Remedy · herb & leaf

Lemon balm: what the evidence says about stress, anxiety and sleep

A lemony mint-family herb drunk as a calming tea. Small trials report lower anxiety and better sleep scores, but they are few, short and inconsistent.

By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed October 19, 2026 4 min read Not medical advice

Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis

Best-supported use: Anxiety and stress symptoms

EvidenceLimitedbest use

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The short answer

A 2021 meta-analysis found lemon balm lowered anxiety and depression scores compared with placebo, but the trials were few and disagreed with each other, so the evidence for anxiety, stress and sleep is limitedGhazizadeh 2021. The European Medicines Agency accepts it only as a traditional herbal medicine for mild stress and to aid sleep, based on long use rather than proof from trials EMA.

The evidence, use by use

Each claim graded on human studies only. How we grade

Use	Grade	What the research found
Anxiety and stress symptoms	Limited	Pooled randomized trials showed lower anxiety scores with lemon balm than placebo, particularly in acute use, without serious side effects. Heterogeneity was high and the number of trials small. Ghazizadeh 2021; Bano 2023
Sleep quality	Limited	One small crossover trial of a branded extract found Insomnia Severity Index scores 2.9 points lower than on placebo, and more people reported better sleep. Larger, independent trials are missing. Dipierro 2024
Low mood	Limited	The same meta-analysis found a smaller reduction in depression scores. This is a small body of short trials and not a substitute for care for depression. Ghazizadeh 2021
Mild bloating and wind	Limited	EMA accepts lemon balm for mild digestive complaints such as bloating on the basis of traditional use only; it found clinical trial evidence insufficient. EMA

What lemon balm is

Lemon balm is a leafy herb in the mint family, easy to grow in a garden pot. The leaves are used fresh or dried, mostly as a tea, and in extracts and tinctures EMA. Its leaves contain rosmarinic acid, citral and other compounds that lab and animal studies link to calming brain pathways, but lab results do not by themselves show a benefit in people Mathews 2024.

Stress and anxiety

A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled randomized trials of lemon balm in people with symptoms of anxiety or depression. Anxiety scores fell more with lemon balm than with placebo, and depression scores fell somewhat, with no serious side effects. The authors flagged a high level of disagreement between trials, a small number of studies and differences in methods, and called for better trialsGhazizadeh 2021.

One of the larger single trials gave 100 healthy adults with moderate stress, anxiety, low mood or poor sleep either 400 mg a day of a phospholipid-based lemon balm extract or placebo for 3 weeks. Mood, anxiety, stress and quality-of-life scores improved more with the extract Bano 2023. It was short and tested one branded product.

For more on what does and does not help with stress, see our stress page. If anxiety or low mood is affecting work, sleep or relationships, talk to a clinician.

Sleep

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of a lemon balm extract formulated to be better absorbed, Insomnia Severity Index scores averaged 6.8 on the extract and 9.7 on placebo, and 87% of people on the extract reported better sleep compared with 30% on placebo. Anxiety levels did not changeDipierro 2024. Two of the authors were consultants to the extract maker.

That is one small, industry-linked trial, so the evidence stays limited. Lemon balm also turns up in mixed sleep blends; for valerian on its own, see our valerian page.

Making the tea

In the kitchen

The EU monograph gives 1.5 to 4.5 g of dried, cut leaf in 150 ml of boiling water as an infusion, 1 to 3 times a day, for adults and children over 12. It advises seeing a doctor if symptoms last longer than 2 weeks EMA. Cover the cup while it steeps so the lemony aroma stays in.

Fresh leaves from a garden plant make a milder tea. If you would rather buy it dried, iHerb carries single-ingredient lemon balm teas. For brewing herb teas generally, see herbal infusions.

The thyroid question

The EU monograph notes that in lab and animal studies, a water extract of lemon balm leaf may inhibit the activity of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and that the clinical relevance of these findings is not knownEMA. There is no human evidence of harm at tea amounts, but if you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medicine, mention regular lemon balm use to your clinician.

Before you try it: safety and interactions

Who should avoid it or ask first

You need to drive or operate machinery and feel drowsy after taking it.
You have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medicine: lab studies suggest an effect on TSH, of unknown relevance in people.
You take sedatives or other sleep medicines: ask your prescriber before adding a calming herb.
The person is a child under 12: safety has not been established.

Possible side effects

EMA lists no known side effects at traditional doses.
It may cause drowsiness and impair driving or using machines.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established, and the EU monograph does not recommend lemon balm medicines during either. EMA

Medicine interactions

We found no well-documented medicine interactions for lemon balm at food amounts. That is not proof there are none: tell your pharmacist about any herb or supplement you take.

Check another food or medicine in the interactions list.

Common questions

Does lemon balm help with anxiety?

Possibly a little. A 2021 meta-analysis found lemon balm lowered anxiety scores compared with placebo, but the trials were few and varied widely, so the evidence is limited. The European Medicines Agency accepts it only as a traditional remedy for mild stress symptoms.

How much lemon balm tea should I drink?

The EU herbal monograph gives 1.5 to 4.5 g of dried leaf in 150 ml of boiling water, 1 to 3 times a day, for adults and children over 12. See a doctor if symptoms last more than 2 weeks.

Is lemon balm safe with thyroid problems?

Ask your clinician. The EU monograph notes lab and animal studies in which lemon balm extract inhibited thyroid stimulating hormone activity, with unknown relevance in people. No human harm has been shown at tea amounts.

Sources

Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.