Written by: Meredith Murdock, RA, MH, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It’s 8 p.m. You just got home and took your shoes off. You started your day at 6 am, maybe 5 am, doing all your things. You got yourself and maybe your kids ready for school. You made breakfast, possibly even lunch. You thought quickly about what to do for dinner and said to yourself “I’ll think about that later.”
You started your working day in a Zoom meeting that you thought was a waste of time because it could have been done over email. Your work email is overflowing and your voicemail is annoyingly telling you that 20 people need your attention.
A coworker comes in to complain about a new process that was put into place, or that a deadline was missed. This is now your problem that you didn’t have 5 minutes ago. Your doctor's office texts you that your yearly exam is way overdue. Your car dealership is telling you that an oil change is due. Your significant other contacts you to ask “What’s for dinner”.
You think to yourself “You gotta be kidding me, this can’t be my life.”
It’s not even lunchtime yet. You need to get out early today because you have a hair appointment that you need to go to. You secured it weeks ago and canceling just isn’t an option. So lunch is a hard-boiled egg and a power bar. Or even better, fast food because it fills that craving of wanting to hurt someone at that moment.
You look at your phone and your vacation counter is still 133 days out. You sigh, put in your earbuds, and concentrate intensely for an hour or two on a task that needs to be done.
By 3 pm you can feel your blood sugar crashing. You can put your head on your computer and sleep. You convince someone in your office to make a coffee run to get you through the next two hours. You won’t be able to tell anyone what you did in those 2 hours because you will forget.
Finally, you are sitting in the chair getting your hair done. You take this time to text your friends and family back. Get hold of the doctor's' office and order food for the party you are having this weekend. When you are finished you feel a slight bit better, think you look not as tired, and for a small amount of time, happy.
You leave the salon when you realize that you never handled dinner. Forget it, we’re getting takeout. You try to order on your phone, but of course, the app is not working. You think I’ll just go there, it won’t take too long.
Well, the neighborhood baseball team just won their championship and there are 25 people in front of you. You place an order and sit in the waiting area saying “Forget it, I give up”.
You finally get your food, go home and find a starving group of people. You just want to eat and go to bed. That’s it.
By 11 pm, you are heading to bed. You go and lay your head on the pillow and shut your eyes.
10 minutes later, your eyes pop wide open and your brain goes into a cycle of thoughts you can’t stop. You try to read, doesn’t work. You turn on the TV, to no avail.
You finally fall asleep at 1:30-2 am. You sleep hard and when the alarm goes off you just groan and do it all over again.
Does any of this sound vaguely familiar?
If so, you are not alone. In 2021, the American Psychological Association found that 84% of the adult population stated they experienced some form of stress.
The word stress is different for everyone. Some may have work stress, some may have home stress, and some may have stress based in a form of trauma. Financial stress is on the rise. The workplace has changed. More than likely, after the pandemic, your stress level has changed because your thinking about your world has changed.
In today’s world, many people are turning to the internet to find out more information about plant therapies and how they can help combat stress. Given the fact that many plant therapies, by nature. Do not need a prescription there is a common belief that something that is plant-based or natural from the Earth is safe. While interest in these “natural remedies” have increased, so has research on these remedies.
A copious amount of information can be found on the internet about an herbal class of plants called adaptogens. These classes of herbs are known simply as herbs that give you energy, without much thought on how they work or why.
The same can be said for the essential oil rage that is tearing through social media, Multi-level marketers, self-proclaimed consultants , and certified aromatherapists all try to get their information into the spotlight.
What many people don’t know is that there are people out there that study these therapies for a living. They go to school for these plants just like you would go to school for communications or finance. There are trade associations formed with the sole purpose to find out more scientifically proven claims on what these plans do. The irony is that much of this information doesn’t reach social media. If you find it on the internet, this information is usually locked down in a database you need to pay for or known by people who don’t spend a lot of time on the internet, social media in particular. This then gives those that are slightly educated a place to inform the laypeople on their knowledge, or lack of. Most people don’t know the difference.
So what plants and oils are good for stress? What should you be doing? How do you even find someone that has this knowledge?
Where to search for up-to-date plant information and research:
Now armed with proper places to find information, what are some of the top plants and oils to help you deal with your day? What is researched and safe?
The following are the Top 10 Herbs and Oils that you can bring into your day now to help alleviate some of that burnout and stress in your life:
1. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
One of the only 3 plants that truly meet the qualifications of a classical definition of an adaptogen. This herb is otherwise known as Eleuthero. This herb is usually sold in powder or its dried root form. It is grown in China, Russia, Korea, and Japan. Although it is called ginseng, it is not related to ginseng at all as we know it. It is a distant cousin to ginseng.
The actions of this herb include being a nervine stimulant and the “top” of the adaptogen food chain. An adaptogen is a plant that helps you adapt to stress from a physiological standpoint. This herb works well on the adrenal, endocrine and digestive systems. It is no wonder that this plant has been studied in these areas with positive results, as these are the systems in that stress can resonate in the body. This herb is best used in times of extreme fatigue or for short periods to increase energy flow to the body. Overuse could push you further into the energy it gives, actually backfiring on you and making your physiological stress worse. This is a wonderful herb when you’ve come to the point where you feel you have achieved the “I’m done” mentality.
This herb is traditionally taken as an extract, powdered supplement, or even a tea if you can handle the bitter taste.
This herb should not be used in pregnancy or for those suffering from hypertension. If you are taking pharmaceuticals for hypertension, this herb should not be used.
2. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
This plant is a relative of the mint family. It has centuries' worth of use in books across the globe. Usually grown in North America.
This is a great-tasting herb and one that is easy to grow and acquire in North America and Europe. The primary action of this herb in its use for stress is as a nervine sedative. This simply means it works on your nervous system to calm down activity. This is an herb that over time can turn off that 1 am eye-opening worrying cycle. As plants are not grown with particular body systems in mind, we will find that Lemon Balm will relax the nervous system, but also the musculoskeletal spasms caused by stress. Our digestive system seems to like this herb as well.
Lemon Balm has been studied for a variety of issues in the human body. However, what makes this herb so spectacular is that it is a safe, non-toxic, and gentle herb that can be used for everyday consumption. Some researchers warn that using Lemon Balm with other sedatives such as barbiturates or benzodiazepines warrants caution.
This herb is wonderful in a dried form as tea at night. This herb is also usually found as an extract that you put under the tongue.
3. Nettle (Urtica dioica)
When I attended herb school one of the first things I learned attributed to famous herbalist David Hoffman was “When in doubt, use nettle.”
This plant is otherwise known as stinging nettle. For all its amazing qualities, this isn’t a plant you want to find in the wild and step on. It will sting, hence the name “stinging nettle”. However, this is where the negative on this plant ends.
This plant is usually used with the leaves, however, roots and seeds have also been known to be used in herbal formulas. This plant grows in all parts of the world usually in dark and damp places in a forest.
This plant's herbal actions include use as a diuretic, tonic, and inflammatory modulator, amongst others.
This plant is useful in stress-related conditions because it offers up a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in Vitamin C, fiber, protein, and calcium amongst others. This plant can fill up parts of your supplementation that may be lacking. When you are filling up your system with good plant nutrition, all parts of the body work better. Think about adding motor oil to your car.
A special arena for this plant is used in the kidney and liver areas. This plant assists in getting rid of waste products in the body and helps “clean out” waste in the system that is not necessary. When you are stressed, you typically don’t eat well, this herb can help flush out what is not needed.
Nettle is considered relatively safe overall. This wouldn't be an herb to go to in the scenario of having kidney stones. If you are taking a pharmaceutical diuretic, this would possibly increase the activity which may become counterintuitive.
This herb can be found in the dried leaf for tea, extract, and powdered form.
4. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
This herb has been getting a lot of press on college campuses and social media these days. Much of the information is not exactly clear as to why to take this herb or exactly what it does.
This herb has been used in history as a medicine going back almost 3,000 years. It is a very nourishing herb and supports immunity, energy, and stress. One of my herb instructors says about Ashwagandha “Pay attention to this herb it will be your best friend”.
This plant is grown in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Africa, Asia, and even the Mediterranean. Typically the roots of this plant are used in formulas.
This plant is known as an adaptogen like Siberian Ginseng. It can be used for long periods to stop the “wired and tired” feeling that we get when under stress. Like Nettle, this is an herb that works on multiple systems in the body to increase strength and vitality.
This herb balances and regulates your immune system and helps relax the nervous system. It assists in working on the endocrine system and sometimes is touted as an aphrodisiac. This makes sense because if your body is more relaxed and stress is down, your libido would be more active. Typically, a more active libido will relieve stress and improve relationships.
Most importantly for those who are stressed, this herb supports restful sleep. This herb is not an herb that will make you fall asleep quickly, however, it will help regulate a sleep cycle that is imperative to less stress and a more healthy life.
5. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
As a child growing up in Long Island, I would always find these “weeds” on my lawn. I would pull them up and wipe the yellow flowers on my arm like makeup. Little did I know later on, that this would be one of the most important plants in my life!
The Dandelion plant is known more as a weed than an actual plant. In herbalism, however, all parts of the plant (roots, leaves, and flowers) are used. This plant grows all over the world, making it readily accessible to all.
Many people have heard that we categorize our digestive system as our second immune system. In the areas of experiencing extreme stress, we know that our digestive system is one of the first systems to get hit with major stressors. Whether because we don’t eat right when we are stressed, or the physiological functions that happen when we are stressed, the digestive system is usually one of the first to show us symptoms of our stress.
Dandelion simply stated, helps us get rid of waste. This herb is rich in potassium, Vitamins A, C, and D, selenium, zinc, copper, and others. Dandelion removes excess water and waste from the organs and tissues and supports the liver and kidney in elimination.
When you eat a dandelion leaf or flower raw (yes you can!) You initiate secretions of bile from the liver and gallbladder which then supports the whole digestive system by the release of various enzymes and secretions from the pancreas, intestines, and stomach. This plant can also be used as a mild laxative making your digestive system more comfortable. When ingested, there are recent studies that have stated that this plant can also act like a prebiotic in the digestive system. This is a necessary part of a healthy digestive system.
This is generally regarded as a safe and mild plant that can be used regularly. This herb has been classified as an herb that can decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics and should be used with caution with an antibiotic regime.
6. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
This is a bitter citrus tree that is typically grown in Italy. It has a bitter taste that is usually thought to be inedible. However, as an essential oil, this plant shines in the areas of stress and anxiety.
The rind of the fruit is extracted for the oil. It has been highly researched for its stress healing and nervous system support. This oil has also been studied for its antibacterial properties, making it a good oil to inhale when you are stressed and feeling a cold or virus coming on.
Studies have shown that diffusing this oil just for 15 minutes lowered the blood pressure of some people in the study.
I use this oil with my clients when they present with the “wired and tired” type mentality with stress. This oil seems to calm them down.
While this oil is considered nontoxic, care needs to be made when purchasing this oil as some chemical constituents in this oil are phototoxic, meaning putting this oil on topically can cause a severe burn on the skin when entering the sun.
If you are making a blend with this oil, the aroma mixes well with other citruses, geranium, patchouli, and rose oil.
7. Peppermint Oil (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint is one of the most popular essential oils on the market today and it’s easy to see why. Relatively inexpensive, environmentally sustainable and a common flavor in our food makes this plant and oil a hot item for this list.
In part of the story above, Peppermint Oil is where to go when you need that 3 pm coffee to get through your day. Rigorously studied for fatigue, this oil is known for its mental stimulation especially when stress has brought you down to that “I’m so tired I can’t keep my eyes open.”
Another great use and well-researched activity of Peppermint Oil is on the digestive system. Just inhaling Peppermint Oil can support relief of nausea, and overeating, and one study has linked the oil to possibly supporting those suffering symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
This oil is mildly toxic and should not be put in water to drink. Internal use is possible, however, best with the trained advice of an educated Aromatherapist. This is because Peppermint oil contains a chemical constituent called pulegone, which can irritate your liver and kidneys.
While many of us like to use oils on our children, ironically studies show that the use of this oil in children under the age of 5 can have contraindications, so a better oil or even a hydrosol is a more informed choice with kids.
8. Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
This is personally one of my favorite oils and another oil that is easily attainable and affordable. The Greeks were the first people that brought Marjoram to the forefront. It was used as a funeral herb, for edema and insomnia.
In today’s society, this perennial herb has various animal studies, but not many human studies.
The mild spiciness of this herb through inhalation lends itself to a calming sensation and increasing thought processes while working. While more studies need to be done, preliminary studies have shown this oil to support cognitive function and antidepressant qualities.
There is also a school of thought that inhaling Sweet Marjoram after a meal will support the digestive system as well. I add this oil into blends for athletes that have sore muscles after vigorous sports or workouts.
This is a very safe oil, with no reported safety concerns or contraindications.
9. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Another one of the essential oils out there that doesn’t get much air time, Coriander Oil is from the cilantro plant. The leaves are steam distilled to make the oil.
The plants for this oil are usually grown in Egypt and sometimes in Russia. It was used in Greece for various applications including perfumery. This plant has been used in various parts of the world for various medical support qualities.
Using this oil in response to stress stimuli makes sense to me. It is a fresh and sweet aroma. Of the clients I have used this with, they generally find the “cilantro tastes like soap to me” adage irrelevant here.
Originally I used this oil on clients for stress and anxiety. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked, especially when blended with Bergamot and Marjoram (above). Later as I was researching I found that there was a study that was done with mice and in this oil in the area of supporting depression, stress, and other mood disorders.
This is also a relatively safe oil with no known contraindications.
10. Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
We end this list with my all-time favorite Citrus Oil. One would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love the smell of fresh oranges. They smell and feel like sunshine and automatically brighten the mood in a room.
The US and Brazil are the main areas of the world in that orange oil is produced in. Some types of Orange oil also come from Europe. Extremely affordable, this oil is produced from the peel of the fruit.
What is so wonderful about this oil is how versatile it is. This oil has been researched and studied for its stimulating, relaxing, and antidepressant qualities.
Just inhaling this soil can offer a quick reduction of stress and anxiety in a person. This is the oil that I have with me when going into large big box stores during the holiday seasons. An inhale and exhale of this oil can quickly recharge you and calm your nerves all at the same time.
I also like using this oil to top off blends that are rather woody or herby. It offers a nice light fruity feel to a heavier blend.
There are no real safety concerns with this oil, but a “bitter orange” oil (it can have the same botanical name) could be phototoxic, so it is always best to look for the “Sweet” Orange when purchasing this oil.
Next time you find yourself in a stressful situation or having one of those days like the above, know that there are plenty of plants and oils that have been thoroughly researched and are known to be your backup when your body and mind are restless. They can be the support for your Zoom fatigue, your afternoon cup of coffee, and the ally you need at 8 pm before bed.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not represent medical advice. Speak to your Primary Care Physician before adding any herbal remedies to your healthcare regime.
Meredith Murdock, RA, MH, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Meredith Murdock, RA, MH is a Registered Aromatherapist and Master Herbalist who resides in Central Florida, US and owns and operates Faeve Apothecary, LLC. She consults with clients on a regular basis on herbal and aromatic programs for wellness. She also works with physicians, business start-ups, and instructors with sourcing and formulation. She has over 4,000 hrs of study in the aromatic and herb world including studying medical plants at Cornell University and is an ever-evolving student at the Tisserand Institute. She has certifications in sound healing and life and intuitive coaching training. She also owns and operates an integrative medical clinic in Central Florida. She is currently the Treasurer at the Alliance of Aromatherapists where she loves working to move the profession forward.
