Stress and Adaptogenic Herbs

There are many stressors and triggers in the world, and we know how challenging it can be to navigate daily life during these times. As naturopathic doctors, we want to provide you with the best support possible so you can live a resilient, healthy life, able to adapt and overcome as needed. 

When you work with a naturopathic doctor, they will likely provide you with recommendations for different herbs or supplements that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Along with this, they’ll also likely provide you with lifestyle recommendations to consider making to promote optimal wellness. This includes things like sleep hygiene, stress management techniques, and dietary advice. 

When discussing stress management support, it can be easy to simply provide a supplement and then move on, thinking that will solve the problem. While supplements play a key role in supporting the adrenal glands and the nervous system, the lifestyle habits we practice daily are arguably more important. 

Working with a naturopathic doctor to create a well-rounded approach is the best option to ensure success with managing stress. Combining daily stress-reduction techniques with adaptogenic herbs will offer the best chance of success. It is important to remember that no matter how many supplements we try, if you are living under extremely stressful circumstances, we cannot out-supplement this. If you are working 16-hour days under incredibly demanding circumstances, there is unfortunately no supplement that can overcome this. While we can provide adaptogens for support, it is imperative that other lifestyle interventions are also utilized on a daily basis, and you may also need to reconsider certain situations in your life, like a stressful career, if it is significantly impacting your health.

What are herbal adaptogens?

In pharmacotherapy, adaptogens are defined as ‘herbal preparations that can increase attention and endurance and reduce stress-induced impairments and disorders that are related to the immune and neuro-endocrine systems’.

Adaptogens have been used for centuries across many cultures and often have a general tonifying effect on their target organ systems, with the ultimate goal of helping reduce the overall burden of physiological stress on the body by increasing the threshold of resistance. Because our stress response directly affects the entire body through the HPA Axis (hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal) and often results in systemic symptoms (sleep disturbances, reduced immune function, fatigue, cognitive changes, etc.), we can often use adaptogens to help alleviate these symptoms. Here are a few of our favorite herbal adaptogens that may help improve stress response and resilience during stressful times. 

Our Favorite Herbal Adaptogens

Rhodiola

Rhodiola is an adaptogen that supports the nervous system’s resilience and provides antioxidant effects for the heart and liver. It can help support cognitive function and may help improve focus, concentration, and memory, all of which can be affected when we have been/are dealing with chronic stress

Eleutherococcus 

Eleutherococcus (Eleuthero) is an adaptogen that supports the adrenal glands and helps to reduce the chronic effects of stress and improve overall stress response and resiliency 

Schisandra

Schisandra is an adaptogen that helps build resistance to daily stressors and can promote endurance and energy, while also supporting detoxification pathways in the liver. It can be most helpful when consumed daily as a gentle tea or tincture. 

Holy Basil

Holy basil (Tulsi) is an excellent adaptogen, specifically targeting the endocrine system and adrenal glands. It’s a tonic herb that supports a depleted nervous system, both in the short and long term. For people with long-term stress and low mood, daily consumption of holy basil tea can be particularly helpful.

Other Habits to Reduce Stress

• Limit Screen Time – It is important to stay up to date on current events, but sometimes we need to limit our screen time to ensure that we are not constantly being overwhelmed with bad news
• Grounding or Earthing – Taking a few minutes out of your day to connect with the earth is essential. Research shows that daily grounding can help support sleep, reduce cortisol, and improve mood 
• Breathwork – Controlled breathwork practices have been shown to help improve emotional regulation and interoception, which is a process that plays a role in self-regulation and decision-making 

Remember, while adaptogenic herbs play an important role in helping balance the nervous system and support the HPA axis, we simply cannot out-supplement high levels of acute or chronic stress. Making time for self-care each day, incorporating mindfulness and breathwork, consuming a nutrient-dense diet focused on whole foods, and practicing sleep hygiene are all important aspects in maintaining and supporting overall wellness. 

If you find yourself struggling with daily stress for any reason, know that you are not alone. There are many tools and techniques available to you that can support your stress response and nervous system, but you may be overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. I recommend reaching out to schedule an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors, as we will take the time to listen to your story and provide individual recommendations to support you on your healing journey. 

References:

• Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010;3(1):188-224. Published 2010 Jan 19. doi:10.3390/ph3010188 
• Koniver L. Practical applications of grounding to support health. Biomed J. 2023;46(1):41-47. doi:10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.001 
• https://thenaturopathicherbalist.com/herbal-actions/a/adaptogen/