Anxiety disorders affect roughly 30% of the population, making them the most common mental health condition. Anxiety causes symptoms like nervousness and fatigue and is often associated with stress, and stress triggers anxiety1.
Stress is how your body reacts to things and is also a defense mechanism (fight, flight, or freeze). Your environment largely influences your stress responses. But your responses can also be complicated by health conditions. And chronic stress puts you at risk of new or worsening symptoms and conditions. For instance, depression, panic attacks, brain fog, memory problems, and digestive issues are all associated with exposure to chronic stress12.
There are several ways to treat anxiety. Traditional treatments include prescription medications and talk therapy. However, more than 80% of people use alternative medicines as part of their healthcare. Complementary and alternative medication (CAM) treatments are associated with fewer adverse effects. These treatments include practices like mindfulness, yoga, and ancient herbal medicines. One of those is Ashwagandha4.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a shrub native to dry regions of Asia and Africa. Hindu medicine systems regularly use it as an herbal supplement to promote better health4.
Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen. What that means is that it helps your body adapt to stress. As a result, your body can resist the effects of stress and return to homeostasis234. Ashwagandha has many medicinal benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) properties. Research shows that Ashwagandha helps regulate the hormones that influence anxiety and mood. And also that it has antidepressant effects12.
Summary
Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement with many medicinal benefits and few adverse effects. It has anti-stress and antidepressant effects, making it a safe alternative for treating stress and anxiety symptoms123.