12/31/2025
Nervine herbs work in different but complementary ways. Gentle relaxants like lemon balm and chamomile help ease immediate tension and transition the body toward rest. Grounding nervines like wood betony are perfect for chronically stressed people who live too much in their heads—it helps reconnect them with gut instincts and bodily awareness, pulling them back to earth when stress makes them spacey and disconnected.
Nervine tonics like skullcap and milky oats work more deeply, building long-term nervous system resilience and adaptive capacity over time.
Aromatic plants—lavender, frankincense, and woods like sandalwood, uplifting citrus—reach the nervous system quickly through the olfactory pathway and help shift the body out of constant alert.
Some practical starting points:
- A cup of nervine tea 30 minutes before bed (chamomile, lemon balm, or skullcap)
- Nervine tinctures 3x daily during stressful periods (½-1 tsp each dose)
- Aromatic support throughout the day (essential oils, room sprays, or simply fresh herbs)
- Prioritize sleep hygiene as foundational immune support
Used consistently, these practices help create the internal conditions where immune health can actually do its job.
You can take all the fire cider, elderberry, echinacea, or other immune boosting tinctures you want… but if your nervous system is constantly on edge, you just may get sick anyway.