“A Ruffled Mind Makes a Restless Pillow” - Charlotte Bronte
There’s a reason that sleep deprivation is a form of torture. Serious problems develop when we go over 24 hours without it, and not to mention the deleterious consequences of long-term poor sleep. Fatigue, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and performing are the rotten fruits of catching insufficient zzz’s, and I think we’ve all had a taste of this either from burning the midnight oil in college or the first few months with a newborn.
Sleep turns on the brain’s natural cleanup system, flushing out the metabolic waste that builds up over the day. Without the nightly rest, that buildup can leave you feeling foggy, sluggish, and off for days.
Additionally, sleep facilitates immune surveillance and repair processes, allowing our defenses to stay primed and vigilant against invaders. For example, sleep deprivation has been shown to increase one’s susceptibility to infections, and chronic lack of sleep increases inflammatory mediators that alter central nervous system function1,2. It’s a complex loop of crosstalk between our immune and nervous systems and circadian rhythm, so we are wise to prioritize sleep as the ultimate elixir for good health.
Training Our Sleep Muscles with Adaptogens
Adaptogens are a class of herbs traditionally used to help support the body’s stress response, ease nervous system tension, and create internal conditions for deeper, more restorative sleep. They’re not meant to sedate, but herbalists have long used them to support regulation.
Think of them as a thermostat for your stress system (the HPA axis), traditionally used to help ease excess cortisol when you’re wired and support energy when you’re drained.
Better sleep regulation may support easier sleep onset, fewer middle-of-the-night awakenings, and more “resetting” deep sleep.
Below are a list of some of the most useful adaptogens for better rest and recovery.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha is considered the most studied adaptogen for sleep. Multiple clinical studies show it may help people fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly through the night, likely by helping ease cortisol and calm the nervous system.
- Typical research-backed doses: 150–600 mg/day of standardized root extract for at least 6 weeks
- Consider for: postpartum, chronic stress, nighttime cortisol spikes, difficulty “turning off”
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Unique among adaptogens for its direct sleep signaling through GABA pathways and anti-inflammatory effects. Early research suggests it may help ease occasional sleep difficulty, and more peer-reviewed work is underway to understand how it compares to other natural sleep aids.
- Consider for: Light, fragmented sleep; inflammatory stress load
Holy Basil, Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
A calming adaptogen traditionally used to support balanced cortisol and ease the restless, racing-mind feeling that can get in the way of sleep6.
Additionally, Tulsi contains a compound called beta caryophyllene (BCP), the same one found in the cannabis plant. This is part of why some people find it especially calming7.
- Consider for: Mental rumination, late-day tension, sensitive nervous systems
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
Not a nighttime herb, but worth mentioning: rhodiola is traditionally used to help ease fatigue and support stress resilience during the day, which is why it’s still worth including in an adaptogen for sleep routine, even though it’s not a nighttime herb itself. It can indirectly improve sleep by preventing “tired but wired” evenings.
- Consider for: Daytime burnout that leaves you wired at night
Getting More from your Herbal Routine: Learn from the Plants!
Simply taking adaptogens is not going to solve all your sleep problems...but learning how they work in the body can teach you to give your body what it needs to feel its best.
This is true for all of herbalism –yes, herbs can play a real role in how the body feels, but personally I find just as much value in learning about that herb’s nature to then inform how I treat my body.
For example, Adaptogens work by training our mind + body connection to be calmer, more adaptable, and more regulated.
For me, that looks like a few consistent habits: I can give myself a consistent bedtime and wake time. I can practice a prayer and meditation routine before bed. I can avoid stimulating activities, bright lights, and screen time after sunset. These are all ways I can let the way of herbs inform better sleep for rest, recovery, and feeling unstoppable.
REFERENCES
1Dantzer, R., O'Connor, J. C., Freund, G. G., Johnson, R. W., & Kelley, K. W. (2008). From inflammation to sickness and depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain. Nature reviews neuroscience, 9(1), 46-56.
2Asif, N., Iqbal, R., & Nazir, C. F. (2017). Human immune system during sleep. American journal of clinical and experimental immunology, 6(6), 92.
3Langade, D., Thakare, V., Kanchi, S., & Kelgane, S. (2021). Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 264, 113276.
4Deshpande, A., Irani, N., Balkrishnan, R., & Benny, I. R. (2020). A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults. Sleep medicine, 72, 28-36.
5Haber, M., Czachor, A., Kula, P., Juśkiewicz, A., Grelewicz, O., Kucy, N., ... & Siemiątkowski, R. (2024). Ashwagandha as an adaptogen: its influence on sleep patterns, stress response, and anxiety in modern life. Journal of Education, Health and Sport, 68, 55327-55327.
6Saxena, R. C., Singh, R., Kumar, P., Negi, M. P. S., Saxena, V. S., Geetharani, P., ... & Venkateshwarlu, K. (2012). Efficacy of an Extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum (OciBest) in the Management of General Stress: A Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Study. Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012(1), 894509.
7Sharma, C., M. Al Kaabi, J., M. Nurulain, S., N. Goyal, S., Amjad Kamal, M., & Ojha, S. (2016). Polypharmacological properties and therapeutic potential of β-caryophyllene: a dietary phytocannabinoid of pharmaceutical promise. Current pharmaceutical design, 22(21), 3237-3264.