Many people suffer from at least one of the three: stress, anxiety, and poor sleep. But for many, all three problems are a daily reality. Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic adaptogen traditionally used to increase resilience to stress, improve sleep, and strengthen the nervous system. Science suggests that ashwagandha may balance stress hormones and brain chemistry. Is it a valid supplement to try if you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, and sleep?
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. Please discuss your health concerns with your care provider and consult them before taking any supplements to avoid disease and drug interactions.
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What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is an herb that has been traditionally used in Ayurveda for over 4000 years. It’s also known as “Indian ginseng” and “Indian winter cherry.” The part of the herb used medicinally is the root (NIH).
Ashwagandha is reputed for its adaptogenic properties. Adaptogens are herbs or plants that help the body cope with stress and restore balance (Salva et al., 2019).
In Ayurvedic terms, adaptogenic herbs are “rasayanas.” Ayurvedic practitioners describe rasayanas as rejuvenating tonics, the most highly regarded Ayurvedic medicinal substances. These herbs help promote longevity and maintain optimal health. Rasayana means "that which supports rasa,” rasa being life essence (Singh et al., 2011).
Ashwagandha has a long history of traditional use for strengthening the nervous system. Ayurvedic practitioners may recommend ashwagandha for stress relief, more restful sleep, supporting mood, relaxation, boosting stamina, and restoring reproductive health (Mikulska et al., 2023).
The plant’s name comes from the Sanskrit words “ashwa,” meaning horse, and “gandha,” meaning “smell.” The fresh roots of ashwagandha have a strong horse-like smell, but also—it’s thought to give those who use it “horse power” (Mikulska et al., 2023).
Ashwagandha’s botanical name Withania somnifera can also give us clues about its effects on the body. Somnifera comes from Latin and means “to sleep,” alluding to the herb’s relaxing and sleep-promoting properties (NIH).
In recent years, ashwagandha has been in the spotlight of scientific research. Many studies have explored its effects on sleep, stress, anxiety, neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory pathways, and reproductive health (Mikulska et al., 2023).
This article will help you understand the evidence about using ashwagandha for stress and anxiety relief.
Summary
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb with a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for boosting vitality and busting stress.
Can Ashwagandha Reduce Stress and Anxiety?
Solid evidence from clinical trials and systematic reviews suggests that ashwagandha may reduce anxiety, stress, and stress-related weight gain and improve sleep.
Anxiety
An alarming 44% of the US adult population suffers from anxiety symptoms, and many seek holistic and alternative care in addition to conventional treatment (Kavelaars et al., 2023).
As part of naturopathic care
A randomized controlled trial run by Canadian naturopaths enrolled 81 people and looked at how effective naturopathic care can be for managing anxiety compared to psychotherapy. As part of the naturopathic protocol, participants took 300 mg of ashwagandha twice daily, alongside dietary counseling and relaxation techniques (Cooley et al., 2009).
The results were impressive: the group taking ashwagandha saw a 56.5% reduction in anxiety levels, which was significantly better than the 30.5% reduction in the psychotherapy group.
Beyond anxiety relief, the ashwagandha group also reported improvements in mental clarity, fatigue, social functioning, and overall quality of life. No serious side effects were reported. These findings suggest that ashwagandha, as part of a holistic approach, could be helpful for people dealing with anxiety.
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Anxiety and mood
While more research is needed, ashwagandha holds promise for people with low mood and anxiety.
A 2024 study suggests that Ashwagandha may help reduce mild to moderate depression and anxiety. In a 90-day trial with 70 participants, those taking a daily dose of 500 mg of Ashwagandha root extract experienced improvements in anxiety and depression scores, sleep quality, and overall quality of life compared to those on a placebo (Majeed et al., 2024).
The study also revealed that Ashwagandha increased serotonin levels in the blood, while those on the placebo experienced a decrease. Serotonin is called the “happiness hormone,” and research has linked lower brain serotonin levels with depression and mood disorders (Bamalan et al., 2023).
Stress
Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand. There’s a neurobiological link between stress and anxiety, and the boundaries between these two states are often blurred (Daviu et al., 2019).
Several studies and reviews looked at how ashwagandha affects both stress and anxiety, with promising findings.
Literature reviews
One large review of 41 studies examining ashwagandha for enhancing mental and physical performance found the strongest evidence for its stress- and anxiety-relieving effects (Lopresti & Smith, 2021).
Another 2021 review of animal and human studies hinted at ashwagandha’s potential to help with symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, and insomnia. Since every study used a slightly different extract or formulation, researchers couldn’t determine the best ashwagandha dosage for mental health conditions (Speers et al., 2021).
Similarly, another review of over 1k participants found that ashwagandha supplementation significantly reduced anxiety and stress levels compared to the placebo. Larger doses were needed for anxiety relief than for stress (Akhgarjand et al., 2022).
Clinical trials in people undergoing stress
In a clinical trial conducted in Florida, 60 adults (average age 34) dealing with stress took either 225 mg or 400 mg of ashwagandha extract or a placebo daily for 30 days. Those taking ashwagandha reported less stress, anxiety, depression, and fewer food cravings compared to the placebo group. The 225 mg group also showed lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, hinting at ashwagandha’s potential to help manage the physical toll of stress on the body (Ramenap et al., 2022).
At the University of Colorado, 60 students took either a full-spectrum ashwagandha extract or a placebo for 30 days. Those who took ashwagandha reported feeling calmer, with better energy, mental clarity, and improved sleep. While both groups reported similar stress levels, participants on ashwagandha were more likely to describe their stress as manageable compared to those on placebo (Baker et al., 2022).
In another study, researchers gave 60 adults either 250 mg or 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract each day for eight weeks. Both doses reduced stress levels, but the higher dose (600 mg) worked better, lowering anxiety and the stress hormone cortisol (Salve et al., 2019).
People who took ashwagandha also slept better compared to those on a placebo. This shows ashwagandha not only helps with stress but also improves sleep quality—something we go into in the next section.
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Sleep
Many people who suffer from anxiety and stress also experience sleep disturbances. The stress-anxiety-insomnia trio creates a vicious circle in which one problem makes the others worse. For example, not getting quality sleep will make your anxiety and stress resilience worse. Being stressed and anxious can trigger or worsen sleep issues (Cox & Olatunji, 2016).
Strategies that work to address the whole stress-anxiety-sleep spectrum hold the greatest value, and ashwagandha is on the list of promising natural remedies.
Tackling these conditions should also involve an integrative approach that targets lifestyle and diet while providing psychotherapy and conventional drug treatment to those who need it.
Ashwagandha sleep research
In a study at two health centers in India, 130 adults under stress took either a sustained-release 300mg ashwagandha extract or a placebo for 90 days. Those taking ashwagandha reported improved stress levels and sleep and lower cortisol levels compared to the placebo group. They also experienced enhanced psychological well-being, memory, and focus (Gopukumar et al., 2022).
A study in India enrolled 150 healthy adult men and women with self-reported sleep problems and randomized them to take an ashwagandha root and leaf extract or placebo for 6 weeks. Both groups reported better sleep quality, but the improvements were greater in the ashwagandha group (72%) compared with the placebo group (29%). Participants taking ashwagandha also spent more time in bed asleep, slept for longer in total, woke up less often, took less time to fall asleep, and reported overall improvements in quality of life (Deshpande et al., 2020).
To consolidate the data on ashwagandha and sleep, one systematic review analyzed five randomized controlled trials with 400 participants in total. They found a beneficial effect of ashwagandha on overall sleep across studies, most noticeably among people diagnosed with insomnia. Dosages ≥600 mg/day and supplementation for ≥8 weeks had the greatest effect. Ashwagandha also boosted mental alertness in the morning and lowered anxiety levels (Cheah et al., 2021).
Another recent review analyzed data from five randomized controlled trials including 254 people and concluded that ashwagandha likely improves sleep parameters and reduces anxiety scores (Fatima et al., 2024).
How Does Ashwagandha Work to Relieve Stress and Anxiety?
Ashwagandha acts on the main stress pathways in the body: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the fight-flight axis, and the brain’s neurocircuitry (Speers et al., 2021)
The HPA axis registers stress in the environment and sends signals from the brain down to the adrenals. This can lead to high levels of stress hormones—cortisol and DHEA. Ashwagandha seems to balance the HPA axis, lowering stress hormone levels (Mikulska et al., 2023).
One clinical trial of 60 stressed adults explored this mechanism. Ashwagandha lowered stress levels measured by psychometric scales, but it also reduced morning cortisol and DHEA levels (Lopresti et al., 2019).
In the brain, ashwagandha may increase the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin. A balance of GABA and serotonin is essential for good mental health. GABA is responsible for feelings of calm. GABA is also what helps us relax and drift into sleep at nighttime. Unsurprisingly, most anti-anxiety drugs target GABA. Meanwhile, antidepressants target serotonin, which boosts and balances mood (Speers et al., 2021)
Ashwagandha’s stress-busting benefits are also linked with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Conditions like stress, depression, and anxiety are chronic inflammatory states. Scientists hypothesize that the potency of Ashwagandha lies in its potential to target both stress and inflammation pathways, but more studies are needed to confirm this (Mikulska et al., 2023).
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Ashwagandha Dosage for Stress and Anxiety
There is no established effective ashwagandha dosage for any health condition. Studies used different formulations and dosages for varying durations of time. Below is a summary of ashwagandha dosages used in clinical studies.
Anxiety
- 600-1000 mg ashwagandha root daily for 12 weeks
- 500 mg Ashwagandha root extract (2.5% withanolides with piperine 5 mg) daily for 60-90 days
- 300-600 mg ashwagandha root extract daily (5% withanolides) (clinical practice guidelines from the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT))
- 4 grams ashwagandha root powder granules three times daily for 60 days
Studies report a favorable effect of ashwagandha supplementation on anxiety until 12,000 mg/day (Akhgarjand et al., 2022).
Overall, large doses may needed to achieve a noticeable anti-anxiety effect, especially with ashwagandha root powder. Across studies, the largest doses were needed for relieving anxiety, compared to stress and sleep.
Lower doses may work well if using an ashwagandha extract standardized to higher levels of active compounds (withanolides) and/or if the formulation contains black pepper/piperine to boost absorption.
Our Ashwagandha is organic and contains black pepper for enhanced absorption.
Sleep:
- 250-600 mg ashwagandha root extract daily for at least 8 weeks (600 mg being more effective)
Stress:
- 225-1000 mg daily for 4-12 weeks for stress reduction
- 500 mg twice daily for stress-related weight gain
Most studies suggest a beneficial effect on stress in the 300–600 mg/day range (Akhgarjand et al., 2022).
Ashwagandha Infographic
Takeaway
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that has been used for over 4000 years. It’s considered to be adaptogenic, stress-busting, mood- and energy-boosting, and brain-protective. Research supports some of its traditional uses and is exploring other health benefits it may offer.
Based on clinical research data, ashwagandha seems to help improve anxiety, stress, and sleep. It also shows promise for balancing mood. However, most ashwagandha studies had a small sample size and used different herbal formulations.
Scientists think that ashwagandha may work by boosting serotonin and lowering cortisol levels. Larger trials are needed to confirm ashwagandha’s clinical efficacy and determine the most effective dosage and formulation.
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Ana Aleksic, MSc (Pharmacy)
Ana is an integrative pharmacist and scientist with many years of medical writing, clinical research, and health advising experience. She loves communicating science and empowering people to achieve their optimal health. Ana has edited 1000+ and written 400+ posts, some of which reached over 1 million people. Her specialties are natural remedies, drug-supplement interactions, women’s health, and mental health. She is also a birth doula and a strong advocate of bridging scientific knowledge with holistic medicine.
