I’ve just tucked lemon balm back into the beds — again. If you’ve grown it, you’ll know it can be a bit of a free spirit. Mine wanders, then disappears, then shows up somewhere delightful as if nothing happened. Perfect match really.
I’m Bo, in the thick of menopause, and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is one of the herbs I lean on for steadiness, softness and a good night’s sleep when my brain insists 4am is the new midday.
Calm for the busy mind.
On edgy days, when thoughts loop like a dodgy playlist, lemon balm turns the volume down. It’s a traditional nervine that’s been used to ease mental stress and support sleep, and modern assessments in Europe still back it for those uses. I feel that steadying effect in my body - shoulders unclench, breath lengthens, and I remember I have a body below my eyebrows.
Mood, focus, and the 3pm wobble.
There’s also a gentle “brightening” quality I adore. Trials in healthy adults have shown lemon balm can take the edge off stress and help with calmness and cognitive performance, which explains why I can finish an email without wandering off to rearrange a drawer. Handy.
Sleep support (especially when paired well).
On nights when my inner thermostat is auditioning for the Sahara, lemon balm as an evening tea helps me drift. It also partners nicely with valerian for sleep in some studies, though results for valerian alone are famously mixed, so I keep it personal and start low.
A kinder belly.
Bloating, griping, wind, menopause can make digestion dramatic. Lemon balm is a classic carminative and antispasmodic. European monographs approve it for mild digestive complaints. I brew it after meals when my gut wants a cuddle, not a lecture.
Heart-settling moments.
Palpitations can be a thing at this life stage, especially when stress is high. A small clinical trial found lemon balm reduced the frequency of palpitations and eased anxiety in participants, and emerging evidence suggests potential benefits for blood pressure and lipids. I think of it as heart-comforting, not a replacement for medical care.
How it might be doing its magic.
If you love a mechanism, compounds in lemon balm (like rosmarinic acid) can inhibit GABA-transaminase in lab models, which may help boost calming GABA signalling. Translation: more “exhale,” less “fight-or-flight.”
