Every year, millions of prescriptions are written for anti-anxiety medications, making them some of the most commonly prescribed drugs.
But these medications don’t always work, can’t be used by everyone, and have a multitude of unacceptable side effects (including being highly addictive).
For reasons like these, more people are turning to natural remedies to control their anxiety instead.
Natural, traditional remedies have long histories of safe and effective use.
But science has shown that many of them work even better than anti-anxiety drugs.
In this review of 25 of the best natural anti-anxiety remedies, we explain how each of them works, the symptoms it treats best, and much more.
Pay close attention so that you match the best remedy to your particular situation.
Archaeologists have found evidence that we’ve been using plants medicinally for at least 60,000 years!
Eighty percent of the world’s population still rely on herbal remedies as part of their primary health care.
There’s been a resurgence in the use of herbs for anxiety in recent years.
This interest has been fueled by the rising costs of prescriptions plus the awareness that anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax and Ativan have serious side effects, including being some of the most addictive substances known.
These are our favorite herbal remedies for anxiety that have been proven both safe and effective.
It is used in both Scandinavian and Chinese traditional medicine.
It’s a potent adaptogen, a substance that strengthens your overall resistance to both physical and emotional stress.
This makes Arctic root particularly useful for anxiety accompanied by fatigue.
Other uses for this traditional herb include depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and memory loss.
It’s been shown to work faster for depression than antidepressant medications.
One of the ways it works is by increasing the activity of major neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
If you have brain fog, trouble concentrating, depression, or low energy along with your anxiety, Arctic root an excellent herb to consider.
Its name literally means “smell of the horse” since the root does smell a little horsey.
But don’t let that put you off since it’s also believed to bestow the strength and stamina of a horse on those who take it.
Its main use now is as a stress-relieving adaptogen.
It has a significant effect on the stress hormone cortisol, reducing it by 25%. (10)
It is very helpful at calming anxiety of all kinds, especially agoraphobia (fear of open places).
Try ashwagandha if you feel depressed, fatigued, and lack motivation.
Bacopa has a long history of use for increasing longevity and enhancing brain power.
It reduces anxiety while also improving memory and attention.
This makes it an excellent choice for anyone who has anxiety with memory loss.
If you try bacopa, be patient.
It can take a while for its effect to kick in.
Expect that it will take a few months to experience full benefits.
ginkgo for natural anxiety relief The earliest ginkgo fossils date back 270 million years.
Ginkgo trees literally grew when dinosaurs roamed the earth!
A handful of ginkgo trees were at the epicenter of the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast.
Amazingly, these trees are so hardy that they survived and are still alive today.
Ginkgo leaves have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.
Now it’s one of the most widely used herbal remedies in the world with annual sales topping $250 million.
While it’s thought of as mainly a memory enhancer, ginkgo reduces the release of stress hormone cortisol making it effective for anxiety and stress as well.
Ginkgo raises levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine which are essential for a positive mood.
The Chinese believe it to be the “elixir of life” and have used it to promote strength, stamina, and physical performance for over 5,000 years.
It is usually labeled Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng, depending on where it is grown.
Ginseng creates a relaxed, but alert, state.
It calms you down and boosts your energy without being over-stimulating.
It’s useful for treating stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression.
Other reported benefits of ginseng include better energy, sleep, libido, and overall well-being.
You may want to try American ginseng, a distinct species (Panax quinquefolius), that is widely regarded as the best ginseng in the world even by the Chinese!
People throughout this region make a traditional kava tea that’s valued for its ability to induce a state of relaxation and mental clarity.
Numerous studies consistently find kava effective at treating anxiety.
It’s been found to work as well as prescription medications for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by increasing the level of the brain chemical GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).
GABA is a relaxing neurotransmitter that calms the mind and puts the brakes on brain activity when needed.
Low GABA is associated with numerous mental and physical disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and fibromyalgia.
Kava should not be taken with many drugs and does not mix well with other natural remedies that can cause drowsiness such as 5-HTP, melatonin, gotu kola, valerian, and St. John’s wort.
It should never be taken with anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, or sleeping pills.
You can see the full list of substances to avoid with kava at Drugs.com.
You may have heard that kava is linked to liver damage, but this concern has been debunked and is largely unfounded.
In the US, kava is available in the form of capsules or liquid tincture, and less commonly as a tea
This beautiful flowering vine was used traditionally by Native Americans to treat anxiety and insomnia.
It was brought back to Europe and is now widely grown and used medicinally there too.
Studies have found it to be as good for treating generalized anxiety disorder as the prescription sedative Serax (oxazepam).
It’s believed to work by increasing brain levels of GABA.
It’s documented use in Europe goes back more than 2,000 years its properties were first described by Hippocrates.
It’s another one of the several herbs on this list thought to work by increasing GABA levels in the brain.
It is generally considered safe but unlike some of the other herbs for anxiety, valerian can definitely make you drowsy, so use it just before bedtime.
This makes it the herbal remedy of choice if you struggle with anxiety associated with insomnia.
Valerian can be consumed a tea or as a supplement, but most people stick with the supplement since valerian tea tastes and smells pretty awful.
Disturbingly, 80% of the products tested contain NONE of the herbs listed on the label.
Herbs tested included valerian and ginkgo.
What they did contain was cheap fillers, including houseplants.
Obviously these herbal supplements would not have been helpful and were potentially dangerous.
Whenever you buy herbs, always buy from a reputable company that specializes in herbal remedies, not a big box store.
Being low in certain vitamins can exacerbate anxiety symptoms, and the right supplements can help.
Anxiety, depression, fatigue, and poor concentration are signs of B vitamin deficiency.
B vitamins are needed to provide energy to brain cells and to create neurotransmitters.
See More at
But these medications don’t always work, can’t be used by everyone, and have a multitude of unacceptable side effects (including being highly addictive).
For reasons like these, more people are turning to natural remedies to control their anxiety instead.
Natural, traditional remedies have long histories of safe and effective use.
But science has shown that many of them work even better than anti-anxiety drugs.
In this review of 25 of the best natural anti-anxiety remedies, we explain how each of them works, the symptoms it treats best, and much more.
Pay close attention so that you match the best remedy to your particular situation.
Herbal Remedies for Anxiety
Plants parts seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, and flowers have been used medicinally by every culture.Archaeologists have found evidence that we’ve been using plants medicinally for at least 60,000 years!
Eighty percent of the world’s population still rely on herbal remedies as part of their primary health care.
There’s been a resurgence in the use of herbs for anxiety in recent years.
This interest has been fueled by the rising costs of prescriptions plus the awareness that anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax and Ativan have serious side effects, including being some of the most addictive substances known.
These are our favorite herbal remedies for anxiety that have been proven both safe and effective.
1. Arctic Root (Rhodiola rosea)
Arctic root for anxietyArctic root, as the name suggests, is found mainly in cold regions of the world like the Arctic and mountains of central China.It is used in both Scandinavian and Chinese traditional medicine.
It’s a potent adaptogen, a substance that strengthens your overall resistance to both physical and emotional stress.
This makes Arctic root particularly useful for anxiety accompanied by fatigue.
Other uses for this traditional herb include depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and memory loss.
It’s been shown to work faster for depression than antidepressant medications.
One of the ways it works is by increasing the activity of major neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
If you have brain fog, trouble concentrating, depression, or low energy along with your anxiety, Arctic root an excellent herb to consider.
2. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in the 3,000-year-old Ayurvedic Hindu system of medicine.Its name literally means “smell of the horse” since the root does smell a little horsey.
But don’t let that put you off since it’s also believed to bestow the strength and stamina of a horse on those who take it.
Its main use now is as a stress-relieving adaptogen.
It has a significant effect on the stress hormone cortisol, reducing it by 25%. (10)
It is very helpful at calming anxiety of all kinds, especially agoraphobia (fear of open places).
Try ashwagandha if you feel depressed, fatigued, and lack motivation.
3. Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri)
Bacopa monnieri, sometimes called brahmi (from the word “brahman” meaning “the energy of universal consciousness”), is another important adaptogenic herb in Ayurvedic medicine.Bacopa has a long history of use for increasing longevity and enhancing brain power.
It reduces anxiety while also improving memory and attention.
This makes it an excellent choice for anyone who has anxiety with memory loss.
If you try bacopa, be patient.
It can take a while for its effect to kick in.
Expect that it will take a few months to experience full benefits.
4. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Ginkgo biloba is one the world’s most ancient and impressive plants.ginkgo for natural anxiety relief The earliest ginkgo fossils date back 270 million years.
Ginkgo trees literally grew when dinosaurs roamed the earth!
A handful of ginkgo trees were at the epicenter of the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast.
Amazingly, these trees are so hardy that they survived and are still alive today.
Ginkgo leaves have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.
Now it’s one of the most widely used herbal remedies in the world with annual sales topping $250 million.
While it’s thought of as mainly a memory enhancer, ginkgo reduces the release of stress hormone cortisol making it effective for anxiety and stress as well.
Ginkgo raises levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine which are essential for a positive mood.
5. Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
Ginseng is one of the most ancient, popular and widely studied herbs on the planet.The Chinese believe it to be the “elixir of life” and have used it to promote strength, stamina, and physical performance for over 5,000 years.
It is usually labeled Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng, depending on where it is grown.
Ginseng creates a relaxed, but alert, state.
It calms you down and boosts your energy without being over-stimulating.
It’s useful for treating stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression.
Other reported benefits of ginseng include better energy, sleep, libido, and overall well-being.
You may want to try American ginseng, a distinct species (Panax quinquefolius), that is widely regarded as the best ginseng in the world even by the Chinese!
6. Kava (Piper methysticum)
Kava (or kava kava) is a medicinal plant that originates in the South Pacific and is one of the most potent natural remedies for anxiety known.People throughout this region make a traditional kava tea that’s valued for its ability to induce a state of relaxation and mental clarity.
Numerous studies consistently find kava effective at treating anxiety.
It’s been found to work as well as prescription medications for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by increasing the level of the brain chemical GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).
GABA is a relaxing neurotransmitter that calms the mind and puts the brakes on brain activity when needed.
Low GABA is associated with numerous mental and physical disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and fibromyalgia.
Kava should not be taken with many drugs and does not mix well with other natural remedies that can cause drowsiness such as 5-HTP, melatonin, gotu kola, valerian, and St. John’s wort.
It should never be taken with anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, or sleeping pills.
You can see the full list of substances to avoid with kava at Drugs.com.
You may have heard that kava is linked to liver damage, but this concern has been debunked and is largely unfounded.
In the US, kava is available in the form of capsules or liquid tincture, and less commonly as a tea
7. Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)
passionflower for anxietyPassion flower is the only herbal remedy on this list native to North America.This beautiful flowering vine was used traditionally by Native Americans to treat anxiety and insomnia.
It was brought back to Europe and is now widely grown and used medicinally there too.
Studies have found it to be as good for treating generalized anxiety disorder as the prescription sedative Serax (oxazepam).
It’s believed to work by increasing brain levels of GABA.
8. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Valerian has been called “nature’s Valium” and is mainly used to relieve anxiety, stress, and insomnia.It’s documented use in Europe goes back more than 2,000 years its properties were first described by Hippocrates.
It’s another one of the several herbs on this list thought to work by increasing GABA levels in the brain.
It is generally considered safe but unlike some of the other herbs for anxiety, valerian can definitely make you drowsy, so use it just before bedtime.
This makes it the herbal remedy of choice if you struggle with anxiety associated with insomnia.
Valerian can be consumed a tea or as a supplement, but most people stick with the supplement since valerian tea tastes and smells pretty awful.
A Warning About Buying Herbal Supplements
In 2015, it was discovered that herbal supplements sold under brand name labels from Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and GNC contained little to none of what was listed on the label.Disturbingly, 80% of the products tested contain NONE of the herbs listed on the label.
Herbs tested included valerian and ginkgo.
What they did contain was cheap fillers, including houseplants.
Obviously these herbal supplements would not have been helpful and were potentially dangerous.
Whenever you buy herbs, always buy from a reputable company that specializes in herbal remedies, not a big box store.
Vitamins for Anxiety
While it’s important for general health and mental well-being to meet all your basic vitamin needs, there are a few vitamins you should pay particular attention to if you have anxiety.Being low in certain vitamins can exacerbate anxiety symptoms, and the right supplements can help.
9. B Complex Vitamins
B complex vitamins are sometimes referred to as “happy vitamins” or “anti-stress vitamins” since they can elevate your mood and increase your tolerance to stress.Anxiety, depression, fatigue, and poor concentration are signs of B vitamin deficiency.
B vitamins are needed to provide energy to brain cells and to create neurotransmitters.
See More at
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