Are CBD & Ashwagandha Good for Stress?
We all have to deal with stress in our everyday lives. In fact, 55% of Americans report being stressed during the course of the day, with a staggering 94% of workers feeling stressed in the workplace.
While our bodies can react and adapt to short-term stress reasonably easily, we can sometimes be pushed to our limits, which is when chronic stress occurs.
CBD products (like NextEvo's CBD for stress) have become increasingly popular with consumers looking for all-natural supplements that reduce stress and the side effects that come with it.
If you’re looking for a product that provides an effective double-whammy when it comes to safeguarding against stress and anxiety, CBD and ashwagandha may be a good choice.
Join us as we look at what ashwagandha is, and how the combined powers of CBD and ashwagandha can benefit your stress-relief routine.
In This Article
What is meant by stress?
Stress is your body’s response to something it doesn’t see as normal.
Let’s imagine it’s a hot day, and you’re starting to feel uncomfortable. Your body sees this change in temperature as a stressor, and makes changes to help you cool off, for example, by sending messages to your blood vessels telling them to dilate.
In another example, let’s say you’re walking in a neighborhood you don’t know very well. Your sympathetic nervous system may activate, meaning you go into ‘fight or flight’ mode, ready to respond to any sudden threats.
Long-term, or ongoing stress happensFor example, if we’re in an unhealthy relationship, working a job we hate, or have money problems. Long-term stress can have a significant effect on the body.
Why Some Stress May Actually Be Good For You
While stress can be harmful, studies have shown that a little bit of stress is actually beneficial.
According to Immunologic Research, short-term stress is a survival mechanism that primes your immune system.
The key is managing this short-term stress before it manifests into something more long-term. The combined effect of CBD and ashwagandha can help your body regulate these everyday stressors.
What is Ashwagandha?
A small evergreen shrub with yellow flowers, the ashwagandha (‘Withania somnifera’) plant is native to India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Like plants and herbs, including turmeric, ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedafor thousands of years.
Often referred to as ‘Indian Winter Cherry’, ‘Dunal’, or ‘Indian Ginseng’, ashwagandha is classified within Ayurveda as a ‘Rasayana’, or ‘tonic’ herb. This classification is reserved for herbs that invigorate the body, improve health, and even lengthen lifespans.
Ashwagandha is also classified as an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a subset of herbs and fungi that helps people respond to stress.. Adaptogens increase or decrease chemical reactions in the body to bring it back to a state of balance known as homeostasis.
Does Ashwagandha help to relieve stress?
While more research is needed to thoroughly understand the benefits of ashwagandha, preliminary studies suggest that the herb can help fight stress and improve well-being.
Studies in animals have shown that mice treated with the herb were able to swim for longer in cold water, indicating that they were less prone to stress. In addition, a study in horses showed they responded better to stressful conditions, including noise, exercise, and isolation.
Studies have shown that ashwagandha makes people more tolerant towards stress and even helps reduce cortisol levels, the hormone released in response to stress.
As we mentioned earlier, adaptogens like ashwagandha work by fine-tuning chemical reactions in the body to ensure homeostasis and a sense of balance. When cortisol levels rise in response to stress, adaptogens react by interacting with the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to reduce cortisol levels.
What are the additional benefits of Ashwagandha?
As well as helping reduce stress levels, ashwagandha helps support health and well-being in a wide range of ways. While more research is needed, the studies below provide very promising results.
- Ashwagandha can help support adrenal function and protect the adrenals from fatigue caused by stress
- Ashwagandha can improve the quality of sleep, with 72% of people in a clinical trial reporting that they had a better night’s sleep.
We’ll look at some of the additional benefits of ashwagandha when combined with CBD later in this article.
While ashwagandha has some very impressive health credentials on its own, the herb works even better when taken with cannabidiol, or CBD.
CBD is one of the many chemical compounds found in the Cannabis sativa, or hemp plant. Non-psychoactive, many people use CBD to help reduce stress and improve well-being without any intoxicating effects.
Unlike ashwagandha, CBD is not an adaptogen. However, the two compounds have more in common than you might think, especially when it comes to stress relief.
Like ashwagandha, we’re still learning more about how CBD works and how it can benefit us. However, scientific studies have shown that it can prevent the damaging effects of long-term stress.
CBD reduces cortisol levels in the body. It does this by modulating the endocannabinoid system in the body, regulating hormone production and helping reduce stress levels.
By regulating the endocannabinoid system, CBD offers a wide range of health effects, including improved sleep.
Can you take CBD & Ashwagandha together?
There is no evidence to suggest that taking CBD and ashwagandha together is unsafe.
However, like with all supplements, we strongly advise consulting your doctor before taking CBD and ashwagandha together, especially if you’re taking other medications or are pregnant.
What are the benefits of taking CBD & Ashwagandha together?
Taking CBD and ashwagandha together, can help support healthy stress levels and boost well-being. Our Stress Reset Extra Strength Gummies are an effective and easy way to get all the combined power of these two fantastic compounds.
Here’s how CBD and ashwagandha work together to bring you health benefits.
Stress relief
Both CBD and ashwagandha help reduce the adverse effects of stress on the body in different ways.
CBD works by regulating the endocannabinoid system, making the system more sensitive to changes in our internal balance. CBD also modulates the neurotransmitters in our brain, improving function and making it easier for us to relax and unwind.
As an adaptogen, ashwagandha works by reversing high cortisol levels, interacting with the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Promoting sleep
Stress is closely linked to poor quality sleep, with cortisol disrupting sleep patterns. This means both CBD and ashwagandha can contribute to more satisfying sleep.
CBD has been shown to improve sleep onset and sleep maintenance in stressed individuals. As well as it helps with muscle relaxation, leading to a more pleasant night’s sleep.
A recent study showed that many people reported better sleep quality after taking ashwagandha for six weeks. Ashwagandha works by regulating the part of the nervous system that controls how we respond to stress, the sympathetic nervous system, or SNS. By dampening the effect of the SNS, it’s easier to relax and fall asleep.
NextEvo Naturals & Ashwagandha
If you’re looking for an all-natural supplement that can help reduce stress and encourage the relaxation of mind and body, CBD and ashwagandha are the perfect combination.
Our Stress Reset Extra Strength Ashwagandha Gummies combine the cortisol-reducing power of ashwagandha with the pain-relieving properties of CBD. Great tasting and high strength, our Stress Reset gummies are clinically proven to reduce stress levels by 70%
Plus, with our patented Smartsorb™ technology, our Stress Reset gummies have an absorption rate four times more efficient than oil-based CBD products, meaning you see the benefits quicker.
Take a step towards reduced stress levels and improved mental clarity with NextEvo’s Stress Reset Extra Strength Ashwagandha Gummies today.
Sources
African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicines: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722
Baylor College of Medicine: https://www.bcm.edu/news/how-stress-can-affect-your-sleep
Chinese Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6240259/
Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198827/
Project CBD: https://www.projectcbd.org/science/endocannabinoid-discovery-timeline
Psychology Tools: https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fight-or-flight-response
