If you grapple with insomnia, disrupted sleeping patterns, and sleeplessness- this blog is for you. The simple solution? The Ashwagandha herb has helped women fall asleep for centuries.
Sleep Deprivation and Insomnia
- The recommended amount adult women need to sleep is about 7-8 hours daily. That's not all; staying active and healthy along with this is necessary too. This is why Ashwagandha also helps in weight loss. If you think sleep only affects your body, this is incorrect. It affects your mind too.
- Your sleeping patterns and habits are closely interlinked to physical indicators of your health, such as heart health, blood sugar levels, emotions, mental health, and metabolism.
- Is every woman blessed with a good night's sleep, though? The answer is an unfortunate 'no.' Sleep deprivation is real and results in depression and anxiety. Anyway, research studies point toward the fact that women are twice more likely than men to be depressed.
- Millennial women especially have been diagnosed with sleep disorders such as insomnia and other mental health issues. As insomnia becomes increasingly common among women, taking pills for the same becomes a norm. These supplements often have various side effects and problems. But what if you had a natural solution for your sleep problems? Nothing like it, right? So here's presenting Ashwagandha!
Also read: 10 Ayurvedic herbs for hair growth
Benefits of Ashwagandha for Sleep
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic medicinal herb with a history of utilization for over centuries with multiple health benefits like Ashwagandha for height that help cure sleeplessness.
Ashwagandha for Stress
- Ashwagandha effectively minimizes stress and enhances energy levels. These are major contributing factors to insomnia that women need to tackle to get good sleep.
- Ashwagandha leaves are packed with a compound called trimethylene glycol, directly promoting sleep in the body.
- Ashwagandha effectively reduces Cortisol levels which is the key stress-inducing hormone in the body. This makes Ashwagandha for sleep beneficial for women dealing with an anxiety disorder or depression as well.
How to Consume Ashwagandha
Remember, Ashwagandha will only help if you consume it in its correct dosage. If you want to understand how to consume Ashwagandha correctly, here are some of its forms and directions for use. All to help you achieve the main aim of getting a good night's sleep!
Ashwagandha Sleeping Tablets
One of the lowest maintenance forms of Ashwagandha is Ashwagandha tablets or Ashwagandha capsules for women. They are perfectly safe to consume, in case you were wondering.
Dosage: 1 Ashwagandha tablet or capsule swallowed with milk or warm water, as prescribed by your doctor.
Ashwagandha Powder with Milk
Ashwagandha is also available in powdered form.
Dosage: Consuming 1/4-1/2 teaspoons of Ashwagandha powder with a cup of warm milk before bed is advisable. This effectively calms your nerves before bed and aids digestive health. Stay away from the dairy if you are lactose intolerant, though. Ashwagandha powder can also be consumed with water after stirring it well.
Ashwagandha with Ghee
Dosage: Mixing ghee with 1/4-1/2 tablespoons of Ashwagandha powder is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy for those facing anxiety issues. The lesser the anxiety, the better the sleep.
Moon Milk
Moon milk is an extremely effective drink that enables women to sleep better. Use the following ingredients:
- Ashwagandha can be added to these drinks. As we have already established, this Ayurvedic herb is a sleep-inducer that helps women deal with anxiety. It not only possesses calming properties but also assists good digestion.
- Almond Milk is to be utilized instead of standard milk. Why is this so? The magnesium content in almond milk stocks women up with this beneficial mineral- the deficiency of which causes sleep deprivation. Magnesium also stabilizes your nervous system. Moreover, Melatonin is a hormone in the female body that regulates the amount of sleep your body receives. Magnesium is also responsible for keeping melatonin levels in check.
- Honey can be added to add sweetness, flavor, and taste to your drink, making the dry taste of raw Ashwagandha more palatable. In addition, Ashwagandha alone can be consumed with honey if you do not have the time from your busy schedule to prepare moon milk. Honey also has relaxing and blood sugar stabilizing properties that help you fall asleep. Honey is beneficial for weight loss as well.
The exact tips on how to take Ashwagandha are also readily available, along with Ashwagandha benefits for women.
Also read: Shatavari uses, benefits, and side effects
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take Ashwagandha with Water?
Yes, you can take Ashwagandha powder with warm water too. You can take Ashwagandha hot or cold, but warm water or warm milk is more suitable.
What is the proper Ashwagandha dosage for sleep?
- It is suggested that you should not exceed a dosage of 2gms in a day for Ashwagandha.
- Ashwagandha is a hidden gem with several benefits, but the biggest one is that it can effectively cure sleeplessness. It is an ancient ayurvedic remedy that can be used and consumed in various ways to cure sleep deprivation and insomnia.
Therefore, if you spend your nights counting sheep, you must give this miraculous herb a try!
References
- Harvard Health Publishing, May 2011; Women and depression - https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/women-and-depression
- Mayo Clinic; Insomnia - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355173
- Wikipedia; Triethylene glycol - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triethylene_glycol
- Ashwinikumar A Raut, Nirmala N Rege, Firoz M Tadvi, Punita V Solanki, Kirti R Kene, Sudatta G Shirolkar, Shefali N Pandey, Rama A Vaidya and Ashok B Vaidya, July 2012; Exploratory study to evaluate tolerability, safety, and activity of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in healthy volunteers - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23125505/
- Abhijit Deshpande, Nushafreen Irani, and Rathna Balakrishnan, June 2018; Study protocol and rationale for a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on nonrestorative sleep - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039614/
