In today's stressful and fast-paced world, tense nerves and nervousness are part of everyday life. Constant stress on the nerves can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, depression or stroke, which is why it is important to consciously calm the nerves on a regular basis. It is not necessary to take medication to calm the nerves, as there are many natural ways of self-therapy.


One of the most effective methods of relaxation is massage. By massaging specific muscle areas, tension is released and pain caused by nervousness is alleviated. Massages release serotonin in the brain, a hormone that acts as the body's own natural painkiller and increases feelings of well-being. Massages, especially of the back and neck, reduce nervousness and stress. The human touch during a massage relieves tension. A massage relaxes acute nervousness or tense muscles and also has a lasting stress-reducing effect when used regularly.

Physical exercises such as yoga alleviate accumulated stress. Deep breathing and conscious resting positions help to reduce stress. For optimum effect, the mind is cleared of distracting thoughts during the exercises and the body remains calm and relaxed. Yoga has a preventative effect against stress as well as alleviating the symptoms of existing illnesses caused by nervous tension, such as high blood pressure and depression.

Meditation helps to relax the mind and calm the nerves by focussing thoughts on positive events, images or certain words. Although the mind remains active during meditation, it remains consciously calm. Meditation includes certain breathing exercises that relax tense muscles and release stress.

Aromatherapy can also be used to relieve tension and calm the nerves. Certain odours relax the muscles in a natural way and give the soul a feeling of well-being. There are often certain odours from childhood that are associated with particularly happy times. Scented oils such as camomile, rose, bergamot and orange are suitable for relaxation through aromatherapy. The essential oils can either be sniffed directly from the bottle or vaporised in a fragrance lamp in the room.

Herbs can relax nerves and relieve tension. Kava kava is known as a tranquilliser and is drunk as a tea infusion. Chamomile tea, lemon balm and St John's wort also act as natural tranquillisers. It is best to drink a herbal tea before going to bed to get a peaceful, restful sleep.