Anxiety doesn’t always look like a full-blown panic attack. Sometimes, it’s just a racing mind at night. Or feeling tense for no clear reason. Or waking up already overwhelmed before the day even starts.
While therapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes medication are essential tools for managing anxiety, there’s growing curiosity around natural remedies—especially those that are easy to access and safe to try. That brings us to honey. Can something as simple and sweet as a spoonful of honey really help with anxiety? Surprisingly, the answer might be yes.
Let’s get into what science says, how it actually works, and why adding honey to your daily routine might be a small step toward a calmer mind.
First, What Does Anxiety Do to the Body?
Anxiety isn’t just “feeling worried.” It can affect everything from your heart rate to your sleep to your digestion. At the root of it is stress, specifically, how your brain reacts to perceived threats and how your nervous system stays stuck in that “fight or flight” mode.
Over time, chronic anxiety can throw your body out of balance. It messes with your hormones, drains your energy, disrupts your sleep, and can even lead to inflammation in the brain. So anything that helps restore balance or support the nervous system, especially naturally, is worth paying attention to.
How Honey Can Help With Anxiety
Aside from antioxidants, honey may help regulate blood sugar levels in a way that avoids energy crashes. We all know how unstable blood sugar can mess with our mood. Honey provides a natural, slower-releasing form of glucose that fuels the brain gently without the spike-and-crash effect of refined sugar.
Also, there’s a connection between your gut and your brain. Honey has prebiotic properties that feed the good bacteria in your gut, and a healthy gut has been shown to support better mental health thanks to the gut-brain axis. Long story short: a calm gut often leads to a calmer mind.
Here are a few ways honey could support anxiety relief:
1. It’s Rich in Antioxidants
Raw honey is loaded with antioxidants, including flavonoids and polyphenols. These compounds help reduce oxidative stress in the brain, which is often linked to anxiety and depression. Chronic stress can lead to inflammation in the brain, and honey might help reduce some of that damage.
2. It Supports Gut Health (Which Affects Mood)
There’s a strong connection between the gut and the brain. Scientists even refer to the gut as the "second brain." Raw honey has prebiotic properties, which means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut can help regulate mood, boost serotonin levels, and lower stress responses.
3. It May Help You Sleep Better
Sleep and anxiety go hand in hand. Poor sleep makes anxiety worse, and anxiety makes it harder to sleep. Honey helps by promoting the release of melatonin (your body’s natural sleep hormone) and supporting stable blood sugar levels through the night, which prevents those 2 am wakeups caused by a dip in energy.
A small spoonful of honey before bed (especially in herbal tea) can act like a natural sedative for some people.
4. It’s a Natural Source of Glucose for the Brain
The brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function properly, and when blood sugar crashes, so can your mood. The natural sugars in honey, especially when paired with protein or fat, can provide a stable, gentle energy boost that won’t lead to the jittery highs and lows you get from processed sugar.
So, Should You Be Taking Honey for Anxiety?
Think of honey as a supportive tool, not a standalone cure. It’s not going to magically erase anxiety, but it might help take the edge off when used alongside other healthy habits like good sleep, regular movement, and stress management.
Ways to try it:
- Add a teaspoon of raw honey to a cup of herbal tea at night.
- Stir it into warm water with lemon in the morning.
- Take a spoonful before bed to help regulate blood sugar overnight.
Whatever you do, make sure you’re using raw, unprocessed honey, the kind that still contains all the beneficial enzymes and antioxidants. Processed honey won’t have the same effect.
Conclusion
While honey isn’t a replacement for proper anxiety treatment, it’s a natural option that supports your body in many ways. From reducing inflammation to feeding your gut microbiome, it plays well with the systems that influence your mental state.
If you’re looking to try high-quality honey that actually delivers the benefits, Honey & Greens has you covered. Our honey jars are raw and packed with antioxidants that your mind and body will appreciate. Because feeling better should taste good too.