Stress, Anxiety and Nervine Herbs
A nervine herb typically is a type of plant or botanical best known for its calming and soothing effects on the nervous system. They may help to reduce stress, anxiety, tension, and promote relaxation and well-being. However, Nervine itself is referring to the organ affinity of an herb to the nervous system, so I've also included nervine stimulants, which in turn have an opposite effect from the above relaxant effects.
Nervines herbs may be cooling or warming, and may have a different affinity for an organ or system. I will not be delving into this today, but a consideration to keep in mind while choosing your nervine herbs.
Nervines directly affect the parasympathetic nervous system. When we are stressed, anxious, tense, lacking sleep, then we are overly focused on the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. Therefore nervines can create a balance. However, they are not a cure all. It’s highly important to take a look at what is causing stress, and remedy that appropriately. Nervines may be highly supportive, but ultimately you want to avoid putting a band-aid on something that is calling for deeper attention in your life.
Within the Nervine category there are four types of nervines: Nervine Trophorestorative, Nervine Sedatives, Nervine Hypnotics, and Nervine Stimulants. I'll briefly describe each category, and then I'd like to go deeper into three of my favorite Nervines.
I'll begin with a category that often we don't consider when we think of Nervine Herbs.
Nervine Stimulants directly stimulate the nervous system and sympathetic branch. They are circulatory stimulants, may elevate heart rate, shorten breath, and with long term use may have a depleting effect on the nervous system. If Nervine Stimulants are consumed regularly, think of introducing another branch of nervines so that you may create a balance for your system.
Nervine Stimulant examples:
Cacao
Coffee
Cola
Ginseng
Tea
Rhodiola
Schizandra
Yerba Mate
Nutmeg
Nervine Relaxants are milder remedies which calm, relax, or sedate the nervous system. This category may safely be used throughout the day and will not tend to make you sleepy, groggy or very low in energy. They help to smooth out the rough edges and gently calm an overly excitable nervous system.
Nervine Relaxants examples:
Ashwagandha
Blue Vervain
Borage
Catnip
Holy Bail
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Passionflower
St. Johns Wort
Wood Betany
Nervine Troporestoratives are not remarkably calming and sedative, rather they are directly restorative to a worn down nervous system. They strengthen, tonify, and restore a nervous system that is depleted from long term periods of stress, lack of sleep, drug/alcohol use, and overall burnout. You may think of these as a gentle ongoing tonic for your nerves. You ideally want to work with the herb over a longer period of time in this category.
Nervine Troporestoratives examples :
Ashwagandha
Damiana
Gotu Kola
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lions Mane
Milky Oats
Reishi
Skullcap
St. Johns Wort
Wood Betony
Nervine Hypnotics are strong. While possessing similar attributes that the relaxants have, they generate a deeper level of sedation, relaxation, and sleepiness. They are helpful in acute situations of pain, insomnia, drug withdrawal, extreme anxiety, panic attacks, or when stronger sedation is required. This is my go to before I find myself in the dental chair or on a long plane flight.
Nervine Hypnotics examples:
California Poppy
Hops
Kava Kava
Passionflower
Pedicularis
Skullcap
Valerian
Three of my personal favorite Nervines
Ashwagandha (withania Somifera)
Powerfully revitalizing and deeply nourishing attributes. As a tonic and trophorestorative, it helps to build and restore the entire nervous system from exhaustion and debility. Ashwagandha supports energy levels, overall immunity, and helps with the ability to cope with the stress of the world. It helps to tonify, strengthen, and restore the proper structure and the function of the immune system. Oftentimes its uses in cases of prolonged periods of stress, sleep deficiency, longstanding anxiety, panic attacks, tension or excessive use of stimulants. Ideal for coldness, weakness, emaciation, deficiency, exhaustion, fatigue, lack of sleep, and reduced libido.
Jeff Johnston from Portland Ashwagandha farms in Portlands states;
“A little bit keeps you young and juicy, and too much leaves you hot and dry”
I loved this statement, as Ashwagandha has become more popular in North America. I often see it overused as a stimulant to support a nervous system that is exhausted. In the right dose it is extremely nourishing. In a stronger dose or if overused it can tend to exacerbate the underlying condition. I'd encourage a healthy, balanced relationship with this gentle yet powerful plant.
Skullcap (Scutellaria Lateriflora)
Known as “soporific” from the French word, soportifque, meaning to induce sleep. Skullcap is considered both a Nervine Troporestorative and is a moderate Hypnotic Nervine. I find that I can still function well on Skullcap, and it doesn't hit me like some of the stronger Hypnotics, but it is definitely more sedative than just the trophorestoratives. Skullcap contains flavonoids and volatile oils that help relieve tension and is a muscle relaxant.
Skullcap as a Trophorestorative strengthens and restores tissue directly, and can help heal damaged tissue due to pathological processes or even physical trauma. It’s an excellent remedy when there’s nerve damage and associated anxiety, nervousness, or insomnia.
Skullcap is a bitter nervine, and helps to act on the nervous system, calming, and restoring it back into parasympathetic state. This is where we can “rest and digest”, which in turn is supportive for the nervous system.
St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Most of us are familiar with St. Johns Wort as an anti-depressant. The reason that it may act on the moods in such a way is because of it’s influence directly upon the nervous system. St. Johns may be classified as a Trophorestorative and a very mild Nervine Sedative. Ideally it’s a remedy used for nervous burnout, exhaustion, depression, melancholy, anxiety, and nerve pain.
St. Johns has an influence upon the digestive system as well, acting to further support the parasympathetic system. With it’s action on both the nervous and digestive system it has a particular affinity for the enteric brain, and may help to create homeostasis within the system.
St. John's Wort brings back proper nerve function, strengthens the nervous system as a whole, and enables us to not be quite so tense or on edge.
The rich oils of St. Johns can act as a coating agent covering the nerve sheath, nourishing, strengthening, soothing and calming an excessive response. In so, St. Johns can be beneficial for long term stress, insomnia, anxiety or other nervous conditions.
I invite you to explore the realm of Nervine herbs that may be most supportive for you. When you work with tonics, trophorestorative, or relaxants I'd encourage you to form a relationship with the plants, and to work with a duration of at least three weeks, and one plant at a time. With the Stimulants and Hypnotics, these are meant more for an as needed dose situationally based.
I discussed the specific properties of the above mentioned nervines as they relate solely to the nervous system, without delving into their broader benefits. In my practice with herbs, I consider the holistic approach, examining the entirety of an individual and the entire spectrum of plant characteristics, such as organ systems, affinities, actions, constitutions, tissue states, and emotions.
If you're interested in discovering the appropriate plant medicine for yourself, I’m here to offer support in that journey. Alternatively, feel free to explore on your own and discover your own remedy. Embrace the process!