By Peter Ross

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February 27, 2020

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Many of our present-day diseases and internal imbalances are rooted in stress.

High, frequent stress is extremely depleting to our central nervous system and can have negative effects on our health. The central nervous system is responsible for many of the communications throughout our bodies. This system is also the first to respond to external stimuli like rapid decision-making, environmental stressors, and difficult people. When we support our nervous system through lifestyle adjustments and appropriate herbs we can make major strides in improving our overall health.

The Effects of Daily Stress on the Nervous System

Humans live each day with a constant, underlying amount of stress circulating throughout our bodies. Each day we face minor stressors like traffic, physical exercise, professional deadlines, children, finances, and our overall relationships. These minor stressors are normal and our bodies are usually capable of managing them as they arise. However, when stress levels become constant and uncontrolled the effects of daily stress become pathological. If traffic becomes a multi-hour daily commute, and we over-exercise to combat high stress, or if our deadlines grow unmanageable, and our family relationships, health, and financial requirements become overwhelming, we risk reaching a point of physical & mental breakdown.

The concept of Allostatic Load describes this physical, emotional, and psychological breakdown caused by stress. It is defined as the cost of chronic exposure to elevated or fluctuating endocrine or neural responses resulting from chronic or repeated challenges that the individual experiences as stressful. In short, the allostatic load is how much stress we can carry on our shoulders, so to speak, at any given time before our nervous system starts to break down. When our stress levels become too much for the body to handle we experience a number of highly individual symptoms. Some symptoms of nervous system dysregulation include:

• Digestive imbalances such as IBS, diarrhea, stomach aches, and GERD
• Mood irregularities & irritability
• Poor quality & quantity of sleep
• Weight gain or loss
• Skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis
• Sensitivity to or presence of allergic responses
• Weakened immune function
• Poor memory and inability to concentrate

Read More: Stressed or Stressed out: What’s the Difference?

The Naturopathic Approach to Stress Management

The body’s reaction to stress is influenced by more than just the obvious stress triggers that one may encounter. A lack of sleep, poor quality diet, and disproportional physical exercise can all be contributing factors to nervous system dysregulation. These factors must be addressed when creating a plan for stress management. In creating a customized plan, a naturopathic doctor may ask:

• How are you sleeping?
• What is the quality of your diet?
• What methods of exercise do you practice each day?

Sleep, diet, and exercise are three major areas that naturopathic doctors will ask about when working to support healthy stress levels. In addition to suggested changes in these areas, lifestyle modifications, medicinal herbs, and appropriate supplements may be added to your Naturopathic doctors choose from a variety of herbs to support each patient’s unique nervous system, matching their needs and physiology to specific herbs.

Read More: The Naturopathic Approach to Insomnia

What are Herbal Nervines?

Nervines are a class of herbs that specifically impact the central nervous system. Herbal nervines help to relax the nervous system and vagus nerve, strengthen and restore nervous system function, ease anxiety and tension, and buffer the long term effects of chronic stress. Several herbs fall into this category and each works in a slightly different way. Matching an herb to your specific needs is where naturopathic doctors and herbalists can really shine.

Read More: The Vagus Nerve: What Is It & How Do We Heal It?

 

5 Herbs to Support the Nervous System*

*As always, ask your doctor for accurate information on dosing and possible drug interactions before taking any new supplements.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Chamomile is a dual remedy for the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system, which resides in the gut. These two nervous systems are highly communicative throughout the day. It is the enteric nervous system, however, that is much more responsive to external and internal cues than we realize. Chamomile is wholely restorative to an overstimulated person, as well as soothing and antispasmodic to the gut. This is an ideal herb for people who hold their stress in their digestive system (like a nervous stomach or with IBS patterns). For acute and daily support, tea is optimal, but a tincture of chamomile can also be ideal to travel with.

Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Holy basil is an excellent adaptogen that is specific to the endocrine system and the adrenal glands. It’s a tonic building herb that supports a depleted nervous system both short and long term. The adrenal glands are responsible for releasing cortisol, which affects our responsiveness to stress. It is important to support the adrenal glands during times of acute and chronic stress. For people who have long term stress and are feeling emotionally low, daily consumption of holy basil (or Tulsi) tea can be most helpful.

Read More: The Key to Vibrant Health: The Adrenal Glands

Milky Oat (Avena sativa)

Milky oat serves as a calming and nourishing tonic that is soothing to the central nervous system when taken long-term (4+ months). This herb is packed with important minerals and nutrients and can be added to herbal teas or taken as a daily tincture (hydroalcoholic extract). The oat straw and spikelet components are what give milky oat its medicinal properties after harvesting. Being such a strengthening and nutritive tonic herb, it is ideal for people who have nervous exhaustion and get more fatigued as the day progresses. Milky oat is also great for people like new parents or caregivers, who could be much restored through extra rest.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Skullcap is one of the most underused central nervous system remedies, yet it is one of the most effective, gentle, and powerful nervines available in herb form. Scutellaria lateriflora is perfect for individuals under long-term stress who hold this stress in their musculoskeletal system (especially stiff necks, tightness when sleeping, or shoulder tension). Everyone responds to long term stress differently, and skullcap works extremely well for people who become agitated, reclusive, and feel overexposed when under stress. Skullcap tea can be consumed daily and is lovely in combination with chamomile.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

Passionflower supports a depleted central nervous system that presents as difficulty sleeping and an overactive mind. Often when people are so exhausted they can’t sleep, they may feel a sense of desperation and anxiety at bedtime. This is where passionflower can be extremely helpful, as it allows the body to fall asleep on its own terms instead of knocking the mind and body out. Passionflower is a gentle sleep remedy that when consumed consistently can work excellently in the long-term. One should take Passionflower tea approximately one hour before bedtime.

If nervous system support is something you would like to discuss in a compassionate healing environment, request an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors through our website or by calling our office at (804) 977-2634.