Ashwagandha as an Adaptogen: Its Influence on Sleep Patterns, Stress Response, and Anxiety in Modern Life
Abstract
Background:
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), a prominent adaptogen in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, has gained substantial attention for its potential to enhance resilience to modern stressors, improve sleep quality, and alleviate anxiety. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that Ashwagandha’s active compounds, particularly withanolides, influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to reductions in cortisol levels and a more balanced stress response.
Puropose: This review aims to consolidate current evidence on Ashwagandha’s efficacy in modulating stress response, improving sleep patterns, and reducing anxiety levels.
Material and methods: The review was based on the analysis of materials collected in the databases "Pubmed", Google Scholar, ResearchGate, books and other scientific articles. The search was conducted using keywords: “Ashwagandha”, “Withania somnifera”, “adaptogen”, “stress”, “anxiety”, “sleep”, “cortisol”. “HPA axis”.
Results: A review of the literature has shown Ashwagandha anxiolytic properties, with effects comparable to standard anti-anxiety medications but with fewer side effects. Additionally, Ashwagandha has been shown to significantly improve sleep onset latency, sleep duration, and overall sleep quality, particularly in individuals suffering from stress-induced sleep disorders.
Conclusions: Ashwagandha shows significant potential as a natural therapy for managing stress, improving sleep quality, and reducing…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Cortisol, obesity and the metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study of obese subjects and review of the literature
- Relationships between lead biomarkers and diurnal salivary cortisol indices in pregnant women from Mexico City: a cross-sectional study
- Pubertal Recalibration of Cortisol Reactivity Following Early Life Stress: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
- High-end normal adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels are associated with specific cardiovascular risk factors in pediatric obesity: a cross-sectional study
- Effects of remote virtual work environment during COVID-19 pandemic on technostress among Menoufia University Staff, Egypt: a cross-sectional study
- Low serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, and body mass are risk factors for frailty in elderly people with diabetes–a cross-sectional study
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.