Herbs - Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm Herbal Remedies

Lemon balm originally comes to us from the Mediterranean. It’s been used for medicine for thousands of years. Pliny, Hippocrates, Galen, Culpepper and even Shakespeare all spoke of its attributes. There are also records of Thomas Jefferson growing lemon balm at Monticello. 

12th century herbalist Saint Hildegarde von Bingen said “Lemon balm contains within it the virtues of a dozen other plants.” As we’ll see, it does have many varied uses.

Lemon Balm for Anxiety, Lemon Balm for insomnia

When I think of lemon balm the first thing that comes to my mind is its calming and relaxing properties. Officially we call this a relaxing nervine, an herb that relaxes, soothes and supports the nervous system. It can be used for anxiety, hysteria, frayed nerves, stress, insomnia, seasonal affective disorder, nervous tension and general feelings of “I’m on my last straw!”. 

Lemon Balm for Digestion

As a mild spasmodic it can help relieve tension headaches, back pain and other mild pain due to tension. As an aromatic and carminative herb, it can relieve stagnant digestion, ease abdominal cramping, and promote the digestive process in general. 

Lemon Balm for the Heart 

Older sources list it as being helpful for heart palpitations as well. In more modern times Kiva Rose said: “I personally use it for panic attacks with heart palpitations where the panic is very buzzy feeling.”