The 5 Best Plants for Improving Your Emotional State

Our emotions are often extremely volatile, but there are some great natural ways of helping us control them - read on and find out more
The 5 Best Plants for Improving Your Emotional State
Cesar Paul González

Written and verified by the biologist Cesar Paul González.

Last update: 20 May, 2022

We are all emotional beings, even those who appear to be cold and extremely calculating and those who seem to be unaffected by emotions. Have you even sat down to think about all the emotions that you go through in just one day? And the way in which they influence your work, your relationship with your partner, family, kids, etc.? In today’s article we’ll be looking at how we can improve our emotional state by taking infusions.

We can’t bypass the fact that, like everything in life, there are good and bad aspects, and emotions are no exception. There are good emotions that help us overcome day to day problems with optimism. On the other hand, there are others that do just the opposite, they paralyze us and fill us with fear and insecurity.

Emotional gastritis

You must know that constant states of stress and nervousness can affect our emotional state. It can lead to the appearance of stress-induced gastritis, or what is also known as emotional gastritis. This consists of inflammation of the stomach wall, the primary symptoms of which are burning, itching, heartburn, etc. When this condition has its root in emotions, over time it can create stomach ulcers that could develop into cancer.

After the doctor diagnoses emotional gastritis, he will evaluate whether it would be useful to have complimentary treatment using psychological therapy.

Nature has once again has provided us with plants that can help our emotional well-being. They can help to prevent those characteristic negative emotions caused by stress and worries in an intense day’s activities.

The best plants for your emotional state

Below we are going to give you a list of the plants that will help you live a more relaxed and peaceful life. Keep in mind, of course, that you should never consume them in excess. And if there is any shadow of a doubt regarding their consumption, you should always consult a professional trained doctor on the subject. This is especially important if you are already undergoing medical treatment.

Melisa

Zitronenmelisse Melissa
Melisa, also known as lemon balm, possesses antispasmodic properties. This is why we also use it to bring people around after fainting and as a natural relaxer. It is a relaxing plant, used for stress, distress, calming anxiety, insomnia, and it is also useful for alleviating spasms in the digestive tract.

Read more: Reduce Anxiety with These 5 Calming Remedies

Lavender

In order to have a good emotional sense, lavender is an interesting option. It possesses anxiolytic and relaxing effects, and is also useful for treating migraines, stress, tiredness, depression, and helps people to get to sleep. You can use it internally or externally, although the latter is the most popular. You can do it by means of aromatherapy, essential oils, or lavender flowers.

Borage

To alleviate stress and nervousness, you can use this infusion with one tablespoon of dried borage leaves per one glass of water. Drink a few times a day. Avoid prolonged treatments with this plant and avoid during pregnancy. Small children should not take this infusion.

Valerian

Valeriana, a plant for treating insomnia
This herb possesses sedative properties and is a great help for people with nervous-related conditions and depressive disorders. It helps our emotional state and also helps sleep.

Experts don’t recommend using it during pregnancy nor while breastfeeding. Neither should it be given to small children (always consult their pediatrician before medicating your child). Also, avoid interaction with other medications that produce equal or similar effects.

Consuming valerian during the day is not advisable if your job consists of operating heavy machinery or requires a lot of attention and concentration. To avoid problems, consume it shortly before going to bed and enjoy its properties throughout the night.

Chamomile

Chamomile provides peaceful benefits, thanks to its gently relaxing effect. For cases of nervousness and insomnia, it is useful to consume an infusion made from dried chamomile flowers.
You can also take a bath with chamomile infusion. Prepare the infusion with dried flowers and add them to your bath water. Or you could use 15 drops of this essential oil to replace the infusion.

Pregnant women and small children should consult their doctor before consuming.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Abdullahzadeh M, Matourypour P, Naji SA. Investigation effect of oral chamomilla on sleep quality in elderly people in Isfahan: A randomized control trial. J Educ Health Promot. 2017 Jun 5;6:53.
  • Basso JC, Suzuki WA. The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review. Brain Plast. 2017 Mar 28;2(2):127-152.
  • Bent S, Padula A, Moore D, Patterson M, Mehling W. Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2006 Dec;119(12):1005-12.
  • Broome MR, Saunders KE, Harrison PJ, Marwaha S. Mood instability: significance, definition and measurement. Br J Psychiatry. 2015 Oct;207(4):283-5.
  • Clark JE, Watson S, Friston KJ. What is mood? A computational perspective. Psychol Med. 2018 Oct;48(14):2277-2284.
  • Crupi R, Mazzon E, Marino A, La Spada G, Bramanti P, Battaglia F, Cuzzocrea S, Spina E. Hypericum perforatum treatment: effect on behaviour and neurogenesis in a chronic stress model in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Jan 27;11:7.
  • DeLongis A, Folkman S, Lazarus RS. The impact of daily stress on health and mood: psychological and social resources as mediators. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988 Mar;54(3):486-95.
  • Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borisini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ. 2020 Jun 29;369:m2382.
  • Ghazizadeh J, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Marx W, Fakhari A, Hamedeyazdan S, Torbati M, Taheri-Tarighi S, Araj-Khodaei M, Mirghafourvand M. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2021 Dec;35(12):6690-6705.
  • Haybar H, Javid AZ, Haghighizadeh MH, Valizadeh E, Mohaghegh SM, Mohammadzadeh A. The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Aug;26:47-52.
  • Hattesohl M, Feistel B, Sievers H, Lehnfeld R, Hegger M, Winterhoff H. Extracts of Valeriana officinalis L. s.l. show anxiolytic and antidepressant effects but neither sedative nor myorelaxant properties. Phytomedicine. 2008 Jan;15(1-2):2-15.
  • Jung HY, Yoo DY, Kim W, Nam SM, Kim JW, Choi JH, Kwak YG, Yoon YS, Hwang IK. Valeriana officinalis root extract suppresses physical stress by electric shock and psychological stress by nociceptive stimulation-evoked responses by decreasing the ratio of monoamine neurotransmitters to their metabolites. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Dec 11;14:476.
  • Kennedy DO, Scholey AB, Tildesley NT, Perry EK, Wesnes KA. Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2002 Jul;72(4):953-64.
  • Kumar V, Singh PN, Muruganandam AV, Bhattacharya SK. Hypericum perforatum: nature’s mood stabilizer. Indian J Exp Biol. 2000 Nov;38(11):1077-85.
  • Lillehei AS, Halcón LL, Savik K, Reis R. Effect of Inhaled Lavender and Sleep Hygiene on Self-Reported Sleep Issues: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2015 Jul;21(7):430-8.
  • Koulivand PH, Khaleghi Ghadiri M, Gorji A. Lavender and the nervous system. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:681304.
  • Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine. 2016 Dec 15;23(14):1735-1742.
  • Ng QX, Venkatanarayanan N, Ho CY. Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) in depression: A meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2017 Mar 1;210:211-221.
  • Ogata K, Ataka K, Suzuki H, Yagi T, Okawa A, Fukumoto T, Zhang B, Nakata M, Yada T, Asakawa A. Lavender Oil Reduces Depressive Mood in Healthy Individuals and Enhances the Activity of Single Oxytocin Neurons of the Hypothalamus Isolated from Mice: A Preliminary Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Jul 14;2020:5418586.
  • Ranjbar M, Firoozabadi A, Salehi A, Ghorbanifar Z, Zarshenas MM, Sadeghniiat-Haghighi K, Rezaeizadeh H. Effects of Herbal combination (Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse) on insomnia severity, anxiety and depression in insomniacs: Randomized placebo controlled trial. Integr Med Res. 2018 Dec;7(4):328-332.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.