It can reduce anxiety and help improve the quality of our sleep. But does this mean you should take ashwagandha best before bedtime?
While there are no specific guidelines when you should take ashwagandha, we put together a few options for what time is best to take your ashwagandha supplements.
This means you can take your supplement whenever it is right for you. However, it’s important that you always take ashwagandha at the same time to ensure you don’t overdose on it.
Taking Ashwagandha At Night
Ashwagandha is well-known for its sleep benefits, so it’s a good idea to take this Ayurvedic herb before going to bed.
Nutritionists recommend that you take some ashwagandha powder in “moon milk”. This will help you de-stress and relax.
But you may not just want to take ashwagandha in the evening to fight off insomnia. People who struggle with stomach discomfort may also want to take ashwagandha before bedtime.
This helps to reduce bloating and ease the digestive system into a calm sleep mode.
The exact time when you want to take ashwagandha depends on how you choose to take it and your own personal preferences.
Whenever you want to take ashwagandha, make sure that you choose a regular time that feels right for you.
Taking Ashwagandha In The Morning
You don’t have to take ashwagandha at night. It can also be taken in the morning with your breakfast cereal or a snack.
Ashwagandha takes a while to be absorbed by your body. This means that you won’t see the health benefits of it immediately.
In fact, it can take up to one month until you see the full effects of ashwagandha. Some studies found that you will only notice a difference in your sleep quality after taking ashwagandha daily for up to 2 months.
This means that you can take ashwagandha at any time of day because you will only feel the health benefits after weeks.
For some people, it’s easier to take your ashwagandha with your vitamins or other supplements.
Saying this, ashwagandha can lead to gentle stomach aches when it’s taken on an empty stomach, so make sure that you eat something before you take your supplements.
Sleep is imperative for good health1, yet over 30% of adults2 report sleeping less than the recommended seven hours per night.
Many adults turn to alternative medicine to assist or treat various ailments, including sleep disorders. One natural remedy used to treat sleep problems is ashwagandha3, a plant that is believed to have sleep-inducing properties.
Ashwagandha As Sleep Support
There are a number of studies that have found that ashwagandha helps people fall asleep faster and stay (see also: How Long Does Ashwagandha Stay In Your System?)asleep for longer. Patients’ sleep quality also improved with ashwagandha supplements.
While researchers aren’t sure yet of the exact effects of ashwagandha, there are several compounds in the herb which could be responsible for the sleep-inducing effects.
Scientists also connect ashwagandha’s stress-reducing properties with a better sleep. Stress can affect our body in so many different ways, and it also causes insomnia.
Taking ashwagandha just before going to bed can help you relax and sleep more soundly.
The best way to use ashwagandha for sleep is by taking it as described on the label of your ashwagandha supplement.
There are different dosage recommendations and it’s important that you stick to the assigned dose to ensure you get the most from your ashwagandha.
One of the easiest ways to take ashwagandha is by preparing a sleep time moon milk. This special bedtime milk combines nutmeg and ashwagandha together with warm milk.
Healthcare practitioners recommend that you don’t use ashwagandha for more than three months in a row.
It’s also a good idea to check in with your doctor or herbalist to find out how you can take ashwagandha with any other medications.
How To Take Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha can be taken as a capsule, tea, powder or in liquid form. This means you can take it with your food or just with some water and a snack.
Just make sure that you take ashwagandha with some food to avoid any stomach discomfort.
You will also need to follow the dosage instructions for your ashwagandha supplement carefully. It’s important not to overdose on ashwagandha as this could lead to nausea, stomach upsets and vomiting.
If you take ashwagandha as advised and you notice any health issues, it’s essential that you contact a doctor or herbalist as soon as possible.
Ashwagandha can have side effects such as digestive issues but these should subside after a short while. If they don’t, then speak to your healthcare practitioner.
Health Benefits Of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a so-called adaptogen. This means it is part of a group of medicinal herbs that help your body to be more resilient towards stress.
There is new research on the health benefits of ashwagandha emerging regularly but many of its effects aren’t fully proven with larger studies.
It is believed that ashwagandha works well for improving the quality of sleep, affecting the nervous and endocrine systems.
Ashwagandha also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can help you reduce inflammation in your body tissue.
Final Thoughts
There is no specific time when you should take ashwagandha. The best time is when you can ensure that you take the supplement regularly.
This may be as part of your supplement routine in the morning or maybe you want to take ashwagandha as sleep support in the evening.
It’s up to your personal preference when and how you ingest ashwagandha but make sure that you have it with some food.
All aspects of health are incredibly important in keeping us at the top of our game when it matters most. But many people choose to ignore the health that they cannot see - including the gut, cognitive, respiratory, and more.
Hi, my name is Adam Maxwell and I have been a medical professional for over 20 years. My wife is also in the same field, having been a trained clinical psychologist for 15 years.
Between us, we have seen a fair amount of health-related issues!
