Overstimulated? Herbs Might Help

Bright lights, buzzing phones, endless notifications, traffic, aches, and emotional stress—our senses get hit from every direction these days. All that input can push our brains into fight-or-flight mode, flooding us with stress hormones and putting our nervous system on high alert. When that keeps happening, it’s no wonder we end up feeling cranky, anxious, and totally drained. Sometimes we’re so wiped out we don’t even want to talk to anyone. Headaches, nausea, dizziness, even panic can creep in. And if you’ve been through trauma or are under constant stress, it can feel even harder to handle. (2)

Even if the world feels noisy, we can carve out moments of quiet. The world will always be a little loud, so it is crucial to our wellbeing that we actively soothe and support our minds and bodies regularly. In this blog, we’ll outline some of the exercises, lifestyle changes, and herbs that can work as a team to help keep things calm, feed your system, and create harmony, no matter what’s coming at us.

Our Secret Weapon: The Vagus Nerve

The good news? There are easy ways to feel calmer, even when life feels chaotic. One of the most powerful tools we have is the vagus nerve. It’s part of the parasympathetic nervous system—the system that helps us ‘rest and digest.’ This nerve runs all the way from our brainstem down through your neck and into your lungs, heart, and digestive tract. When we activate it, we send a signal to the body that says, ‘You’re safe.’ That simple shift can help steady your mood, support digestion, and even keep your heart rate in check. (3,4)

Fortunately, we are already familiar with many of the free, easy ways to stimulate this important nerve, including:

1. Breathing deeply, with slow exhales, especially accompanied by a humming sound as we breathe out. Humming, or other vocal sounds like chanting or singing, literally vibrates the vagus nerve, sending calming signals throughout our bodies.

NOTE: Deep breathing can occasionally have the opposite effect and be activating for some folks. If this feels true for you, try a less active breathing practice like this:

Hold up one hand in front of you and focus on it as you trace its outline with your pointer finger of the other hand, back and forth, breathing naturally, until you feel more ease. (This is a great calming activity for kids, too)

2. Meditation. Close your eyes and just breathe for about 10 minutes. It gives your mind and body a chance to chill out and find balance. Want to make it even cozier? Grab a weighted blanket or a pillow while you do it—or even when you’re resting or sleeping—to feel extra safe and grounded.

3. Movement. Gentle movement works wonders—walk, dance, or even bounce on a trampoline. Shaking out your limbs is great too!

4. Tapping, patting, brushing, and pressing. Even smaller movements can be super helpful. Tapping the head and chest with your fingers, gently patting and brushing down your body with your hands, and pressing slowly and deeply into the chest and other body parts can do wonders to reset an overstimulated nervous system.

5. Listening to music. We all know music is medicine, right? Listening to something you find soothing is great for stimulating the vagus nerve and bringing yourself back into a peaceful state of being. Singing or humming along is even better! Listening through headphones can also drown out the external noise.

6. Experiencing awe. Spend time in nature, watch a sunset, or listen to birds. Anything that makes you go “wow” helps calm your nervous system.

Phones: The Biggest Culprit

Our phones are a major source of overstimulation. Alerts, endless scrolling, and constant dopamine hits can lead to anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and even memory issues. (3)

Because we are dependent on our phones in so many ways and would find it difficult to live without them, it's up to us to create boundaries with them. Some ways to do this are:

Quieting alerts. Consider what notifications are truly necessary. Silence the others. Calls from your kids, yes. Someone liked your Instagram post? Probably not so much. Less beeping, buzzing, and pinging equals less alarming your nervous system and more calm and quiet.
Stop mindless scrolling. Set specific times (w/ specific limits) to check social media.
Set phone-free spaces & times of day, especially at the beginning and end of the day. Cell phones are extremely disruptive to melatonin production, and therefore, sleep patterns. Maybe the bedroom and the dinner table are phone-free spaces. Phone-free time allows stress circuits to reset and stabilize our moods. (3)
Swap phone time with soothing time like bathing, napping, hiking, reading, baking, or gardening. This trains our brain to get comfort that does not rely on a screen.
Celebrate time spent doing other things that connect you with the world and beings around you. Reward yourself!

Herbs That Help Bring Ease

If it feels overwhelming to consider making major changes to your patterns, remember to start small. Start with one thing. Start with this breath. Maybe you repeat it a few times. (Maybe you hum). This alone disrupts the chaos and signals to our bodies that we are okay.

At Earthley, we know how busy and complicated life can be, and that’s why we genuinely want to share what we learn. And what helps us. This is why we work with plants to help everyone thrive. Some of the herbs we have found to support and replenish our overstimulated systems are:

Ashwagandha helps your body chill out by balancing stress hormones. It’s like giving your brain and thyroid a little pep talk: “You’ve got this.” Perfect for those days when you feel frazzled and need steady energy instead of burnout.

Found in Cocoa Calm, Master Tonic, Thyroid Support, Nourish Him Naturally, Anxiety Relief, and Natural Balance.

Holy Basil helps your body handle stress better and keeps your blood sugar and hormones in check. If you’re juggling work, family, and a million other things, this herb can help you feel more grounded and less like you’re running on fumes.

Found in Relax & Renew Oil, CBD Oil Plus, Metabolism Support, and Adaptogenic Immunity.

Schisandra supports mood, sharpens focus, and even helps with energy and endurance, so you can power through without feeling wiped out. Plus, it supports detox and hormone balance, which is great if stress has been throwing everything off.

Found in Happy Hormone Tea, Cocoa Calm, Master Tonic, Lunamore, and Fertili Boost.

Lavender is basically the spa in a plant. It’s famous for helping you relax, but it also supports digestion and even skin health. Whether you sip it in tea, add it to a bath, or use it as an essential oil, it’s like telling your nervous system, “Take a deep breath, you’re safe.”

Found in Relax & Unwind Tea, Relax & Renew Oil, CBD Oil Plus, Calming Essential Oil Roller, Herbal Soothing Bath, Magnesium Lotion, Anxiety Relief, and many of our Skin Care products.

Lemon Balm is amazing for easing stress and helping you sleep better. If your mind races at night or you feel tense during the day, this herb can help you find that sweet spot of calm without knocking you out completely.

Found in Relax & Unwind Tea, Greens Powder, Relax & Renew Oil, Cold Sore Serum, CBD Oil Plus, and Herbal Throat Spray.

Life can feel loud and fast, but you’re not alone. Start small. Maybe with one deep breath or a cup of calming tea and build from there. You’ve got this, and we’ve got your back!

Disclaimer - This blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services and its statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider regarding a specific medical condition.