ADHD and Tea Benefits: 10 Teas that Calm Stress and Anxiety
Discover what the science says about teas and how certain tea herbs can promote a sense of calm and support ADHDers.
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ADHD and Tea Benefits
If you are an ADHDer, odds are you are familiar with juggling several drinks simultaneously! While it can be a funny ADHD meme (the person juggling five drinks at the same time), having soothing beverages around can also serve important regulatory functions for us.
Those of us who are gustatory (taste) sensory-seekers may crave drinks, teas, snacking, or gum. Sensory-seeking behaviors are attempts to regulate our sensory needs and preferences. When we are gustatory sensory seekers having gum or a warm beverage to sip on can actually help us to focus and stay emotionally regulated!
Another common experience among ADHDers is using beverages as a form of stimming. Stimming, short for self-stimulatory behavior, refers to repetitive behaviors that a person engages in to stimulate their senses or regulate their arousal levels. Stimming behaviors can take many forms and vary from person to person. In some cases, drinking beverages may be a form of stimming. For example, some individuals may find that sipping on a drink or chewing on ice provides a sense of comfort or relaxation or that the taste or texture of a drink is stimulating in some way. Similarly, some individuals may find that the process of preparing or drinking a beverage, such as brewing tea or coffee, is soothing or engaging. Stimming behaviors can serve various purposes for individuals, such as providing comfort, regulating arousal levels, or helping to manage stress or anxiety.
So if drinking tea and beverages is a natural way of self-soothing, why not make it even more impactful and focus on incorporating beverages that have been shown to induce calm and reduce anxiety?
Personally, I am often juggling 2 to 3 drinks at a time. I'm working to incorporate beverages that nourish my body while providing the sensory-seeking stimulus I crave! This sent me on a research deep dive to explore how I could nourish my body while also providing sensory comfort. Following is a list of 10 teas that have calming benefits.
1. Passionflower Tea
Passion flower is a plant that has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for a variety of conditions, including anxiety and insomnia. Research has shown that passionflower can improve sleep [1] and help people better manage anxiety [2]. Given that many ADHDers struggle with sleep, passion flower can be a helpful natural support.
Passionflower can be a bit bitter, so you may want to mix it with other teas or use a tea that is pre-blended such as this tea night-time tea blend. You can also purchase passion flower drops and add it to your favorite tea. These are the drops I use to support my sleep.
2. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is a popular herbal tea made from the leaves of the peppermint plant. It has a number of potential health benefits, including relaxation and digestive support.
The smell of peppermint tea has been suggested to reduce depression and anxiety [3] and can be energizing. As an added bonus, peppermint can stimulate the parts of the brain connected with alertness which can stimulate focus and attention.
To learn more about the medicinal properties of peppermint, check out this peppermint monograph article.
3. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a popular herbal tea that is made from the dried flowers of the chamomile plant; it is long thought to be a soothing, calming tea. It has a number of potential health benefits, including relaxation and anxiety reduction, and has been used as a natural remedy for a variety of conditions. Research suggests that long-term use of chamomile can reduce anxiety symptoms [4].
There is some evidence to suggest that chamomile tea may be helpful in managing hyperactive traits of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A small study published in the Journal of Child Neurology in 2009 found that children with ADHD who received chamomile extract for four weeks had improvements in hyperactivity and “conduct problems”, compared to a control group. However, the study was small and more research is needed to confirm these findings.
For more information about chamomile’s herbal actions, you can visit this chamomile article.
4. Dandelion Root Tea
Dandelion root is a type of herb that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including liver and kidney problems, and as a diuretic.
Dandelion root tea isn't often considered a calming tea, but if you've been stressed for a long time, dandelion tea may be exactly what you need. It helps cleanse the liver and increase bile production. So if your stress has been messing with your digestion or your life, try dandelion tea.
Because many ADHDers have more sensitive nervous systems, we often produce excessive cortisol, which over time can negatively impact our digestive system. so incorporating teas and foods that support healthy digestion can be a powerful way of supporting the ADHD body!
If you’d like to learn more about dandelion and it’s medicinal properties, you can read about it here in this dandelion herbal monograph.
5. Ayurvedic Detox Tea
Another calming tea is Ayurvedic detox tea. It's a mix of herbs that help the body detox. Ayurvedic detox tea is a type of tea that is made from a blend of herbs and spices that are traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to support the body's natural detoxification processes. When the body has fewer toxins to deal with, it can relax more easily.
This can be particularly helpful for ADHDers as many of us have gestational intestine issues and other issues that may make it more difficult for the body to break down toxins in the body. There is some evidence to suggest that individuals with ADHD may have difficulty breaking down toxins. Some studies have found that individuals with ADHD have higher levels of certain toxins in their bodies, such as heavy metals or pesticides, compared to individuals without ADHD.
We can benefit from additional support to help detox our bodies. Some studies have suggested that certain herbs and spices used in Ayurvedic detox tea may have a positive effect on cognitive function and may help to improve focus and attention in people with ADHD.
6. Lavender Tea
Lavender Lavender is a herb that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, and skin irritations. Lavender has been linked to stress reduction and calmness.
It's important to keep in mind that lavender may have estrogenic properties [5]. So if you have any signs of estrogen dominance or other hormonal issues, you might want to stay away from lavender. This is particularly important for ADHDers to keep in mind as we tend to be more sensitive to hormones such as estrogen.
Learn more about the helpful herbal actions of lavender in this lavender article.
7. Lemon Balm Tea (Melissa Tea)
Lemon balm is a herb that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, and digestive issues. Lemon balm appears to be effective in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. It appears to work by boosting GABA [6]. ADHDers often have lower levels of GABA, so if you think your anxiety is related to low GABA, Lemon balm tea may be a good tea for you.
Some people with ADHD may use lemon balm tea as a natural supplement to help support focus and attention. Some studies have suggested that lemon balm may have a positive effect on cognitive function and may help to improve focus and attention in people with ADHD.
Learn more about lemon balm’s medicinal benefits.
8. Ashwaganda Tea
Ashwagandha is an herb that has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Ashwaganda is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are herbs that are thought to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety. This is why Ashwaganda tea may indeed be a good tea for calmness.
Some people with ADHD may use ashwagandha tea as a natural supplement to help manage executive functioning difficulties. There is limited research on the effectiveness of ashwagandha tea for ADHD, some studies have suggested that ashwagandha may have a positive effect on cognitive function and may help to improve focus and attention in people with ADHD.
9. Milk Thistle Tea
Milk thistle is another detox herb that can help the body rid itself of toxins. So although the calmness-inducing effects might not be immediate, milk thistle can help reduce stress in the body. Milk thistle is a plant that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including liver disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. Some people with ADHD may use milk thistle tea as a natural supplement to help support them.
There is limited research on the effectiveness of milk thistle tea for ADHD, and the evidence that does exist is mixed. Some studies have suggested that milk thistle may have a positive effect on cognitive function and may help to improve focus and attention in people with ADHD. However, other studies have not found any significant benefits.
10. Green Tea
Green tea is a type of tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It is rich in antioxidants and has been suggested to have a number of potential health benefits, , including the potential to improve focus and attention in individuals with ADHD. Green tea is high in l-theanine, an amino acid that might reduce anxiety [7].
However, green tea is high in caffeine, and caffeine is a known anxiety producer. Green tea is also high in quercetin. Because quercetin has catechol structure, it is processed by our bodies in the same way as epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Some research has suggested that the caffeine and other compounds in green tea may have a positive effect on cognitive function and may help to improve focus and attention in ADHDers. However, if caffeine activates anxiety for you, you might choose an l-theanine supplement instead of green tea, or at least opt for decaf green tea.
Summary
Hopefully, this list helps you find some teas for calmness. It is important to note that while healthy lifestyle choices (like what kinds of drinks and food we consume and how we move our bodies) can have many benefits for ADHDers, it is not a substitute for evidence-based treatment for ADHD, anxiety, or depression. If you are concerned about mood symptoms, it is also important to speak with a mental health professional to determine the most appropriate treatment approach for you.
References
1. Ngan, A., & Conduit, R. (2011). A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherapy Research, 25(8), 1153-1159.
2. Dantas, L. P., de Oliveira-Ribeiro, A., de Almeida-Souza, L. M., & Groppo, F. C. (2017). Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction. Medicina oral, patologia oral y cirugia bucal, 22(1), e95.
3. Vaezi, A. A., Parizi, S., Vahidi, A. R., & Tavangar, H. (2017). Study the effect of inhalation of peppermint oil on depression and anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction who are hospitalized in intensive care units of Sirjan. Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2(62), 55-62.
4. Mao, J. J., Xie, S. X., Keefe, J. R., Soeller, I., Li, Q. S., & Amsterdam, J. D. (2016). Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine, 23(14), 1735-1742.
5. Ramsey, J. T., Li, Y., Arao, Y., Naidu, A., Coons, L. A., Diaz, A., & Korach, K. S. (2019). Lavender products associated with premature thelarche and prepubertal gynecomastia: case reports and endocrine-disrupting chemical activities. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 104(11), 5393-5405.
6. Yoo, D. Y., Choi, J. H., Kim, W., Yoo, K. Y., Lee, C. H., Yoon, Y. S., ... & Hwang, I. K. (2011). Effects of Melissa officinalis L.(lemon balm) extract on neurogenesis associated with serum corticosterone and GABA in the mouse dentate gyrus. Neurochemical research, 36(2), 250-257.
7. Higashiyama, A., Htay, H. H., Ozeki, M., Juneja, L. R., & Kapoor, M. P. (2011). Effects of l-theanine on attention and reaction time response. Journal of Functional Foods, 3(3), 171-178.
