Herb Notes: The Benefits of Catnip

When most people think of catnip (Nepeta cataria), they think of it as that plant that makes our feline friends get very hyper. But here’s the thing,: catnip isn’t just for cats! Catnip tea and tincture too offers many healing gifts to us humans as well — perhaps the most surprising of all is that catnip calms and relaxes humans.

Yes, that’s right. The leaves and flowering tops of this plant that hypes up cats has a calming effect on our human nervous systems.

Here are 3 catnip benefits for humans:

1. Catnip Benefits: Catnip for Deep Sleep and Relaxation

Catnip is a calming sedative that’s particularly indicated for anxiety paired with restlessness and irritability. Whether you’re feeling jittery from too much coffee or stress, catnip can help calm this excitable, restless state and release tension in the body. You can ingest either catnip tea or tincture to support the nervous system. Just keep in mind that the herb has a bitter/pungent taste that many folks prefer to only briefly taste in tincture rather than savor in tea form.

2. Catnip Benefits: Catnip for Soothing an Upset Stomach

With its ability to relieve spasming and cramping, antispasmodic properties, catnip can ease stomach ache and flatulence. As a mild astringent, catnip can also address mild diarrhea and nausea related to nervous tension. When working with catnip, you can use catnip leaves and the flowering tops for their healing properties.

3. Catnip Benefits: Catnip for Pain and Menstrual Cramps

Just as catnip can ease digestive upset, catnip can also ease muscle tension and cramping. It’s particularly adept at easing smooth muscle cramping in the intestines and uterus. Pairing catnip tincture with ginger makes for fantastic digestive and muscle cramping herbal formula.

A few frequently asked questions we get about catnip—

How Do I Grow Catnip?

Catnip is a fairly easy medicinal herb to grow that thrives in small containers and larger beds alike. Plus, catnip tends to require less water than other mint family plants. Catnip is hardy to zones 3–9 and prefers lots of sunshine.

One of the biggest threats to your thriving catnip plant is neighborhood cats, who have been known to trample catnip plants with delight. I’ve heard from some folks that growing a catnip plant from seed in your garden rather than transplanting in a store bought start may make cats less likely to overtake your catnip plant.

What Does Catnip Do For Adults?

For adult humans, this calming herb can do all of the things I’ve mentioned above: promote deep sleep, soothe an upset stomach, and ease menstrual cramps. As a plant that soothes digestion and calms the nerves, catnip especially has an affinity for supporting the function of the enteric nervous system.

What is Catnip?

Catnip is a medicinal herb in the mint family that has a simultaneously pungent and bitter taste. Though a pungent taste usually means that a plant has warming qualities, catnip is also bitter and has an overall cooling effect on the body. Catnip is most well-known for its affects on cats, but it is also a healing herb that herbalists work with for many human ailments.

Written by Tara Ruth

Tara Ruth is an herbalist and the Communications Director at LearningHerbs. She graduated from the California School of Herbal Studies’ Community Herbalist Program and is a total herb nerd. Tara is passionate about teaching folks how to become confident home herbalists. In her free time, you can find Tara hiking in the forest and waving to all the plants along the way.