6 Best Teas for Headaches and Migraines

Registered dietitian and neuronutritionist Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, says a heat cup of tea generally is a nice at-home remedy for helping a pesky headache go away. “Sure teas can have anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing advantages that may assist alleviate complications,” Richter says. However not all brews are created equal relating to relieving complications; there are some blends which might be much more efficient than others as a consequence of their distinctive natural properties.

Forward, Richter reveals the most effective tea for complications and what makes these brews so efficient in serving to cut back your signs so you may get again to feeling tea-rrific very quickly.

The most effective drink for a headache

Apart from plain old style water, tea is likely one of the greatest drinks for complications. Richter says teas will help relieve complications in quite a lot of methods. For starters, she says that teas with a small quantity of caffeine—we’re talkin’ lower than 100 milligrams—will help improve blood move within the mind, in any other case generally known as a vasodilating impact. This response will help improve the effectiveness of pain-relieving drugs. “The truth is, most migraine-specific headache medicine has a certain quantity of caffeine included for these very causes,” Richter says.

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Take into accout, nonetheless, that having too much caffeine can have the other impact and probably set off complications. (Do not quit caffeine chilly turkey when you’re a heavy caffeine drinker, which may trigger caffeine withdrawals and migraines. Sluggish and regular wins the race, fam.)

Natural teas (which generally do not have caffeine) may also assist eliminate complications by concentrating on varied different causes of complications and migraines. The specifics simply depend upon what components are within the teas. For instance, Richter says teas with sure anti-inflammatory herbs and antioxidants like polyphenols (a compound discovered in lots of vegetation) will help cut back the severity and recurrence of complications (since extra irritation generally is a headache set off). If stress and nervousness are enjoying a task within the onset of stress complications and migraines, Richter recommends choosing teas with relaxation-boosting advantages (suppose chamomile or lemon balm) to quell these signs. Then again, sure varieties of natural teas (like peppermint) may also assist chill out the pinnacle and neck muscle tissues which may be contributing to stress or sinus-related complications.

Dehydration can be a giant headache set off—and one thing that tea will help alleviate. “Tea can rely in the direction of our total water consumption; natural teas can contribute to total hydration standing and due to this fact are an incredible adjunct remedy for headache administration,” Richter says. Tea will help increase electrolytes, which works hand in hand with hydration. “Electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium are important for correctly using hydration within the physique. The common consumption of tea cannot solely assist to maintain us hydrated, nevertheless it can also contribute sure electrolytes to make sure our cells can take in the water higher,” she says.

Is tea good or unhealthy for migraine?

Tea is sweet for migraines for lots of the identical causes that it is good for complications: a number of the compounds in tea (like caffeine and antioxidants) will help cut back migraine signs.

Older analysis used to counsel that the caffeine in tea was a possible migraine set off. However a research printed in 2023 within the journal Scientific Reviews discovered that there was no causality between drinking tea and migraines¹. (Translation: There is not any proof that consuming tea causes migraines.) The truth is, the caffeine in tea can help your migraines.

That stated, do not count on tea to be a miracle remedy for migraines, which might be extremely debilitating. There is not any disgrace in taking meds, trying certain yoga poses, dunking your face in ice water, or every other helpful instruments you discover useful to deal with or handle migraines.

6 greatest teas for complications and migraines

1. Peppermint

Richter says peppermint tea must be your best choice for assuaging a headache, particularly when you’re coping with stress, sinus, or migraine-related signs. “One of many final teas for any kind of headache is peppermint,” she says.

In response to Richter, peppermint will help regulate the circulatory system by growing blood move to assist relieve headache signs. “Peppermint can have a vasodilating effect on the circulatory system², which signifies that it may well assist widen blood move to the mind. This makes it particularly useful for any kind of headache the place blood move is restricted,” she says. Plus, peppermint additionally comprises menthol, which Richter says will help relax the muscles³ of the pinnacle to assist alleviate complications.

2. Ginger

Should you are likely to expertise nausea or an upset abdomen as a consequence of headache ache, Richter says sipping on ginger tea can help. “Ginger is an anti-inflammatory herb and may also relieve nausea, which is a symptom of migraines,” she says. Ginger comprises an lively compound known as gingerol that analysis reveals can probably modulate serotonin receptors in the GI tract⁴, thus decreasing the alerts that set off nausea and vomiting.

3. Chamomile

Should you’re coping with stress or sinus complications, Richter says chamomile could also be your cup of tea as it may well act as a light muscle relaxant. In the meantime, when you’re experiencing complications related to indigestion, chamomile can be utilized as a digestif to assist increase digestion. And if complications are retaining you awake at evening, Richter says the “delicate sedative-like high quality” of chamomile tea can probably provide help to chill out right into a slumber.

4. Lemon Balm

If nervousness is triggering your complications, Richter recommends lemon balm tea. “Lemon balm is very useful for reducing anxiety⁵ that may contribute to stress complications or migraines,” she says. “Lemon balm can reduce muscle spasm linked to complications,” she says.

5. Lavender

Just like lemon balm tea, Richter says lavender tea is right if nervousness or stress are contributing to your complications. “Lavender has been used for hundreds of years as a rest herb. It may be particularly useful for decreasing stress and decreasing cortisol,” she says. This may be significantly useful for treating migraines or stress complications that may improve cortisol ranges.“Due to its calming qualities, lavender may also provide help to go to sleep and keep asleep, which will help you get better from complications extra shortly,” she provides.

6. Feverfew

In response to Richter, consuming feverfew tea—which comes from a flowering plant within the daisy household—recurrently will help stave away complications. “When used extra recurrently, feverfew will help reduce the frequency, severity and recurrence of migraines⁶ by inhibiting the discharge of prostaglandins and serotonin, each of which may exacerbate migraines,” she says. The tea additionally comprises antioxidants that assist cut back oxidative stress within the physique, which might be useful in decreasing irritation associated to migraines, Richter says.

How a lot tea do you have to drink to alleviate complications?

In response to Richter, one to 2 cups of tea a day is an effective place to begin, however this will range from individual to individual. Tea (significantly the caffeine-free variety) might be consumed just about anytime, with or with out meals. But when sleeping off a headache is the aim, Richter recommends sipping your tea nearer to bedtime. “Drink sure teas like chamomile or lavender teas nearer to bedtime as a result of they’re prone to make you sleepy,” she says. Then again, teas with increased ranges of caffeine—like inexperienced tea or matcha—must be consumed earlier within the day.

When making ready your cup of tea, Richter says it’s greatest to make it plain and easy—no added sugar or cream, fam. “Ideally, you need to drink your tea with out sugar. Sugar might be an impartial set off for complications. And for some—even these with out an intolerance—dairy may also set off irritation. For the most effective outcomes, drink tea with out both sugar or dairy,” she says.

When to get skilled assist for complications

Though tea generally is a nice at-home treatment for assuaging delicate headache signs, Richter factors out that when you get complications extra often than regular, or in case your complications get extra painful, it’s greatest to speak to a health-care skilled, as it might be an indication of a extra vital challenge. Richter additionally recommends seeing a health-care practitioner about your complications if:

• Over-the-counter of different cures aren’t serving to
• You might be often sick (dizziness or vomiting) on account of your complications
• Complications are considerably impacting your means to carry out regular, each day actions
• You might be experiencing aura complications, which affect imaginative and prescient and eyesight
• You might have an underlying well being situation and sure drugs may intrude with managing different well being circumstances

Unwind for the evening with this dreamy lavender latte drink: