Got a Headache? These 6 Herbal Teas Will Help Kick It to the Curb

Registered dietitian and neuronutritionist Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, says a heat cup of tea could be a nice at-home treatment for serving to a pesky headache go away. “Sure teas can have anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing advantages that may assist alleviate complications,” Richter says. However not all brews are created equal with regards to relieving complications; there are some blends which might be much more efficient than others attributable to their distinctive natural properties.

Forward, Richter reveals the perfect tea for complications and what makes these brews so efficient in serving to cut back your signs so you may get again to feeling tea-rrific very quickly.

The perfect drink for a headache

Except for plain old school water, tea is among the greatest drinks for complications. Richter says teas might help relieve complications in quite a lot of methods. For starters, she says that teas with a small quantity of caffeine—we’re talkin’ lower than 100 milligrams—might help improve blood circulation within the mind, in any other case referred to as a vasodilating impact. This response might help improve the effectiveness of pain-relieving medicines. “In actual fact, most migraine-specific headache medicine has a specific amount of caffeine included for these very causes,” Richter says.

Take note, nonetheless, that having an excessive amount of caffeine can have the alternative impact and probably set off complications. (Do not stop caffeine chilly turkey for those who’re a heavy caffeine drinker, which might trigger caffeine withdrawals and migraines. Gradual and regular wins the race, fam.)

Natural teas (which generally do not have caffeine) may assist eliminate complications by focusing on varied different causes of complications and migraines. The specifics simply rely on what elements are within the teas. For instance, Richter says teas with sure anti-inflammatory herbs and antioxidants like polyphenols (a compound discovered in lots of vegetation) might help cut back the severity and recurrence of complications (since extra irritation could be a headache set off). If stress and anxiousness are enjoying a job within the onset of pressure complications and migraines, Richter recommends choosing teas with relaxation-boosting advantages (assume chamomile or lemon balm) to quell these signs. However, sure sorts of natural teas (like peppermint) may assist chill out the pinnacle and neck muscle groups that could be contributing to pressure or sinus-related complications.

Dehydration can be an enormous headache set off—and one thing that tea might help alleviate. “Tea can rely in direction of our total water consumption; natural teas can contribute to total hydration standing and due to this fact are an ideal adjunct remedy for headache administration,” Richter says. Tea might help increase electrolytes, which fits hand in hand with hydration. “Electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium are important for correctly using hydration within the physique. The common consumption of tea can’t solely assist to maintain us hydrated, however it can also contribute sure electrolytes to make sure our cells can take in the water higher,” she says.

Is tea good or unhealthy for migraine?

Tea is nice for migraines for lots of the similar causes that it is good for complications: quite a lot of the compounds in tea (like caffeine and antioxidants) might help cut back migraine signs.

Older analysis used to recommend that the caffeine in tea was a possible migraine set off. However a examine revealed in 2023 within the journal Scientific Stories discovered that there was no causality between ingesting tea and migraines¹. (Translation: There is no proof that ingesting tea causes migraines.) In actual fact, the caffeine in tea might help your migraines.

That mentioned, do not anticipate tea to be a miracle treatment for migraines, which might be extremely debilitating. There is no disgrace in taking meds, attempting sure yoga poses, dunking your face in ice water, or another helpful instruments you discover useful to deal with or handle migraines.

6 greatest teas for complications and migraines

1. Peppermint

Richter says peppermint tea must be your best choice for assuaging a headache, particularly for those who’re coping with pressure, sinus, or migraine-related signs. “One of many final teas for any kind of headache is peppermint,” she says.

In accordance with Richter, peppermint might help regulate the circulatory system by growing blood circulation to assist relieve headache signs. “Peppermint can have a vasodilating impact on the circulatory system², which implies that it could assist widen blood circulation to the mind. This makes it particularly useful for any kind of headache the place blood circulation is restricted,” she says. Plus, peppermint additionally incorporates menthol, which Richter says might help chill out the muscle groups³ of the pinnacle to assist alleviate complications.

2. Ginger

When you are inclined to expertise nausea or an upset abdomen attributable to headache ache, Richter says sipping on ginger tea might help. “Ginger is an anti-inflammatory herb and may relieve nausea, which is a symptom of migraines,” she says. Ginger incorporates an lively compound known as gingerol that analysis exhibits can probably modulate serotonin receptors within the GI tract⁴, thus decreasing the alerts that set off nausea and vomiting.

3. Chamomile

When you’re coping with pressure or sinus complications, Richter says chamomile could also be your cup of tea as it could act as a light muscle relaxant. In the meantime, for those who’re experiencing complications related to indigestion, chamomile can be utilized as a digestif to assist increase digestion. And if complications are retaining you awake at evening, Richter says the “delicate sedative-like high quality” of chamomile tea can probably show you how to chill out right into a slumber.

4. Lemon Balm

If anxiousness is triggering your complications, Richter recommends lemon balm tea. “Lemon balm is particularly useful for decreasing anxiousness⁵ that may contribute to pressure complications or migraines,” she says. “Lemon balm can cut back muscle spasm linked to complications,” she says.

5. Lavender

Just like lemon balm tea, Richter says lavender tea is right if anxiousness or stress are contributing to your complications. “Lavender has been used for hundreds of years as a leisure herb. It may be particularly useful for decreasing stress and decreasing cortisol,” she says. This may be notably useful for treating migraines or pressure complications that may improve cortisol ranges.“Due to its calming qualities, lavender may show you how to go to sleep and keep asleep, which might help you get better from complications extra rapidly,” she provides.

6. Feverfew

In accordance with Richter, ingesting feverfew tea—which comes from a flowering plant within the daisy household—repeatedly might help stave away complications. “When used extra repeatedly, feverfew might help cut back the frequency, severity and recurrence of migraines⁶ by inhibiting the discharge of prostaglandins and serotonin, each of which might exacerbate migraines,” she says. The tea additionally incorporates antioxidants that assist cut back oxidative stress within the physique, which might be useful in decreasing irritation associated to migraines, Richter says.

How a lot tea must you drink to alleviate complications?

In accordance with Richter, one to 2 cups of tea a day is an efficient start line, however this will fluctuate from individual to individual. Tea (notably the caffeine-free sort) might be consumed nearly anytime, with or with out meals. But when sleeping off a headache is the aim, Richter recommends sipping your tea nearer to bedtime. “Drink sure teas like chamomile or lavender teas nearer to bedtime as a result of they’re prone to make you sleepy,” she says. However, teas with greater ranges of caffeine—like inexperienced tea or matcha—must be consumed earlier within the day.

When getting ready your cup of tea, Richter says it’s greatest to make it plain and easy—no added sugar or cream, fam. “Ideally, it’s best to drink your tea with out sugar. Sugar might be an impartial set off for complications. And for some—even these with out an intolerance—dairy may set off irritation. For the perfect outcomes, drink tea with out both sugar or dairy,” she says.

When to get skilled assist for complications

Though tea could be a nice at-home treatment for assuaging delicate headache signs, Richter factors out that for those who get complications extra continuously than regular, or in case your complications get extra painful, it’s greatest to speak to a health-care skilled, as it could be an indication of a extra vital challenge. Richter additionally recommends seeing a health-care practitioner about your complications if:

• Over-the-counter of other treatments aren’t serving to
• You might be continuously sick (dizziness or vomiting) on account of your complications
• Complications are considerably impacting your means to carry out regular, day by day actions
• You might be experiencing aura complications, which impression imaginative and prescient and eyesight
• You have got an underlying well being situation and sure medicines would possibly intrude with managing different well being situations

Unwind for the evening with this dreamy lavender latte drink: