While a certain amount of stress is essential to keep us alert and active, an excess is probably one of the most pervasive ills of the late 20th century. We live in an age in which people frequently describe themselves as “time poor, cash rich” — in other words, too busy working and earning to spend much time relaxing and enjoying life.

Taking soothing remedies is only a small part of the solution. Many of the ills caused by stress could be solved with a little relaxation — time spent on learning to relax with yoga or Tai Ch’i classes or going for unhurried rambles in the fresh air. Instead of resting on the seventh day we spend it in supermarket queues, endless home improvements or catching up with the housework. We all — even the busiest parent — need to find space for ourselves each day in order to cope and a few minutes of relaxed deep breathing or listening to a favourite piece of music will work wonders.

An holistic approach always focuses on the needs of body, mind and spirit and this is especially true with any condition labelled as “nerves”. Physical manifestations of “nervous disorders” may include insomnia, palpitations or headaches; emotional aspects can include irritability, depression, feelings of anger or guilt while the lack of determination, emptiness or sense of purpose felt by so many people can typify the spiritual vacuum at the centre of many modern lifestyles.

Herbal BeautyHerbs can be equally holistic, operating on the same levels to improve well-being: vervain is a good example. It can be considered as a liver tonic and relaxing nervine. Taken in Bach Flower Remedy form it is suitable for the perfectionist, slightly obsessional personality who tries to do too many jobs at once and runs each task to death, like a dog worrying a bone. On a spiritual level vervain can increase understanding and psychic awareness: it was once used in scrying and some maintain that it will repair holes in the human aura.

In Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine emotional imbalance is well accepted as a possible cause of physical disease: the Chinese associate the emotion “fear” with the kidneys, for example, and panic attacks could be a sign of kidney imbalance. “Anger” can have a similar effect on the liver, while what the Chinese describe as “joy” (but may be better translated as “over-enthusiasm”) can lead to heart disorders.

Herbal nervines work on several levels, including:

  • herbal sedatives and relaxants which can ease tensions, feelings of anxiety or help with insomnia;
  • herbal tonics and stimulants which will provide an additional short-term energy boost; and
  • herbal remedies which can act on the emotions or spirit in some way as part of a total holistic approach.

They can be used much as orthodox sedatives, hypnotics or anti-depressants: skullcap is a sedative, for example, passion flower a hypnotic — to dull the senses or induce sleep — and St John’s wort a potent anti-depressant. Such herbal remedies should not, however, be seen as a complete alternative to professional counseling or psychotherapy for those who really cannot cope with their lifestyles.

Anxiety and tension

Taking the time to brew a relaxing herbal tea and then do nothing but sit, sip it and unwind is a far more therapeutic way of combating tension than popping a couple of tranquillisers and carrying on with the normal frenetic daily routine. Suitable

Herbs to add into the relaxing brew include lemon balm, skullcap, chamomile, wood betony, valerian and vervain.

Herbal baths are equally effective: use either 500 ml of an infusion of a highly aromatic relaxing herb — such as chamomile, lavender or lemon balm — or else a few drops of the essential oil.

Tension often leads to headaches as the muscles at the back of the neck stiffen. Massaging that area and the temples can help: use lavender oil diluted in a vegetable-oil base. A 50:50 combination of wood betony and lavender as an infusion is another good remedy for tension headaches, although it is always best to take the tea as soon as symptoms start to appear rather than waiting for a major headache to develop.

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Mind, Anxiety and Stress, Nervous Health Concern