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Should I take ashwagandha for sleep?

This question is about Nutrition

Sarah Achleithner

Yes, you can take ashwagandha for sleep. Several small studies suggest ashwagandha can improve sleep, particularly in those who have stress-related insomnia [

1

]. 

A systematic review of five randomized controlled trials observed a small but significant improvement of overall sleep, with the most notable differences observed in those diagnosed with insomnia and who took ≥600 mg/day for eight or more weeks [

1

]. Another recent study of 60 people found that those who took 300 mg of ashwagandha twice daily for ten weeks experienced better sleep quality than those who took a placebo [

2

]. Researchers believe these effects stem from triethylene glycol (a compound known to induce sleep) and withanolides (substances that appear to improve the body’s ability to cope with stress) [

3

,

4

]. 

man sleeping in bed

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References

  1. Cheah, K. L., Norhayati, M. N., Husniati Yaacob, L., & Abdul Rahman, R. (2021). Effect of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 16(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257843

  2. Langade, D., Kanchi, S., Salve, J., Debnath, K., & Ambegaokar, D. (2019). Efficacy and safety of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract in insomnia and anxiety: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Cureus.

    https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5797

     

  3. Kaushik, M. K., Kaul, S. C., Wadhwa, R., Yanagisawa, M., & Urade, Y. (2017). Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction. PLOS ONE, 12(2).

    https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172508

     

  4. Mishra, L. C., Singh, B. B., & Dagenais, S. (2000). Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha): a review. Alternative medicine review : a journal of clinical therapeutic, 5(4), 334–346. 

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