Withania Somnifera, commonly known as Ashwagandha, a powerful adaptogen.
Ashwagandha is a herb used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine. Ashwagandha has significant anti-stress effects to promote restful sleep.
One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of ashwagandha concluded "Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life."
Another randomized control study found "Ashwagandha is an antioxidant and boosts your immune system. Ashwagandha also has antioxidant and immunostimulatory properties that make it easier to withstand the effects of biochemical stressors related to anxiety."
Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) is a herb that induces calmness.
Lemon balm has been effectively used for centuries in reducing stress.
One study suggested that the anxiety-reducing properties can help people who have anxiety-related insomnia.
Another randomized control study found that Lemon Balm was able to reduce the perception of stress and improve calmness during a controlled stress test.
L-theanine Has A Pronounced Effect On Stress And Anxiety
L-theanine is a special amino acid mainly found in tea plants like Camellia sinensis, and it has a long history of safe use in Japan. Research shows that L-theanine can positively influence brain waves and important mood, focus, and memory neurotransmitters.
It boosts the production of dopamine and serotonin while also playing a role in the creation of GABA, a neurotransmitter that acts like a "stop sign" during periods of high stress. L-theanine increases alpha-wave activity in the brain, indicating a state of relaxation, particularly in those experiencing high levels of stress, which then allows you to fall asleep easier, essentially shutting down your brain for the night.
Prepare the brain for a night of restful sleep by promoting increased alpha-wave brain patterns, which are most active when the brain is in a relaxed state
Improve sleep quality
Enhance sleep efficiency
Decrease waking times during the night
A recent clinical study shows that consuming 200 mg of L-theanine before bedtime reduces the time needed for sleep onset and decreases the need for sleep medications
Phosphatidylserine, or PS, is the primary phospholipid in brain cell membranes. PS improves cell communication to support memory and focus and helps regulate cortisol during stress.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is essential for healthy brain cell membranes and to maintain an environment required for optimal brain function.
Phosphatidylserine improves cell-to-cell communication in the brain, and thus cognitive function, at least in part by increasing how easily the molecules in the cell membrane can move and shift. It can also enhance cell metabolism (such as glucose utilization) and neurotransmitter formation.
PS also appears to have antioxidant activity, which would protect brain cells from free radicals. Abundant clinical research has shown this nutrient is important in promoting optimal cognitive function, particularly in the aging brain.
Studies show supplementing with phosphatidylserine can lower cortisol spikes in response to stress.
Science shows that GABA lowers stress markers and is a key ingredient for sleep.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is like a helpful brain messenger that brings calmness.
Studies show it can lower the brain waves that make us feel stressed and increase the ones that make us feel relaxed and focused.
Other research found that people who took GABA had smaller pupils, slower heart rates, and lower levels of stress markers, like cortisol and chromogranin A – all signs that they were feeling more relaxed.
Lavender's Soothing Powers for Anxiety Relief and Restful Sleep
Lavender acts like a helper for anxiety, making you feel less anxious, and also like a sleepy-time friend, helping you relax and sleep better.
It talks to a brain messenger called GABA, calming down the brain and nerves, which makes you less upset, angry, aggressive, or restless.
Not only can it improve the quality of your sleep (including those with insomnia), but also how long you sleep, so making you fresher and more alert during the day.
Lavender oil for sleep works by calming the central nervous system and promoting slow-wave sleep, so helping you sleep longer and better.