Feeling stressed and anxious? It’s time to embrace the ashwagandha

When it comes to the uses of ashwagandha, the herb has earned a credible reputation for all the right reasons. But did you know it helps fight anxiety and stress?
ashwagandha uses
You can trust ashwagandha to improve your mental health. Image courtesy: Pixabay
Shreya Gupta Published: 22 Oct 2020, 16:51 pm IST
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Ashwagandha, also known as withania somnifera, has been a part of traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine since time immemorial. Only recently has this miracle herb gone mainstream for all the health benefits it offers! During these corona times, the focus when it comes to the many uses of ashwagandha has been to boost immunity. But did you know that it can easily tackle neurological problems as well?

Yes! Ashwagandha not only has inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, but can also calm you down and alleviate anxiety. Isn’t that great news?

Without further ado, let’s look at all that this phenomenal herb can do for your mental health!

1. Relieves stress

Living in a fast-paced world is not easy — you are constantly under pressure, and are surrounded by stressors! Whether it is meeting deadlines or facing new challenges, stress keeps piling on and we don’t even realise it! Eventually, it has an adverse impact on your health.

While there are many ways to release stress, ashwagandha is a great way to calm your nerves. That’s because it suppresses the production of the hormone cortisol in our bodies. In a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, it was found that participants who consumed ashwagandha recorded a huge improvement in their anxiety or stress levels.

This Ayurvedic herb can go a long way in boosting your mental health. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Another study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science also found that ashwagandha extract was beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety.

Also, read: 5 astonishing health benefits of ashwagandha that are too good to be true

Ashwagandha has antioxidant properties that can reduce stress levels by up to 80%. Moreover, it also reduces stress-related hormones by 26%. So, if you are looking for some natural remedies that actually work, then go for ashwagandha.

2. Reduces anxiety

Apart from relieving stress, ashwagandha also soothes your mind. In a study published in PLOS One, researchers found that ashwagandha is a safe option to alleviate and reduce anxiety. If you are someone who is constantly under pressure, then ashwagandha can certainly come to your rescue!

3. Improves quality of sleep

When you are too stressed, your sleep cycle and its quality gets disrupted. Ashwagandha can induce sleep by helping release the stress hormones. Moreover, researchers from the Sleep Institute in the University of Tsukuba, Japan, found out that ashwagandha has an active component that can help in combating insomnia. The best part? It doesn’t have any side effects!

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4. Fights depression

Depression is a serious mental health condition, and if you think only pharmaceutical drugs can help, then you are wrong. You can trust ashwagandha to help you tackle depression without any side-effects!

A study published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that ashwagandha can work as effectively as the medicine diazepam, when it comes to depression and severe anxiety!

Ladies, it’s time to embrace ashwagandha to stay calm and happy!

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About the Author

Finding nirvana in good food, Shreya also loves reading books and is a die-hard Potterhead. Confident and motivated she's fun to be with. Plus food. Always. ...Read More

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