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Herbal Action: Nervine
Support and calm the nervous system
Nervines support the nervous system, regulate nerve responses, and relieve pain. They generally fall into two groups: nerve tonics, which build and strengthen nerve tissue over time, and nerve sedatives, which calm and relax the nervous system in the moment.
Nerve tonics feed, tone, rehabilitate, fortify, and strengthen the nerve tissue.
Nerve sedatives work to relax, soothe, and nourish the nervous system to help reduce pain, ease tension, and encourage sleep.
A few of these herbs — Kava Kava, Valerian, and Passionflower — are considered deep sedatives. These are best reserved for acute situations, like helping with sleep during a rough night, rather than for everyday, ongoing use.
Yarrow holds a distinctive role among the nervines — rather than simply toning or sedating, it's considered a nerve regenerator, supporting the actual repair and rebuilding of nerve tissue.
How they're used:
Nervines are commonly taken as teas, extracts, or capsules. Tonics are often used consistently over time to build resilience, while sedatives are more commonly used for acute issues.
When to consider them:
Stress, fatigue, poor nutrition, and any nervous system condition — tension, anxiety, nerve pain, or difficulty sleeping.
Nerve Tonic Herbs
Boneset
Catnip
Celery
Chamomile
Garlic
Gravel root
Hops
Lady's slipper
Lemon balm
Linden
Oats / oatstraw
Pleurisy root
Skullcap
St. John's wort (also a sedative)
Virginia snake root
Wood betony
Wormwood
Nerve Sedative Herbs
Black cohosh
Blue cohosh
Blue vervain
Bugleweed
California poppy
Catnip
Chamomile
Crampbark
Hawthorn
Hops
Hyssop
Kava Kava (deep sedative)
Lady's slipper
Lavender
Lemon balm
Lobelia
Mint(s)
Motherwort
Passionflower (deep sedative)
Peach bark
Pennyroyal
Red clover
Rose
Rue
Sage
Saw palmetto
Scullcap
Sorrel
St. John's wort
Thyme
Valerian (deep sedative)
Wild cherry
Wild lettuce
Witch hazel
Wood betony
Yarrow (also a nerve regenerator)
