Ashwagandha Benefits: Why This Adaptogen Works Best in the Morning

If I had to choose one group of plant medicines to keep in my toolkit forever, it would be adaptogens. They are my all-time favourite not because they act like quick-fix drugs, but because they nudge the body in ways pharmaceuticals simply cannot. When you’re stressed and running on overdrive, they soothe and calm the nervous system. When you’re flat, under-stimulated, or struggling to find energy, they spark just enough movement to help you feel alive again. They don’t push the body in one direction; they adapt to what you need in the moment.

I’ve written before about Holy Basil, a beautiful herb that can restore calm during stress, but today I want to turn the spotlight onto another remarkable adaptogen: Ashwagandha. Used in Ayurveda for thousands of years, its very name means “smell of the horse”- a reference both to its earthy scent and the strength and vitality it was believed to impart. For centuries it has been trusted as a tonic to build resilience, and now modern science is beginning to show why.

Ashwagandha, sometimes called Indian ginseng, has been studied for its unique ability to lower cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. In randomized clinical trials, it consistently shows benefits for reducing stress and anxiety, not by sedating you, but by recalibrating your body’s stress response so you are more resilient. It has also been linked to improvements in energy production by supporting mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside our cells. Unlike caffeine, which gives you a jolt, ashwagandha steadies energy so it feels more sustainable throughout the day. This is one reason why I often recommend it in the morning though many people are surprised when I say this. While it can calm the nervous system, it also has a subtle stimulating quality. Taken too late in the evening, it can make some people more alert rather than sleepy.

And here’s the part that people often overlook: by taking an adaptogen like ashwagandha in the morning, you may actually set off a cascade of healthier choices throughout the day. When your nervous system is steadier, you’re more likely to exercise, less likely to lean on caffeine, open to taking a short nap if you need it, or carving out time for meditation. These are all small but powerful acts that calm the body further and reinforce balance. At night, when the day is already over, you simply don’t get the same downstream benefit. Morning is where the ripple effect begins.

What fascinates me most is ashwagandha’s duality. If your body is shouting “slow down,” it helps reduce the stress response. If your system is whispering “wake up, move forward,” it provides a gentle push. This is the hallmark of an adaptogen: it doesn’t force the body in one direction, it listens and responds to restore balance. And balance doesn’t only mean calming your nerves. Clinical research has shown that ashwagandha can also have a significant effect on thyroid function. In studies with people experiencing subclinical hypothyroidism, ashwagandha helped increase both T3 and T4 hormone levels while lowering TSH. This suggests that it may support the thyroid’s ability to regulate metabolism and energy, and for many people, this shift is far more significant than they expect from a simple plant extract.

Traditionally, ashwagandha was stirred into warm milk with honey as a restorative tonic, but today most people take it in capsule or powdered form. The key is consistency. Adaptogens are not overnight fixes; they work best when taken regularly over weeks or months. Look for a high-quality extract, ideally standardized to withanolides, the active compounds responsible for much of its effect. Start slowly, pay attention to how your body responds, and give it the time it needs to gently recalibrate your system.

Adaptogens remind us that healing doesn’t always need to be dramatic. Sometimes the most powerful medicine works quietly, nudging us back into balance while we go about our busy lives. And ashwagandha is perhaps the best example of this. A plant that doesn’t just calm or energize but helps us find our footing, supports our hormones, and steadies us no matter what life throws our way.