Penelope Morgan has been matching certain herbal teas to individual stress patterns over years as a professional herbalist. Beyond its phytochemical qualities, she has discovered that the process of making and drinking tea naturally pauses our busy days—a restorative feature in itself.
Still a classic for good reason is chamomile tea. Penelope says without the dependency concerns, its apigenin content binds to GABA receptors in the brain, generating a modest calming effect akin to other anti-anxiety drugs.
Her method is unusual in that it advises steep chamomile for a full 10 to 15 minutes to completely extract these helpful molecules, producing a more powerful infusion than the usual rapid steep.
Penelope sometimes turns to lemon balm for those experiencing tightness connected to stress. This citrusy herb not only helps digestive function but also relaxes the nervous system—a crucial factor because gut health and stress are closely related. For more glycine, an amino acid that improves the soothing properties of lemon balm, she advises mixing it with a spoonful of raw honey.
Penelope’s tea combinations for customers with chronic stress use adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha on regular rotation. Unlike conventional sedative herbs, adaptogens restore equilibrium and enable the body to resist pressures. She advises making a decoction that fully catches the active spectrum of ashwagandha root by boiling it instead of bagged tea.
Passionflower, a plant that raises GABA levels in the brain to silence mental chatter, is usually included in Penelope’s evening mix Its benefits are modest but cumulative, she observes; most obvious after several days of constant usage. She advises beginning with single herbs for people new to herbal teas to see how each one influences your body before working with combinations.
More often than most people would know, the temperature and cooking technique count. Penelope emphasizes that extracting the whole spectrum of therapeutic substances depends much on correctly heated water—just below boiling for delicate flowers and foliage, totally boiling for roots and barks. This meticulousness turns an ordinary cup of tea into a strong herbal cure.
