Lemon Balm For Stress Relief: Does Lemon Balm Help With Stress?

Feeling stressed out at every turn prevents you from fully living your life. It can get in the way of being present for important moments, performing your best in the workplace, and eventually, it can have more sinister consequences.

But stress is all around you, so you need a healthy way to keep its harmful effects at bay - such as lemon balm for stress relief. But does lemon balm help with stress enough to actually warrant giving it a shot? Studies say the answer is yes.

This flowering plant has been used for centuries by herbalists who swore by its calming properties. Today, we have a lot more research showing what traditional medicine claimed all this time. Learn more about the lemon balm stress relief benefits below, or feel the effects firsthand with Snoozy’s Mellow Mind stress gummies.

Key Takeaways 

• Lemon balm is backed by clinical trials showing it can minimize anxiety and improve calmness.^1,2,3
• We think rosmarinic acid is the reason it works. This compound preserves and promotes GABA, creating a sense of calm without sedation.
• Side effects are mild and rare. Almost anyone can use lemon balm for stress relief. 
• It’s not a treatment for diagnosed anxiety disorders, panic attacks, or PTSD. Lemon balm should not replace professional treatment.
• Lemon balm works best alongside other ingredients such as ashwagandha, L-theanine, and magnesium. 

The Problem With Stress

The body’s stress response historically kept humans from extinction. It still serves to keep you alive today, which ties into your “fight or flight” response. However, some people’s stress response overreacts to things like looming deadlines, big events, or tension.

Cortisol climbs, your heart rate rises, and everything tenses up when you’re stressed. This is obviously a problem if you’re chronically stressed. The nervous system never shifts out of overdrive, and consequences can include:

• Sleep loss
• Compromised immunity
• Weak concentration
• Never getting out of your head
• Lashing out at loved ones

The list goes on and on. Whether it’s work, relationships, or anything else for that matter, stress takes a toll. So how does lemon balm help with stress, if at all? 

Does Lemon Balm Help With Stress?

The main active compound in lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is rosmarinic acid. It appears that this compound can inhibit GABA transaminase, preventing it from breaking down. This matters because more GABA = a mellower state of mind. 

But beyond preserving the GABA you do have, lemon balm’s rosmarinic acid content may even bind to GABA-A receptors, reinforcing the calming signal from both sides. 

There are clinical studies showing the stress-reduction effect of lemon balm, too. The first was done back in 2004, in which healthy adults took a single 600mg dose of lemon balm extract before a laboratory stress test. This dose increased self-rated calmness and reduced anxiety, without causing drowsiness.¹

A 2011 study followed 20 stressed volunteers taking 600mg of lemon balm extract every day for a little over 2 weeks. Anxiety manifestations dropped 18% and insomnia plummeted 42%.² That’s why you’ll see lemon balm used not just in our stress gummies, but our sleep gummies as well.

Another study looked at 100 adults who were given lemon balm extract back in 2023 - 400mg daily for three weeks. The supplement group ended up experiencing dramatic improvements in stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality scores compared to placebo.³

Can it cure anxiety? No. But does lemon balm help with stress? Yes - and healthcare professionals across the Western World have begun to take note. Dr. Manjaree Daw, an internal medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, says “If you have mild anxiety or are dealing with a stressful situation, lemon balm may provide some relief.”⁴

The question is, how do you incorporate lemon balm into your daily routine? 

How to Use Lemon Balm For Stress Relief

Using lemon balm extract is tricky. Some supplements are standardized, meaning you get the consistent dose of rosmarinic acid you need for relief. On the other hand, you don’t know what you’re getting with dried leaf powder and loose tea. It can change from one cup to the next.

There’s a better way to harness the benefits of lemon balm for stress relief. Snoozy’s Mellow Mind combines 50mg of lemon balm with 150mg of ashwagandha, 100mg of cordyceps, 100mg of L-theanine, and 50mg of magnesium citrate. The perfect way to take the edge off without clocking out altogether. 

You can also use our Bedtime Buddy formula if stress keeps you up at night. It only has 20mg of lemon balm, but there’s reishi, L-theanine, valerian root, passionflower, and chamomile doing the heavy lifting as well. 

What matters most is you make lemon balm (and other supporting ingredients) a consistent part of your routine. Take your gummy (or gummies) at the same time every day, and wait at least 3-4 weeks before judging. Your order is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, after all!

Frequently asked questions 

How quickly does lemon balm work for anxiety?

One study showed that a single dose brought out a sense of calmness within an hour.1 But it was a 600mg dose, which is super high. We think it’s better to take lower doses of lemon balm consistently. Most clinical trials ran 2-3 weeks, so that’s a good timeline to follow. 

Does lemon balm lower your cortisol?

We don’t see any strong direct correlation between lemon balm and cortisol. Rather, the rosmarinic acid works through GABA modulation - according to human trials, at least. There are some animal models that suggest lemon balm could have an impact on the HPA axis, which regulates cortisol. 

Which is better, lemon balm or ashwagandha?

Both have their place. They ease the effects of stress through very different systems, which is why we found it fitting to include both in our Mellow Mind formula.

Related Resources 

GABA vs Ashwagandha For Stress

References

1. Kennedy DO, et al. Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm). Psychosomatic Medicine, 2004;66(4):607-613. PubMed
2. Cases J, et al. Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2011;4(3):211-218. PubMed
3. Bano A, et al. The possible "calming effect" of subchronic supplementation of a standardised phospholipid carrier-based Melissa officinalis L. extract in healthy adults. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2023;14:1250560. PubMed
4. Dr. Manjaree Daw, MD, Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials