Passionflower For Anxiety: Does It Really Work?

Passionflower is a herb that has been used in medicine for centuries. Passionflower extract is most commonly used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders due to the deeply relaxing sedative effect it tends to produce. Several studies have shown that passionflower is able to boost levels of GABA, which is a neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity.

An overactive brain leads to anxiety and inability to sleep, so if you can reduce the level of activity in your brain through higher levels of GABA, you can thereby relieve anxiety and restlessness.

Passionflower Benefits

Anxiety-ridden and sleep-deprived people can typically expect tremendous passionflower benefits. It’s in the best interest of anyone with an anxiety or sleep disorder to increase GABA levels in their brain. Any natural way to boost levels of GABA, 5 HTP, and serotonin is going to produce great benefits for these types of people.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use passionflower just because you don’t have any anxiety or sleep disorders. Anyone can benefit from a passionflower supplement, but the effects will likely be much more significant for people with anxiety and/or insomnia.

Here’s a list of the main passionflower benefits:

• Improves mood
• Elevates GABA levels
• Decreases brain activity
• Promotes calm and relaxation
• Reduces anxiety levels
• Helps induce sleep

Passionflower Tea Vs. Passionflower Supplements

Many people drink passionflower tea at night to calm their nerves, reduce anxiety, and help them fall asleep, but is drinking tea really the best way to utilize the passionflower benefits? The truth is you are not getting a very large dosage of passionflower simply by drinking a cup of passionflower tea.

On the other hand, you can get a very significant dosage by option for a passionflower supplement. This the main reason we tend to recommend passionflower supplements instead of tea. You simply get more out of supplements since they tend to be much more potent than tea.

Another reason many people are switching from tea to supplements is convenience. People don’t want to have to drink a cup of passionflower tea every night because most people don’t like the taste. It’s much easier to just take a capsule before you go to bed.

Your choice comes down to this: would you rather take a highly potent capsule or drink a minimally potent cup of tea?

Passionflower Side Effects

One of the best parts of using a flower to help treat a condition is the fact that you are very unlikely to experience side effects. Passionflower side effects are typically nonexistent since it’s just an herb after all. On the other hand, if you were to opt for prescription anxiety or sleep medications, you would likely have to deal with some side effects.

Although passionflower side effects are uncommon, they have been reported in some instances. Here are some of the ones people have reported before: dizziness, sleepiness, and confusion. It’s possible you could experience these side effects by using too much passionflower during the day. It is definitely best used at night time as a late night anxiety reliever and/or insomnia supplement.

Conclusion: Should You Use Passionflower For Anxiety/Insomnia Relief?

Passionflower is an excellent option for people experiencing late night anxiety or sleep troubles. Since it increases GABA levels, it can in turn reduce brain activity, which helps you feel much more relaxed. Passionflower puts you in a great position to fall asleep, and it is most effective for insomnia when combined with other similar nutrients.