By: Rylee Sammons
In this day and age, I believe we are under more stress than we ever have been before. Between digital overstimulation, chronic stress and a never-ending state of urgency in life, I think it makes a lot of sense why a lot of us feel the way we feel: depleted and overwhelmed. When we live in a perpetual state of “there’s a tiger chasing me”, our nervous system can become overworked and that can make it really hard to enjoy the little things in life. Chronic stress is something that our nervous systems know too well in this day and age and can trigger high levels of cortisol to be produced by our adrenal system. This can wreak havoc on our bodies and lead our adrenal systems to become dysregulated: potentially leading to fatigue, inflammation, mood changes, sleep dysregulation and impaired immune and cognitive function. So please read more to learn why Nervines won’t fix your life…but they will certainly help.
So how do I support my nervous system?
This is where nervines come in….
You may be asking yourself, “What is a nervine?”.
A nervine is an herb that directly supports the health and function of the nervous system.
There are different types of nervines with different types of actions. Ranging in a spectrum:
- Relaxing nervines can help calm an overactive system, easing tension and supporting the body in the transition from fight or flight into rest and digest.
- Stimulating nervines gently support the mind and body when fatigue or stagnation has set in, but you still have to be a functioning member of society.
- Tonifying nervines help support the process of strengthening and restoring the nervous system to a healthy state and encouraging resilience to stress.
Some nervines do one of these things, others do multiple; they are not all the same. By supporting the nervous system, nervines can help restore balance and equilibrium. Not just through sedation but also by nourishing and increasing resilience.
It is important to note that nourishing the nervous system is a multi-faceted project. While herbs are a great tool, getting adequate rest and nourishment, managing stress and regular exercise are a big part of addressing those frayed nerves holistically.
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Botanical name: Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn. O. Sanctum)
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family)
Parts Used: Aerial parts
Energetics: Warming
Historical uses: Revered for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine, Tulsi or Holy Basil translates from Sanskrit roughly to “the incomparable one.” Traditionally regarded as sacred in Hindu households, thought of as the manifestation of the goddess Lakshmi.
Uses as a nervine: Tulsi is a stimulating nervine with warming circulatory properties that enhance blood flow to the cerebral cortex, helping to clear mental stagnation and sharpen focus. While promoting alertness, it also promotes calm concentration and modulation of cortisol levels by helping the body adapt to long-term stress. Not only does this plant help regulate stress levels, but it also addresses inflammation and oxidative stress. Tulsi is a great support for supporting cognitive clarity, all while grounding the nervous system for a not-so-jittery focus when the time comes to be a powerhouse of productivity.*
What does Tulsi feel like: You may feel a steadier focus and like your brain rebooted and took a breath of fresh air. Feeling more linear in thought and less overwhelmed by the to-do list. It may be an enhanced endurance throughout the day, skipping the after-lunch nap. It supports stress resilience, not in a fake-it-until-you-make-it-power-through-until-you-can-cry-in-your-car kind of way, but in a “slow and steady wins the race” way.
Why does Tulsi make me feel this way? There are many reasons that Tulsi gives you a calming and energizing effect from its constituents. These compounds work together as one team to balance the nervous and endocrine systems.
Major constituents responsible:
Eugenol: volatile oil
- Supports regulation of the body’s central stress response system (HPA axis) by preventing cortisol overproduction during moments of stress.*
- Interactions with dopamine and serotonin receptors to support mood and stability.*
Rosmarinic Acid: polyphenol
A strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps protect the brain from oxidative stress*
Apigenin & Luteolin: Flavonoids
These compounds bind to the benzodiazepine receptor sites on the GABAa receptor, which may modulate the central nervous system stress response, indirectly calming the HPA axis overactivation.*
Safety/Contraindication:
Avoid using Tulsi if you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, as some studies suggest it may negatively affect fertility or early embryo development. Tulsi can also speed up how quickly the body processes certain medications, so check with your healthcare provider if you take prescription drugs. Tulsi has mild blood-thinning and blood sugar–lowering effects; use caution if you’re taking anticoagulants or diabetes medication, or insulin.*
Skullcap
Botanical Name: Scutellaria lateriflora
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Parts Used: Primarily the leaves and flowers, stems occasionally, roots rarely
Energetics: Cooling and Drying
Historical uses: Skullcap has been valued in Indigenous herbal medicine for similar uses that we use today. Skullcap was used by many indigenous peoples of North America for its sedative and antispasmodic properties to ease tension, headache, restlessness, as well as for breast pain and respiratory conditions such as bronchitis. Some peoples used it as a digestive stimulant and gentle laxative.
Uses as a nervine: In Western Herbalism, skullcap is a well revered, tried and true relaxing nervine used quite often. Particularly indicated for those in a “wired but tired” state. When thoughts feel hot, congested, and overactive. In short, you’re spiraling, but you are utterly exhausted.
This plant works by enhancing the brain’s response to GABA (our main calm-down chemical). This in turn quiets our mental chatter. It also simultaneously works as a trophorestorative: supporting the long-term balancing of the nervous system after extended periods of chronic stress or burnout.*
Skullcap also offers antioxidant properties, helping to reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress in the body that can arise from ongoing emotional or physical strains. Have you ever been so stressed that you suddenly break out into hives or develop food sensitivities that weren’t always there? It’s most likely due to inflammation caused by chronic cortisol from stress. Since stress has a negative impact on immune function, these chronic inflammation responses can impact our skin and gut as well.*
What does Skullcap feel like in my body?
Keeping in mind that everybody can have different responses, many people describe skullcap as turning down the volume on the inner monologue/inner chatter. The racing thought will slow, the internal alarms stop blaring and the constant feeling of needing to do something but having no energy to do it may subside. Skullcap can instill feelings of calm, clear and focused (potentially a bit sleepy, depending on dosage).*
Why does Skullcap make me feel this way?
Skullcap has a multifaceted effect on the nervous system: by actively encouraging calm on a physiological level, as well as eliminating inflammation in the body through antioxidant properties. These actions act like a set of training wheels for the nervous system– gently encouraging balance and resilience, rather than the masking or suppression of dysregulation. With consistent support, Skullcap may support healthy baseline regulation between fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest and stress adaptation in the moments in between.*
Major constituents responsible for specific action:
Flavonoid: Wogonin, Baicalein, Baicalin
- These molecules bind to the GABAa receptors in the brain, encouraging a higher sensitivity to our body’s natural calming molecules. This action gently quiets the nervous and helps support relaxation in the moment of stress.*
- These same constituents act as antioxidants, protecting the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation.*
Safety/Contraindication: Skullcap is generally considered safe as it is a gentler herb. However, it may enhance the effects of sedative medication, so caution is advised with sleep aids or anxiolytics, as they may interact on similar pathways in the body. Excessive doses of tincture may cause drowsiness, confusion, or mild muscle twitching. While no adverse effects have been documented during pregnancy, medicinal doses of mint-family herbs are typically avoided due to their potential uterine-stimulating (emmenagogue) actions and volatile oil content. As with any herbal supplement, consult a qualified practitioner before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications.*
California Poppy
Botanical name: Eschscholzia californica
Family: Papaveraceae (Poppy family)
Energetics: cooling
Historical uses: Traditionally, California’s Indigenous peoples used the root to help wean infants, likely due to poppies’ bitter alkaloids that discouraged nursing. Infusions were prepared as sleep aids and mild pain relievers for headaches, toothaches, and muscle aches. The plant was also used externally for wounds, burns, and skin irritations.
Other traditional uses include using the leaves as food, pollen as a cosmetic, decoctions to treat lice, and even flowers as a natural chewing gum.
Uses as a nervine:
California Poppy is indicated for sleep disturbances due to racing thoughts or worry, or disturbances related to tension and pain. By its physiological action of supporting GABA receptor sensitivity, C. poppy can support relaxation, ease restlessness, as well as stress-related muscle tension.*
Although related to Opium Poppy, California Poppy has a unique constituent makeup containing no opiate alkaloids. Although the constituents in C. Poppy do interact with serotonin and opiate receptors in the body, they act in a balancing, rather than intoxicating and addictive way. *
What does California Poppy feel like in my body?
As this plant is dose-dependent, different amounts affect different bodies.
Low doses of C. Poppy: Supports gentle, calm, slower thoughts and easier transition into a restful mindset and is what some would call “the wind down period, pre-bed”. While higher doses may feel more sedative***
***ALWAYS LEARN HOW YOUR BODY RESPONDS BEFORE OPERATING VEHICLES OR MACHINERY***
Why does California Poppy make me feel this way?
Due to C. Poppy’s alkaloid content and the type of alkaloid interacting with receptors in your body, the reaction is due to an enhancement of signaling that calls in GABA that’s floating inside your body. It does this as well as supporting the reduction of oxidative stress that can impair the healthy nervous system and immune function.*
Major constituents responsible for specific action:
Isoquinoline alkaloids:
- S-reticuline encourages stabilization of neurons, reducing excessive firing while encouraging GABA receptor sensitivity in specific receptors tied to anxiety regulation and calm cognition. All while working diligently with specific serotonin receptors influencing our circadian rhythms and sleep cycles.*
- N-methyllaurotentanine is tasked to interact with serotonin receptors involved in mood, anxiety, and circadian rhythm. Resetting overactive pathways seen in states of chronic stress and panic*
Flavone Glycosides:
- Rutin supports antioxidant reduction in states of oxidative stress and inflammation*
Safety/Contraindication:
California poppy is considered a gentler herb with the correct dose for application. However, due to California poppy’s sedative and anxiolytic action, it may enhance the effect of prescription sedatives, sleep aids, anxiolytics, or alcohol, so ask a health care professional before using. At higher doses, some individuals may experience drowsiness or dizziness. It is best to avoid operating vehicles or machinery until you know how it affects you. California Poppy is not recommended for breastfeeding or pregnant individuals. As with any nervine, start small and be mindful of your body’s response, and use under the guidance of a clinical herbalist or healthcare professional if taking medications or managing chronic conditions.*
Unfortunately, nervines will not fix your life, BUT they will certainly help… nervines aren’t a one-size-fits-all fix. They won’t pay your bills, process your childhood trauma, or read your emails from your passive-aggressive coworkers, but they will help you take a deep breath and type out an email cool as a cucumber. Without the rant or smoke blowing out of your ears.
They will help the body remember what it is like to come out of fight-or-flight, somewhat as a reset button that says, “hey, why don’t we drop our shoulders and unclench our jaw”. Benefits include: Quieting mental chatter and supporting sleep, encouraging moments of rest.
Think of them as a kind friend who cares, rather than a superhero. Tulsi helps you take on stress with precision focus, while Skullcap quiets the mental chatter and California Poppy gently reminds you it’s okay to slow down when your body has forgotten how. Nervines hold your hand in the hard things. They are the warm smile over your shoulder that encourages you to say “no” even though it’s terrifying in a world that feels entitled to your “yes”.
So no, they won’t fix your life, but they’ll help you figure it out. <3
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your doctor when changing medications, adding in herbs when taking prescription drugs, or diagnosing mental or physical illnesses. The information provided in this Blog Post are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Be cautious when trying new herbs and always consult your doctor for major medical advice.
References:
Awad, R, et al. “Phytochemical and Biological Analysis of Skullcap (Scutellaria Lateriflora L.): A Medicinal Plant with Anxiolytic Properties.” Phytomedicine : International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10 Nov. 2004, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14692724/.
Fedurco, Milan, et al. “Modulatory Effects of Eschscholzia Californica Alkaloids on Recombinant GABAA Receptors.” Biochemistry Research International, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2015, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4609799/.
Gafner, Stefan, et al. “Alkaloids from Eschscholzia Californica and Their Capacity to Inhibit Binding of [3H]8-Hydroxy-2-(Di-N-Propylamino)Tetralin to 5-HT1A Receptors in Vitro.” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2006, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16562853/.
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“Herbal Monograph: California Poppy (Eschscholzia Californica).” The Healing Herb Garden, https://www.thehealingherbgarden.co.uk/pages/herbal-monograph-california-poppy-eschscholzia-californica . Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Lohan, Madhukar, et al. “Anti-Oxidative and DNA Protecting Effects of Flavonoids-Rich Scutellaria Lateriflora.” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 Oct. 2013, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24354189/ .
Manda, Vamshi, et al. “Modulation of Cyps, P-GP, and PXR by Eschscholzia Californica (California Poppy) and Its Alkaloids.” PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27054913/ .Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Savins, Dale Amanda. “Scutellaria Lateriflora.” Southern Cross University, 2008, https://www.scu.edu.au/…/scutellaria-lateriflora/ .
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