Benefits of Lemon Balm: Digestion and Sleep During Pregnancy

Relaxation and stress management

Lemon balm supports optimal relaxation and helps reduce tension, irritability and anxiety by acting directly on cortisol levels, the stress hormone. A gentle and natural action that is particularly valuable during pregnancy, when sleep becomes fragmented and nights can sometimes be restless.

More restful sleep, without melatonin

A natural alternative to melatonin, lemon balm supports sleep onset and sleep quality by gently encouraging a state of progressive relaxation in the nervous system, without causing excessive drowsiness or interfering with the natural rhythms of pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Mental wellbeing and mental clarity

Long recognised for its benefits on the brain, lemon balm contributes to improving overall mental wellbeing and may support certain cognitive functions such as memory and concentration — two aspects often affected by the fatigue of the first weeks of pregnancy or the postpartum period.

Origin and description

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, native to the eastern Mediterranean basin and widely cultivated throughout Europe since antiquity.

Its finely serrated, lemon-scented leaves contain an essential oil rich in citral and linalool, as well as phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid — compounds with well-documented mild sedative, anxiolytic and cortisol-modulating properties.

Its value is particularly credible for supporting mild sleep disturbances, anxiety and irritability during pregnancy and the post-partum period — two phases during which melatonin is not recommended. The quality of the extract, in particular its EPS (standardised plant extract), directly determines the consistency and intensity of its effects.

In its natural form, in everyday life, lemon balm is primarily known as a culinary aromatic herb and herbal tea. Its fresh or dried leaves are used to flavour salads, fish, fruit desserts or homemade lemonades. As an infusion, lemon balm is one of the most popular evening herbal teas in Europe, consumed for centuries to encourage relaxation before sleep. It is often combined with lemon verbena, with which it shares aromatic notes, or with valerian, passionflower and chamomile for traditional soothing blends. The absorption of its active compounds depends on the infusion time, the quality of the leaves and their freshness. Intakes via food or infusion remain gentle and difficult to standardise, which explains the value of a concentrated extract for a more consistent digestive effect.

In supplement form, lemon balm is found primarily in the form of a dry leaf extract standardised in rosmarinic acid, EPS (standardised plant extract in liquid form preserved in glycerine), capsules or tablets, or integrated into relaxation and sleep complexes. The EPS form, as in Mama Dreams by Jolly Mama, is recognised for its richness in active compounds and its high bioavailability, achieved through a cold aqueous extraction process that preserves all the plant's fragile compounds. In Mama Dreams, lemon balm is present at a precise dose of 200 mg of extract, corresponding to 800 mg of EPS, for a well-dosed relaxing and sleep-supporting effect. Lemon balm is naturally vegan and has an excellent general tolerability profile.

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Complément sommeil à base de glycine

Mélisse, camomille, glycine

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Easier sleep onset and quality sleep
Favorise l'endormissement et améliore la qualité du sommeil en induisant un état de relaxation progressive du système nerveux, sans effet de dépendance ni somnolence résiduelle.
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Stress and anxiety reduction
Helps to lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone, for deeper relaxation in the evening and better day-to-day anxiety management during pregnancy and the post-partum period.
Easing tension and irritability
Helps reduce irritability and nervous tension, which are often heightened by accumulated fatigue, hormonal changes and sleep deprivation in the early weeks of motherhood.
Support for cognitive wellbeing
Contributes to overall mental wellbeing and may support certain cognitive functions such as memory and mental clarity, which can be affected by sleep deprivation and the fatigue of motherhood.
Natural alternative to melatonin
Offers natural, well-tolerated sleep support during pregnancy and breastfeeding — periods when melatonin is not recommended — for more restful nights without the need for sleeping aids.

How does it work? (The science bit)

La mélisse agit principalement via deux familles de composés : ses acides phénoliques, en particulier l'acide rosmarinique, et les composés de son huile essentielle, notamment le linalol et le citral. L'acide rosmarinique inhibe une enzyme, la GABA-transaminase, qui dégrade normalement le GABA dans le cerveau. En ralentissant cette dégradation, la mélisse augmente la disponibilité du GABA, le principal neurotransmetteur inhibiteur du système nerveux central, produisant ainsi un effet apaisant, anxiolytique et facilitateur de sommeil. Ce mécanisme est comparable dans sa logique à celui de certains médicaments anxiolytiques, mais dans une version infiniment plus douce et non addictive. Le linalol de son huile essentielle renforce cet effet en agissant directement sur les récepteurs GABA-A, comme l'a montré la recherche sur d'autres plantes de la famille des Lamiacées.

Par ailleurs, la mélisse modulerait la réponse au stress en agissant sur l'axe hypothalamo-hypophyso-surrénalien, contribuant à abaisser la sécrétion de cortisol dans les situations de stress aigu ou chronique. Pendant la grossesse, où les nuits se fragmentent, l'anxiété peut s'intensifier et le système nerveux se retrouve souvent en état d'alerte prolongé, cette régulation douce du cortisol représente un soutien précieux et bien adapté. Dans Mama Dreams de Jolly Mama, la mélisse est associée à d'autres actifs favorisant le sommeil et la relaxation pour une formule synergique, spécifiquement pensée comme alternative à la mélatonine pendant la grossesse et l'allaitement.

Our sources

Yes, this is one of its best-recognised uses in herbal medicine. By promoting relaxation of the nervous system and modulating GABA availability in the brain, it helps to facilitate falling asleep and to improve sleep quality in a gradual and natural way. It represents a safe and well-tolerated alternative to melatonin, which is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Absolutely. Lemon balm helps to reduce nervous tension, irritability, and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels and supporting the balance of the nervous system. These benefits are particularly valuable in the postpartum period, a time when fatigue, hormonal upheaval, and broken sleep can make new mothers emotionally vulnerable.

At the doses typically used in food supplements, it is very well tolerated. A mild drowsiness may occur at the start of a course in particularly sensitive individuals, which is why taking it in the evening is recommended. If taken alongside sedative or anxiolytic medication, an interaction is possible — please seek advice from a healthcare professional.

Lemon balm is generally considered compatible with pregnancy and breastfeeding at standard dietary and supplement doses. If you are currently taking any medication — particularly sedatives, thyroid drugs, or antivirals — please seek advice from a healthcare professional before starting a regular course. It is not recommended for people with glaucoma.

Très bien. Elle s'associe naturellement à la valériane, à la passiflore et à la camomille pour un effet sédatif plus complet, ainsi qu'au magnésium pour un relâchement musculaire et nerveux global. C'est la logique de Mama Dreams de Jolly Mama, qui combine la mélisse à d'autres actifs soigneusement sélectionnés pour un soutien du sommeil adapté aux femmes enceintes et allaitantes. Elle peut également être prise en complément alimentaire ménopause pour soutenir le sommeil perturbé durant cette période.

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Lemon balm: the ally for sleep, serenity and maternal wellbeing

Origin and description

Products containing it

Why is lemon balm your serenity ally during motherhood?

Easier sleep onset and quality sleep

Stress and anxiety reduction

Easing tension and irritability

Support for cognitive wellbeing

Natural alternative to melatonin

How does it work? (The science bit)

Your questions, our answers.

Lemon balm: the ally for sleep, serenity and maternal wellbeing

Origin and description

Products containing it

Easier sleep onset and quality sleep

Stress and anxiety reduction

Easing tension and irritability

Support for cognitive wellbeing

Natural alternative to melatonin

How does it work? (The science bit)

Your questions, our answers.

Does lemon balm really help you sleep better during pregnancy?

Can lemon balm help me if I feel irritable or anxious in the postpartum period?

Can lemon balm cause side effects?

Are there any precautions to be aware of before taking lemon balm?

Does lemon balm combine well with other plants for sleep?

Our other ingredients

Chamomile

Lavender