Healthy sleep is an essential component for neural development, learning, and memory, cardiovascular and metabolic regulation. Sufficient sleep is needed to provide recovery after preceding waking activities and ensure optimal functioning during subsequent wakefulness. As per the National Sleep Foundation, for a healthy individual, the recommended sleep duration for younger adults is seven to nine hours, and for older adults is seven to eight hours. In general, sleep duration decreases with increasing age.
We all know whenever there are any issues in relation with sleep like insomnia or jet lag, this moon milk is the one, which comes immediately in everyone’s mind. Sleep quality is important in terms of metabolism, mood swings, relieve stress and manage diabetes as well. Sleep is a mandatory part of life that naturally rejuvenates us physiologically, biochemically, and at the cellular and molecular level as well.
Ashwagandha is an ancient herb cum medicine, which is used widely for several practices. Ashwagandha also improves functioning in the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems. It is said to have anti-inflammatory as well as anti-oxidant properties. It is due to a bioactive compound called triethylene glycol (TEG) which is found in Ashwagandha that induces sleep. Ashwagandha has shown effective results in treating forms of breast cancer, anxiety issues, cognitive impairment and diabetes.
In a recent double blind, placebo-controlled study there were participants who were given ashwagandha extract twice in a day for one week. Improvements in terms of sleep quality, anxiety was observed in them. Ashwagandha extract is well tolerated, improves sleep quality and sleep onset latency in patients with insomnia at a dose of 300 mg extract twice daily. It can be used potentially for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety.
In the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine participants given ashwagandha reported lower levels of stress and anxiety and higher overall well-being, reduced cortisol levels without any adverse side effects. TEG changed rapid eye movement sleep, as well as increased the restorative sleep stages and non-rapid eye movement sleep.
KSM-66 and Shoden® are the two Ashwagandha extract used currently in India. Hence, ashwagandha could be a safe plant-based therapy for sleep disorders as per medical concern of an individual.
Nutrition and diet
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