When you’re stressed, the adrenal gland releases cortisol to help you combat the emergency at hand. But too much cortisol can impact digestion, gut health, immunity and sleep, all of which can wreak further havoc on the body. While techniques like meditation and yoga have been proven to reduce cortisol levels and re-wire the brain to stress, supplements, adaptogens and vitamins can help form a thorough response too. We asked some pros for their favourite ones you can safely add into your routine.
If you’re having trouble sleeping
For those that can’t get enough shut-eye, nutritionist Harpreet Pasricha recommends melatonin supplements. “Melatonin is a hormone is secreted by the pineal gland and plays a primary role in regulating our body’s sleep-wake cycle. The pineal remains inactive during the day and actively releases melatonin into the blood in darkness,” she says. Taking additional supplementation can solidify this cycle and help you stay awake during the day, and fall asleep at night.
If you’re looking to improve your immunity
When we face a stressor, the body starts up the fight or flight response. Adaptogens help keep the body in a resistance phase, allowing you to stay stimulated through a crisis while staying calm and centered. Stress can negatively impact the immune system by ratcheting up the cortisol levels in the body. To combat that, reishi mushrooms are a great add-on. They serve as a nerve tonic to ease the alarm signal reaching the brain. Studies have shown that they are immune-modulating, as they reduce inflammatory pathways in white blood cells, and increase the activity of natural killer cells (the ones that fight disease).
If stress is affecting your skin and hair
Ashwagandha is an an adaptogen that has been a popular add-on to many regimens, particularly because it knows to go where it is needed. It supports the body’s natural ability to deal with stress by ‘adapting’ their function to what the body requires. “Ashwagandha helps balance out cortisol production and reduces inflammation, which impacts cognition and helps to reduce pain,” says Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta. Plus, as a benefit, it also reduces stress-induced acne and hair fall due to the reduced inflammation levels.
If you need to improve focus
Bacopa monnieri or Brahmi has been recommended by Ayurvedic medical practitioners for centuries, and is now even relied upon by western medicine for its anti-anxiety effects. “Consuming Brahmi has proven to be beneficial to our health in several ways such as boosting memory, improving level of concentration, reducing anxiety and stress among many others. Studies suggest that this herb also helps you to fall asleep by calming you down and counteracting the hormones in our body that are linked to stress,” confirms Pasricha.
If you need to wind down
“An important aspect of coping with stress is to learn to manage intense emotions like anger or sadness which can have a negative impact on our health. Magnesium is known to promote relaxation and plays a key role in regulating the stress response system,” says cardiologist Dr Bimal Chhajer, Director, SAAOL Heart Centre, New Delhi. Magnesium increases the production of the neurotransmitter GABA, which encourages relaxation as well as sleep.
If stress is getting you down
Drinking tulsi or holy basil tea has been a common remedy for the common cold and flu in most Indian households, but it can be a great mood-regulating herb too. It lowers cortisol production and improves mental clarity and memory. The herb is also said to regulate dopamine and serotonin levels, which can boost mood.
The article was first published in Vogue
