Muscle pain and soreness after a workout are inevitable, especially when we are new to the fitness lifestyle. It also comes back with a vengeance for seasoned fitness enthusiasts after a particularly grueling workout.

The muscle soreness occurs as a result of muscle damage and tiny tears. It’s normal and nothing to be worried about. These sore muscles kick starts the body’s immune mechanism to heal muscles, and as a result, you get leaner and stronger muscles. However, you need to make sure that you rest well and allow your muscles to relax. Something that helps greatly with that is herbs.

Here are some of the best herbs for post-workout muscle relaxation:

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper contains a substance called capsaicin. It is one of the best muscle relaxants nature has given us. In addition to providing post-workout muscle relaxation, it is also helpful to those suffering from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Use the tincture every night before sleep to speed up the muscle healing process.

Arnica

Arnica is an herb used generously by pharmaceutical companies to make muscle relaxant creams and gels. Topically applied, arnica also helps with bruising. It is also known to help greatly with joint pains and muscle soreness especially when used in its purest forms. You can consume it as a tincture or you can take a capsule on days you know you are going to suffer later. Either way, you’d be grateful you knew about it.

Valerian

Valerian, as most of us know, is a strong sedative. While Valerian doesn’t directly work on muscles, it does encourage the body to relax and sleep. The next morning, you feel well-rested and feel much less pain and soreness in the muscles. A valerian tincture also works as a nerve tonic and helps relax muscle spasms and lower blood pressure. The herb is a natural and relatively safer solution to sleep struggles and muscle pains. Just remember not to use this tincture during the daytime, or you’d find yourself dosing off amid a work meeting.

Chamomile

We can’t talk about relaxation and not mention chamomile. Not only does chamomile help with relaxing nerves and anxiety, but it also helps with muscle spasms. One chamomile capsule every night will make you forget all about your muscle pains by the morning. The plethora of flavonoids in chamomile gives it anti-inflammatory properties, which contribute to healing inflamed burning muscles from all the physical exertion you did at the gym.

Muscle soreness is normal after a workout, but if it’s persistent, it can lead to some serious health conditions. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent those health issues by trying some natural herbs for muscle relaxation.