Ashwagandha health benefits for students

Have you ever pulled an all-nighter to finish an assignment or prepare for an exam? I’m sure quite a few of you can answer with a yes. Today we’re going to be discussing Ashwagandha and how this Ayurvedic herb can help students.

Stress has become a part of students’ academic lives as a result of the various internal and external expectations placed on their shoulders.

A little stress is actually beneficial because it motivates students to overcome obstacles. However, excessive stress can have a negative impact on a student’s mind and body, resulting in a variety of health problems. In addition, too much stress can decrease productivity and effect students’ university life in general.

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha belongs to the adaptogen plant family, which is known for its health benefits when consumed as teas, powders, tinctures, supplements, or in their raw form.

For over 4,000 years, Ashwagandha root has been used as a medicinal herb in traditional Ayurveda. It has been shown to provide numerous benefits, including improved blood sugar, inflammation, mood, reminiscence, strain, and anxiety, as well as an increase in muscle energy, particularly for students.

What is an adaptogen?

Stress is a normal and natural reaction to an uncertain situation. Stress and anxiety are viewed as a defensive mechanism that aids in a “fight-or-flight” response to a particular circumstance.

Adaptogens are herbs that help the body adjust to stress by normalising physiological processes during times of high stress.  Adaptogens protect against stress by regulating homeostasis through several processes associated with the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. As well as by controlling key mediators of the stress response.

Health benefits of Ashwagandha for students

If you’re a student looking to boost your overall health and wellbeing, here are 4 ways in which +boost Ashwagandha can help you.

1. Improves sleep quality and relaxation

Sleep is essential for our bodies and minds to recover and rejuvenate. As a result, sleep aids in learning. It enhances regulatory functions such as emotional and behavioural control, which are essential for daily life.

Because sleep is so important in human functioning, not getting enough of it can have a number of consequences that affect our behaviour, memory, emotions, and learning when we are awake.

A number of studies show that students don’t get enough adequate sleep due to stress. Many students work part-time and struggle to balance the demands of university and their job. This leads to poor sleep quality, which further impairs their academic performance.

Ashwagandha root extract is a herbal compound with sleep-inducing properties. According to preliminary research, Ashwagandha may help people fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and have better sleep quality.

Ashwagandha helps to regulate cortisol rhythms, which may promote better sleep patterns; however, as with any supplement, consistency is key.

2. Reduces stress and anxiety

Very often, students get anxious about good grades, friendships, relationships, break-ups or performance in extra curricular activities such as sports.

As previously explained, Ashwagandha is an adaptogen herb. Adaptogens are herbal supplements that help the body combat the effects of stress. Stress causes real physical changes in the human body, including damage to the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.

Adaptogens have stimulant qualities that help to offset the negative effects. The most important benefit of Ashwagandha is that it can be a natural way to help students’ bodies handle and tolerate stress much better.

Another significant benefit of Ashwagandha for students is its ability to allow their bodies to withstand emotional pressure.  Furthermore, it combats the effects of mental stress and has a practical relaxing effect.

3. Enhances memory and focus

According to experts, Ashwagandha improves memory, increases spatial and visual memory, reduces oxidative brain stress, and aids in the prevention of nerve cell degeneration. This helps to support and maintain our brains throughout our lives, especially as a student.

Ashwagandha’s health benefits also include increased levels of acetylcholine, the major neurotransmitter associated with increased brain power. It helps in attention building, information processing speed and overall mental skills. 

As students, we go through a lot of emotional and physical stress which can all have an effect on the brain and nervous system. However, Ashwagandha has been shown to protect the brain from cell degeneration. As a result, it protects us from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

4. Improves immunity

Boosting immunity is one of the most popular Ashwagandha benefits because it is an antioxidant and immunomodulator. The root activates and increases the levels of enzymes and macrophages, which are immune system white blood cells that engulf and digest substances that lack the proteins found in healthy body cells.

It also encourages the production of antibodies, which aids the body’s response to a potentially fatal infection.

Ashwagandha may be a good back-to-school supplement to include in your daily routine to boost your immunity and keep you healthy during exam season.

Is Ashwagandha safe?

Ashwagandha is a relatively safe herb that is widely available. Ashwagandha is a completely natural supplement that is safe for most people. According to a review of 69 studies, Ashwagandha root appears to be safe and effective for managing certain health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and insomnia.

Taking Ashwagandha on a daily basis is safe, but people should never exceed the recommended doses or time periods.