxing Tea Flavors: Single Herbal Teas for Calming

Herbal medicine has long known the value of these traditional medicinals in treating anxiety, poor sleep, and the occasional stress that comes with life. Pick just one of these and brew up a calming cup of tea, or keep scrolling to see some delicious calming tea blends of these anti-anxiety teas.

1. Chamomile
2. Lavender
3. Rose tea
4. Holy Basil (Tulsi)
5. Valerian Root
6. Peppermint
7. Passionflower
8. Lemongrass
9. Lemon Balm
10. Ginger
11. Ashwagandha tea
12. Kava kava
13. Gotu kola
14. Nettle leaf

Herbal Tea Recipes for Anxiety: Calming Tea Blends

These relaxing tea recipes are made of herbs that are known for aiding relaxation, and providing a sense of calm. The best relaxation tea for you may be one of these calming tea blends, so try one of these calming tea recipes next time you’re needing to chill.

Chamomile & Lavender Tea for Stress Relief

Chamomile is a delicate garden flower that has been long praised for its powerful anxiety-reducing properties. Loaded with apigenin, chamomile can reduce inflammation, fight menstrual pain, and help with insomnia and relaxation.  Chamomile tea is good for acid reflux, which can get worse when you’re stressed.

Aside from its sedative properties, chamomile has been used to effectively treat generalized anxiety disorder, too.  

But chamomile on its own is a little…well, bland. Don’t get me wrong. I love a warm cup of chamomile in the middle of the day. But it could use a little kick!  One of my favorite flowers is lavender, one of the best calming herbs and the mother of all relaxing herbs. Mix it together with chamomile, and you get a powerful stress-relieving tea that’s caffeine-free and can be enjoyed at any time of the day. 

Lavender herbal tea on its own is also lovely for calming your stress levels, but mixed with chamomile, its a powerhouse of herbal remedies.

The sweet notes of chamomile pairs well with the strong floral, but minty notes of lavender. It’s one of my favorite herbal tea recipes for anxiety.  

Anxiety Tea Recipe with Chamomile and Lavender

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of fresh chamomile (or 1 teaspoon if you’re using dried chamomile)
• ½ teaspoon of organic lavender (or just a dash. It’s strong) 
• 1 cup of boiling water
• Honey, stevia, or sweetener 

Directions:

Mix the ingredients in a pan and let them steep for 20 minutes and strain. Sweeten to taste. 

Too stressed to brew up your own anxiety tea recipe from this mixture of chamomile flowers and lavender herbal tea? These lavender chamomile tea bags are available almost anywhere.

Peppermint & Valerian Root Tea for Restful Sleep

This aromatic concoction is perfect for winding down before bedtime. The scent alone will create a sense of calmness, easing any symptoms of anxiety and nervousness you may be experiencing that day. 

Peppermint contains menthol, a powerful compound that has been used for centuries to increase relaxation, improve digestive issues, and treat constipation. On top of that, menthol has the power to relieve migraines, chronic pain, it’s a tea good for headaches, and it tastes great. What more could you ask? 

Well, how about some Valerian root? Mixed in with the peppermint tea leaves, this calming tea blend will double as a natural sleep aid. 

Known for its amazing stress-relieving properties, valerian tea is a natural remedy that’s commonly used to treat insomnia, heart palpitations, and headaches. Not only that, but according to the National Institutes of Health, Valerian root has been used to effectively reduce anxiety, treat sleep disorders, and reduce chronic pain symptoms. 

Valerian root has been used as an herbal remedy since ancient times to promote tranquility. This powerful herb not only improves sleep but is often referred to as “nature’s valium“.

Valerian tea on its own is an excellent calming tea in stressful situations, but try it blended with peppermint for increased calming effects.

Peppermint & Valerian Root Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of dried valerian root 
• 2 tablespoons of fresh peppermint leaves (or 1 tablespoon of dried leaves)
• 1 cup of boiling water  

Directions:

Add the leaves and the dried valerian root in a cup or pot and top with the boiling water. Let it infuse for 5 minutes and add the sweetener of your choice. 

Passionflower, Lemongrass & Chamomile Tea for Calming

Passionflower tea has a delicate floral flavor that pairs well with other herbs like chamomile and lemongrass. 

Fresh passionflower is a tropical flower that can ease general symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. In some cases, it may even prevent your brain from overthinking. 

To make this flowery brew extra powerful, add in some lemongrass and chamomile, two herbs that pair well with the grassy but mild earthiness of the passionflower petals. 

Why lemongrass? It’s packed with antioxidants, which can help your body fight the free radicals that cause diseases. 

And chamomile adds a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory properties that help with digestive issues and bloating. On top of that, chamomile has long been used in Europe as a natural sedative, which is perfect for anyone who’s struggling with mild anxiety.

Nest time you’re looking for better sleep without the side effects of other medications, try this calming tea recipe for good sleep.

Passionflower, Lemongrass & Chamomile Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of passion flower petals (dried is best)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chamomile (or 1 teaspoon if you’re using dried chamomile)
• 1 teaspoon of dried lemongrass leaves
• 1 cup of boiling water 

Directions:

Mix the lemongrass, chamomile, and passionflower together and pour the boiling water. Let it steep for about 10 minutes. Strain and add some honey, Agave, or your sweetener of choice. 

Lemon Balm & Ginger Tea for Soothing Anxiety

Lemon balm is an aromatic herb that comes from the same family as mint. Although it’s primarily grown in Europe and North Africa, you can find lemon balm all around the world. 

Thanks to its natural antibacterial properties, lemon balm tea is particularly useful for fighting candida, a type of yeast that causes fatigue, digestive problems, difficulties with memory, and other issues. 

But lemon balm is also great for your mental health. Why? Because it’s loaded with polyphenols, tannins, and essential oils that work together to strengthen the digestive system, which is incredibly important for your overall well being. 

Citrusy and light in flavor, lemon balm combines the acidic taste of lemon with delicate hints of mint. But if you want a bolder flavor, mix in some chopped ginger and you’ll get a tea-rrific brew that will awaken the senses. 

Lemon balm and ginger both are incredibly healing. But when it comes to an anxiety tea recipe, ginger is the real MVP. Research has shown that ginger may affect serotonin levels and reduce anxiety just as effectively as benzodiazepine drugs.  Ginger tea is also good for acid reflux, which may flare up during times of stress.

Don’t be afraid to add your own touch. Drop a bit of cinnamon, cardamom, or green tea to add a spicy touch and invigorate the senses.  While you can add cinnamon to virtually any herbal tea, cinnamon tea is also delicious on its own and full of other health benefits.

Lemon Balm & Ginger Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger or 1/2 tablespoon if you’re using dry ginger root. You can add more if you want it to be spicier. 
• 1/8 cup of fresh lemon balm leaves (or 1 tablespoon of dry lemon balm)
• 1 cup of boiling water
• Stevia, honey, or sweetener 

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together in a Mason jar, tall glass, or cup. Pour in the boiling hot water on top and let it steep for around 15 minutes. The more you leave it in, the more flavorful it’ll be. Strain the leaves and heat it up again if it’s too cold. Sweeten to taste. 

Stress Relieving Teas with Calming Aromas

If you love the swirling scent of your tea, you’ll be glad to know that certain types of tea have been shown to have aromas that can help calm you down. These calming tea ingredients all have soothing aromas that can help calm you down.

• Rose
• Lemongrass
• Lavender
• Peppermint

True teas from the Camellia Sinensis plant

When you’re looking to calm your feelings of anxiety, but also want a little kick of caffeine, don’t forget the true teas. Caffeinated tea like black tea or green tea may not help you get a good night’s sleep, but they are full of healthy ingredients that can help calm anxiety symptoms during the day.

The amino acid L-theanine, a chemical compound present in all true teas, has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety-like symptoms. So keeping some green tea bags on hand is a great idea. Green tea is lower in caffeine (28 mg caffeine per cup) than coffee (47 mg per cup), so it won’t leave you on edge and jittery.

Other Steps to Help with Stress and Anxiety

Aside from the calming properties of these herbal teas, there are a number of other things that can help you calm down when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Make sure you’re getting a daily dose of exercise. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine really helps, even if it’s only for a short walk outside.

Even though you may reach for junk food during stressful times, sticking to a healthy diet is key. Staying away from alcohol, recreational drugs, and smoking is also helpful.

And if you have a pet, sitting down with your cup of tea and petting your animal has been shown to lower the stress hormone cortisol.

The Takeaway:  There are ton of herbal tea ingredients to help combat anxiety

Whether you decide to grow your own herbal tea garden, or just pick up the ingredients at your local store, there are so many concoctions you can brew that will help you feel better and battle stress.  

So no matter if you’re a peppermint fan or can’t get enough ginger, mix up a blend of these herbal teas and start feeling more like yourself today. 

Want to save these herbal teas for anxiety and stress recipes for later?  Save this to your favorite tea-loving Pinterest board and pass it on!