Good Mood Guide

The ultimate handbook for managing stress, anxiety, and depression

- Lisa Turner

About 21 million American adults suffer from mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, and 40 million have an anxiety disorder. What’s worse, a report last year by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that 40 percent of Americans are more anxious than they were the previous year. As for stress: three out of four adults say they’re stressed, 45 percent report lying awake at night, and 36 percent say they feel nervous or anxious.

What all this means is that more than a third of Americans struggle with depression, anxiety, or stress—and sometimes, all three. If you’re among them, you don’t have to suffer. Natural herbs, vitamins, and supplements can calm anxiety, soothe stress, and ease depression without the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Check with your doctor first to identify serious disorders, and if you’re taking prescription medication, rule out any interactions. Then try these nine moodfixing solutions to feel better, faster.

1 PASSIONFLOWER

This flowering vine (Passifloraincarnata) grows throughout South America and in some parts of the southern United States. It’s been used in traditional herbal medicine for hundreds of years for a variety of conditions, and modern studies document the effectiveness of passionflower in relieving stress and anxiety. Passionflower appears to work by increasing the brain’s levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a compound that helps regulate mood. Some research shows that passionflower is as effective as prescription antianxiety medications without causing sedation or impacting job performance. It’s also helpful in promoting sleep. In one study, people who drank passionflower tea daily reported significant improvements in sleep quality