Being adaptable is a very desirable trait. When we get too stiff and stuck in our ways, any little curve ball is going to send us in a tizzy. This is exhausting for the body , always reacting and getting worked up, so we need to find ways to ride through life’s ups and downs without sending ourselves into a spiral. The only constant in life is change, so staying adaptable matters if we want a calm and collected life.
Enter adaptogens (and a few nootropics)! These are your botanical best friends when it comes to accessing your chillax mode. Below is our practical guide to the best adaptogens for feeling overwhelmed.
Find Focus with Ashwagandha
We admire Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) a lot and put it in our bars for a reason. It's worth all the hype! Let’s take a quick look at the history and science behind this multifaceted herb to see how it can fit into your calm and collected life.
The use of Ashwagandha goes back 6,000 years. In India’s traditional Ayurveda, it’s coveted for its broad range of use, from young to old, with applications going far beyond just being an adaptogen.
We talk a lot about its classification as a rasayana, or rejuvenating tonic, because it helps to capture the nature of the illustrative Indian Ginseng. In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha belongs to a category of herbs traditionally used to support the mind, which is part of why it’s one o the most talked-about adaptogens for resilience.
Ashwagandha’s therapeutic potential is ripe in the literature. Multiple studies point to it easing stress and supporting a sense of calm1. One randomized control trial (the gold standard of scientific research) found that a standardized extract of Ashwagandha root was associated with improvements in multitasking, concentration, and decision-making compared to the placebo2. Um, yes please!
Steady your Heart with Reishi
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is like the grandfather of adaptogens. Wise, reliable, and only sweetens with time. Like Ashwagandha, it’s been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) where it’s prized as the “mushroom of immortality”, traditionally used to support long-term vitality.
In TCM, Reishi is connected to the emotional Heart, where it is believed to calm the spirit. Plenty of us know that frazzled, can’t focus feeling when emotions run high. Its Pinyin name also translates to “spirit plant” for this reason.
One recent study followed female college students taking different doses of Reishi and found that vitality and well-being scores improved, along with a few other measures of physical and mental health3. Our mood really does affect our physiology, and Reishi is a good example of that connection.
Dispel the Fog with Tulsi
Another rasayana with a rich history of use in Ayurveda, you simply can’t go wrong with a cup of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum/sanctum) tea. Hailing from the mint family, you know Tulsi tastes good – the first time I tried Tulsi I thought it tasted like a mixture of basil, bubble gum, and blueberries!
One thing from herb school has always stuck: consider the nature of a plant’s active compounds in order to intuit what that plant might be good for. One sniff of Tulsi and you can tell it’s packed with aromatic volatile oils, the same volatile oils traditionally used to ease digestive discomfort and support mental clarity. It’s no surprise that Tulsi has long been revered as both a nootropic (aka cognitive enhancer) and adaptogen.
Tulsi shows us how tangled up stress and mental clutter really are, and that herbal medicine can really taste divine!
Support Sharp Thinking with Lion's Mane
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is as fascinating inside as it is out (it really does look like a lion’s mane hanging from dead trees!). I prefer the Japanese name, yamabushitake, or “mountain monk mushroom”, because it speaks to the wisdom etched into this interesting organism.
A traditional food and medicine of East Asia, Lion’s Mane is making a roar in western research as a traditionally used brain support herb. Containing unique compounds like hericenones and erinacines, which early research has linked to nerve support, is part of why Lion’s Mane has become such a buzzy brain health herb 4,5. It was traditionally considered a highly nutritious food, believed to nourish the “five internal organs”: the liver, lung, spleen, heart, and kidney, in TCM.
While more research is needed, some research suggests Lion’s Mane may help support mood and cognitive function in both the healthy and ill6.
Citations
1 Prajapati, P. K., Gupta, G. P., Chahar, D. S., Singhal, H. K., Sharma, B., Sharma, N., ... & Gupta, A. (2025). Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in alleviating stress and anxiety. J Pharm Res Int, 37(4), 116-126.
2 Majeed, M., Nagabhushanam, K., & Mundkur, L. (2023). A standardized Ashwagandha root extract alleviates stress, anxiety, and improves quality of life in healthy adults by modulating stress hormones: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 102(41), e35521. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000035521
3 Mitra, S., Mitra, M., Nandi, D. K., Saha, M., & Bandyopadhyay, A. (2024). Efficacy of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Supplementation on Psychological Stress and Selective Fitness Profile Parameters in Female College Students in West Bengal, India. International journal of medicinal mushrooms, 26(11), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2024055300
4 Spelman, K., Sutherland, E., & Bagade, A. (2017). Neurological activity of Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus). Journal of Restorative Medicine, 6(1), 19.
5 Kawagishi, H., Shimada, A., Shirai, R., Okamoto, K., Ojima, F., Sakamoto, H., ... & Furukawa, S. (1994). Erinacines A, B and C, strong stimulators of nerve growth factor (NGF)-synthesis, from the mycelia of Hericium erinaceum. Tetrahedron letters, 35(10), 1569-1572.
6 Docherty, S., Doughty, F. L., & Smith, E. F. (2023). The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion's Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients, 15(22), 4842.