Research shows that up to 40 percent of people in the UK are seriously stressed every day of the week. Stress is a major cause of weight gain and poor health so take a break from your busy schedule to chill out. Curl up with a great book, have a soak in a relaxing aromatherapy bath and sip a warm mug of chamomile tea before bed.

Passion flower or Passiflora, is a vine known for its beautiful white flowers with purple, blue, or pink calyx crown blooms. The plant is native to North, Central, and South America. It was discovered by the West when Spanish explorers first ventured into Peru and came across the Aztec Indians, who were fond of using Passiflora as a sedative and analgesic.

Recent studies have renewed interest in the herb. Researchers don’t know exactly how passionflower works, but they theorise that compounds in the plant, known as flavonoids and alkaloids, regulate the neurotransmitters in your nervous system that reduce anxiety. (One of its active constituents includes harmine; the ingredient used as a ‘truth serum’ by the Germans in World War II, by virtue of its ability to relax the mind and create a contemplative state.)

 

Studies on passion flower are limited but promising. In a double-blind study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics in 2001, 32 people suffering from general anxiety disorder were treated daily with 45 drops of passionflower liquid extract or 30 mg of oxazepam, a common anti-anxiety drug. After four weeks, both groups showed a significant decrease in their anxiety symptoms. But none of the people taking passionflower reported severely impaired job performance, while 44 percent of the patients taking oxazepam did.

 

In a study published in 2002 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers gave passionflower extract to alcohol-addicted mice undergoing alcohol withdrawal. The herbal extract reduced the mice’s withdrawal anxiety by up to 90 percent compared to mice that received no treatment.

 

It seems that the constituents in Passion flower somehow decrease the activity of nerve cells in the brain, causing relaxation and is therefore helpful for anxiety and insomnia because of its calming effect. It is also effective in increasing the activity of feel good neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. This makes it anti-depressive, a useful alternative to St John’s Wort for those who can’t take it.

 

Stress and depression are on the increase today in our 24/7 wired world and the nerve relaxant, blood pressure lowering effects of Passiflora make it of prime interest to those vulnerable to stress symptoms. It can also be helpful during the menopause, when falling hormone levels can make women prone to anxiety and depression.

 

The overall effect of Passiflora, when used as a whole herb, is as a gentle but effective relaxant that calms the central nervous system with no addictive properties, so it is appropriate for a whole host of conditions, from sleeping problems to nerve spasms. In addition to being helpful for anxiety, stress, insomnia, and nervous gastrointestinal conditions, the passion flower is also commonly used for pain relief, digestive upsets, painful periods and haemorrhoids.

 

You can take Passion flower in capsule form or you can use the dried herbs. To make an anxiety-easing tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of the dried herb. Steep for 15 minutes, strain, and drink 1 cup twice a day.

 

Passionflower appears to be safe when taken in the recommended doses, but it may make you drowsy. Talk to your health care practitioner before using passionflower if you have a bleeding or clotting disorder or take sedative medications, including antihistamines and sleep aids; the herb can intensify their effects. Don’t exceed recommended dosages and don’t take the herb if you’re pregnant or nursing.

The essential oils used in aromatherapy stimulate the part of brain that deals with emotion and memory, promoting the release of feel good chemicals. They can lift your mood but their healing properties can also soothe and relieve a host of physical and emotional problems from depression to headaches.

Low mood: Citrus oils have bright, fresh and zesty oils that can lift spirits.

DIY recipe: Blend two drops of lemon and orange essential oil in a vapouriser. Or three drops of grapefruit in a carrier oil added to the bath can also have a positive effect on mood. Bergamot and valerian are also good uplifting oils. Avoid using citrus oils before going out into sunlight as they can make your skin sensitive.

 

Irritability: Geranium, frankincense and rosewood can help combat mood swings.

DIY recipe: Add three drops of geranium, four drops of frankincense and three drops of rosewood essential oils to 20 ml of grape seed oil and massage into the skin after a bath. Lemon is also known for its mood calming effect so try adding a drop to a bath or massage oils.

 

Stress: To induce a more harmonious way of life try incorporating aromatherapy into your daily routine.

DIY recipe: Put two drops of peppermint oil or lemon essential oil onto a tissue and  inhale when stressed to help invigorate or burn in a vapouriser and place on your desk. Add two drops of soothing lavender, relaxing lavender or calming ylang ylang to the bath to help you wind down.

 

Everyday ailments: Niggling day to day ailments can deplete your energy so why not try these DIY remedies.

• Headaches: rub two drops of lavender essential oil onto your temples
• Blocked sinuses: Sniff the vapour of two drops of eucalyptus oil in boiling water
• PMS: Use two drops of grapefruit in a carrier oil as a tummy massage for bloating.
• Insomnia: Mix three drops of lavender and tree drops of rose wood into a bath before bedtime to help you switch off.
• Indigestion: Add two drops of peppermint essential oil to a teaspoon of vegetable oil and massage into the tummy in a circular, clockwise direction.

 

The five aromatherapy essentials

 

These five oils should be in every first aid cabinet. To use mix a few drops of the oil in 20 ml of a carrier oil and either burn in a vapouriser or inhale in a tissue, use as a massage oil or add to a bath.

 

• Tea tree is a natural antiseptic with antimicrobial properties which help treat spots, cuts, bites and stings.
• Peppermint is ideal for digestive troubles such as nausea and flatulence.
• Rosemary can help with painful periods, headaches and muscular pains.
• Eucalyptus is a powerful decongestant and can help with coughs, colds and catarrh.
• Lavender is a soothing oil, excellent for relieving stress and inducing sleep.