Stress and anxiety are both part of our daily lives. They can happen when you’re studying for exams, trying to meet deadlines in the office or just simply feeling stressed with everyday tasks. Yes, it happens to a lot of people. But are there any remedies? We’ve got you covered–read on!
Ashwagandha, also known aswithania somnifera, is a plant native to India, the Middle East and parts of Africa. It is sometimes referred to as Indian Ginseng. Most commonly the roots, and sometimes the leaves, are prepared and used in herbal medicine as a tonic, pill or powder.
Ashwagandha has been extensively studied over its four millennia of use. The herb offers support for healthy anxiety relief along with mood and tranquility and helps provide calming and nourishing stress support, energy and stamina.
Sounds interesting, yeah? Wait until you learn more of its benefits. Check out our list below on how Ashwagandha may be the stress relief supplement you’ve been looking for:
1. Ashwagandha supports anxiety and stress relief
Stress and anxiety can be lowered with the right amount of cortisol. Cortisol is known as a ‘stress hormone’ because your adrenal glands release it in response to stress. This cortisol release also helps lower blood sugar levels. Cortisol naturally follows a daily rhythm, rising in the morning to help mobilize the body's forces for daily needs and lowering in the evening to allow the body to sleep and perform restorative processes. Cortisol is helpful as a short-term defense mechanism and as part of a healthy everyday processes.
Ashwagandha has been shown to promote healthy levels of cortisol and the healthy inflammatory processes that are stimulated in response to stress. Furthermore, it also supports the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis that controls cortisol release from the adrenal glands. Research has stated that taking ashwagandha may help support anti-anxiety and stress relief over time.
2. Ashwagandha aids in maintaining healthy nervous system
The nervous system can help impact every breath, feeling, decision, and experience in our lives. Most of us tend to focus our attention on the imbalances of the physical body. Generally, we want to keep the mind and the nervous system in a state of balance. Ashwagandha may help support our general well-being and physiological functioning. In turn, this may help us to maintain the vigor to process stressful experiences, supercharge concentration, and also help to fuel our bodies with the energy needed to run the nervous system.
3. Ashwagandha promotes good reproductive health
Ashwagandha has been used for over 3000 years and is part of Ayurvedic medicine. The herb was originally used to enhance the reproductive function of both men and women. Even up to this day, Ashwagandha is known to promote vigor and vitality along with a cheerful sexual life and reproductive equilibrium.
It is essential to note that stress plays a major role in regulating the sensitive reproductive hormones that impact fertility, libido, and healthy menstruation. With Ashwaghandha being an anti-stress and anti-anxiety herb, it may help strengthen the adrenal glands, reduce cortisol, and support healthy blood pressure which are all closely tied to a good reproductive health.
4. Ashwagandha assists in weight loss management
Ashwagandha may help improve overall health and promote better weight management. When the body enters survival mode, the immune function is compromised by pathogens. In such conditions, fat burning is not a priority for the body, and weight loss comes to a standstill until the body fully recovers. Since Ashwagandha also helps in enhancing the body’s immunity, it may have an impact on weight loss. The herb has also been linked to anti-inflammatory responses which can be common in overweight people.
5. Ashwagandha helps with joint health
Joint pain, one of the leading causes of pain globally, represents an increasingly prevalent condition among men and women.
Studies have shown that Ashwagandha is considered to be helpful as it acts on the nervous system to support pain relief. It's also thought to have some anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Ashwagandha may help with regulating your sleep pattern
Along with the reduction of caffeine and regular bedtime, Ashwagandha may help you fall asleep more easily. The herb supports the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which is responsible for wake/sleep cycles and other daily biorhythms. Ashwagandha may gradually take time before seeing any effects on damage caused by long-term stress and high cortisol levels. However, with a sensible diet and exercise, consistently supplementing with Ashwagandha may support healthy cortisol levels and general well-being.
7. Ashwagandha helps promote cognitive function
In many studies, Ashwagandha has been shown to have a positive impact on focus, concentration, and memory. Ashwagandha may be used to promote both immediate and long-term memory function in people as well as supporting executive functioning, attention, and most importantly, mental agility.
8. Ashwagandha helps assist healthy blood pressure and sugar levels
Cholesterol is the key element linked to elevated blood pressure. Ashwagandha's anti-inflammatory properties may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels which in turn supports heart health.. Furthermore, ashwagandha may also promote muscle endurance which can indirectly support the functioning of the heart.
On the same note, Ashwagandha has been reported to be helpful for blood sugar levels of many individuals. Research has suggested that ashwagandha can help increase insulin sensitivity in healthy people and in those with high blood sugar as the herb helps in normalizing the blood sugar. By regulating the blood sugar level, the body can help fight inflammation and other ailments.
9. Ashwagandha helps boost the immune system
Higher energy and stress management have significant benefits for immune health. As we know, stress can dramatically reduce our ability to fight off infections.
Many studies have noted that this herb can help stimulate lymphocytes (white blood cells) and increase white blood cell count, as well as support hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell counts. In turn, these can all help boost healthy immunity.
Ashwagandha also has powerful antioxidant properties for the body which also may help influence immune system activity.
10. Ashwagandha helps support thyroid function
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ located at the base of your neck. It plays a key role in metabolism, bone health, as well as growth and development.
Stress is a major root cause of thyroid issues. Improving your resiliency or the capacity to cope with stress is a primary component to maintaining healthy thyroid function. Too many stressors, whether they’re physical, mental, or emotional can compromise your resiliency and lead to risk of your thyroid health.
Ashwagandha helps in lowering the cortisol level, the stress hormone, in the body which is linked to a more effective thyroid function. Lowering the cortisol level in the body may also help in stimulating the endocrine system, boosting thyroid hormone levels, and importantly, assisting your immune system.
Now that you’ve heard the many benefits that Ashwagandha could offer, are you looking to try it? We bet you are!
There are various ways to consume Ashwagandha. The good news is that you don’t need to search for the herb in the wild. The easiest and most effective way is taking an expertly formulated Ashwagandha supplement.
You’re in luck! We’re introducing our newest addition to the family – Nature’s Branch Ashwagandha! It’s made with Organic Ashwagandha and Black Pepper and supports natural stress relief, the nervous and immune systems and assists energy, mood and cortisol levels. Our all-in-one Ashwagandha may also help with cognitive, joint and heart health. Nature’s Branch Ashwagandha powder comes in vegan capsules and every bottle contains an ultra-long lasting 90 pills. Our Ashwagandha is non-GMO, gluten-free and is proudly made in the USA. All of our supplements are third-party tested for the highest safety, potency, and quality.
Feel the difference today and upgrade your ashwagandha experience with our new Ashwagandha capsules! Get your bottle now by clicking below:
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