Everyone sometimes has moments in life that they would love to take a tranquilizer pill to quickly push away nerves and anxiety. Herbal tranquilizer pills can actually be very helpful and are worth having in your home medicine cabinet for more difficult moments. Some people use supplements on a daily basis to influence calming thoughts and feel better.

• Over-the-counter sedation pills - are they safe?
• Supplements and herbs for sedation that work temporarily
• Calming herbs and supplements for daily use
• In addition to tranquilizer pills, look for the cause of the problem

Fortunately, there are many effective and well-known over-the-counter preparations that allow you to better control your emotions and enjoy greater peace of mind. From this article, you'll learn which calming supplements can be used on an ad hoc basis, and which are better to take in your daily routine.

Over-the-counter sedation pills - are they safe?

As a general rule, the vast majority of over-the-counter supplements and herbs for sedation are safe, but several factors must always be taken into account. One very important factor is potential interactions with medications. If you are taking any medications, it is important to check for interactions before including calming supplements.

The individual reaction is also significant. Sometimes it happens that a substance that is statistically very well tolerated can make someone feel worse. Therefore, when using a supplement for the first time, don't go crazy with the dose.

Supplements and herbs for sedation that work temporarily

When moments of anxiety accompany you only occasionally, or every now and then you face situations of increased stress (such as presentations, public speeches, exams), it's worth equipping yourself with safe remedies to help tame your emotions.

L-Theanine

Theanine is a non-protein amino acid found mainly in green tea. It's what makes tea have such a pleasant effect, but a standard cup of tea provides much less theanine than a standard supplement capsule. Theanine has a relaxing effect, and studies show that it increases the proportion of alpha waves in the brain, inducing a state resembling that during meditation.

Kanna

Kanna, or Sceletium tortuosum, is an African herb that was valued especially by tribal hunters, but also used for social and ritual purposes. Its action is sedative and mood-enhancing, but without excessive inhibition of the nervous system, so it allows to maintain a sufficiently high concentration of attention. The mechanism of action of Kanna's active ingredients is very interesting, as it is strongly similar to the action of pharmacological antidepressants. Kanna for many people gives the expected effects even ad hoc, with a single dose, but it can also be used daily.

Valerian

Traditional valerian is an extract of the valerian plant. It is firmly entrenched in our culture, and first-aid kits in many Polish homes contain extracts of Valerian in various forms. Liquid tinctures in drop form and extracts in capsules are available on the market. Valerian is often used for sleep, but also to calm nervous moments. Its action focuses on activating the GABA system in the brain, our main calming agent.

Calming herbs and supplements for daily use

There are times when anxiety doesn't just happen occasionally, but to some degree accompanies us almost every day. Some people have had this for a long time, simply as a trait of their personality, while others have it during specific periods of their lives, such as after the birth of a child or a job change. In both of these cases, you can choose calming herbs or other supplements that, when used regularly, will improve your mood on a daily basis.

Ashwagandha

An adaptogenic herb and also one of the most popular supplements for stress reduction. Ashwagandha originated in Indian Ayurveda, where it has been used for thousands of years as a tonic for the mind and to support many other aspects of health. Its anti-stress and calming effects are only fully revealed with daily use. It is rare to feel any effects after a single dose.

Bacopa Monnieri

This herb is known for its combination of sedative and nootropic properties - it improves memory. The effects take time, as the full effect shows up after a month or so, but they are the result of a grassroots effect, so they tend to be long-lasting and can stay even after supplementation ends. Like Ashwagandha, Bacopa is an adaptogen and facilitates adaptation to stressful conditions.

Magnesium

An extremely important element for normal brain function - it regulates brain excitability. Its deficiency can cause anxiety and mood disorders. Unfortunately, magnesium deficiencies are common in society. Supplementing it supports psychological functions. When we include magnesium supplementation with an actual deficiency, you can feel quick and noticeable relief.

L-Tryptophan

An amino acid that is the building block for serotonin, the so-called happiness hormone. Many people find it helps improve their overall mental state, not only in terms of calming down, but also in terms of an overall increased sense of joy. It is very effective, especially when mood problems are due to an actual serotonin deficiency. However, it's important to observe your reaction to supplementation and when it doesn't bring noticeable benefits, discontinue it.

You can make things easier on yourself and choose any of the comprehensive supplements aimed at supporting the emotional sphere and reducing anxiety. Worth noting are:

• Apollo's Hegemony Relatonic
• HealthLabs Care ChillMe
• Labs212 AdaptoPOWER

In addition to tranquilizer pills, look for the cause of the problem

If anxiety, restlessness and excessive stress have been your constant companions for a long time, and their presence is significantly impairing your life comfort and daily functioning, consider seeing a doctor. Perhaps anxiety and mental tension are caused by health disorders, such as hypothyroidism, hormonal disorders, vitamin deficiencies. When the problem is chronic, psychotherapy often helps as well.

However, if your symptoms are not of critical severity, and you only need light support, it is worthwhile to help yourself with natural herbs or supplements such as magnesium and tryptophan to simply feel better and calmer.

Sources:

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• Tammadon MR, Nobahar M, Hydarinia-Naieni Z, Ebrahimian A, Ghorbani R, Vafaei AA. The Effects of Valerian on Sleep Quality, Depression, and State Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized, Double-blind, Crossover Clinical Trial. Oman Med J. 2021 Mar 31;36(2):e255.
• Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. 2019 Dec 25;11(12):e6466.
• Rai D, Bhatia G, Palit G, Pal R, Singh S, Singh HK. Adaptogenic effect of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi). Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2003 Jul;75(4):823-30.
• Boyle NB, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Apr 26;9(5):429.
• Kikuchi AM, Tanabe A, Iwahori Y. A systematic review of the effect of L-tryptophan supplementation on mood and emotional functioning. J Diet Suppl. 2021;18(3):316-333.