If you are not waking up refreshed in the morning and not ready to face the day ahead, you may not be getting the quality or quantity of sleep your body requires. If you do suffer from disturbed sleep, this will have an impact on your energy levels.
Both Valerian and Ashwagandha are wonderful herbs for relaxing the mind and promoting a good night’s sleep. These herbs can be drunk as tea or taken dried in a capsule form.
Revitalising Ginseng is also a valuable tonic which reduces mental and physical fatigue, promoting vitality and boosting energy levels. The dried and powdered root can be taken in capsule form.
Recurrent illness is a sign that something in the body needs to be addressed. The immune system can be depleted by repeated stress, so choose herbs which also support the nervous system.
In Ayurveda, the super-antioxidant Tulsi leaf is renowned for increasing ‘prana’, the vital life force, and is used to support the immune system and improve the body’s response to physical and mental challenges. It can be drunk as tea or taken as a dried herb in capsule form.
Take time to incorporate a self-massage into your life to ease muscular tension, slow the breath, and promote a calm and relaxed mind. Use warm, soothing and relaxing body oil containing ashwagandha and tulsi to strengthen and calm the nervous system and allow these revered Ayurvedic herbs to absorb into your skin. Let the oil sink into your skin for half an hour, and then take a warm bath or shower.
In addition, Ashwagandha and Gotu Kola can be taken in capsule form as a supplement.
In Ayurveda, Tulsi (Holy Basil) is considered to be a sacred plant, used to open the heart and mind, enhancing clarity and awareness. Tulsi’s warming and calming qualities also help reduce any tightness in the gut aggravated by stress. It was traditionally sipped as hot tea to reduce fevers and encouraging perspiration to clear toxins.
Tulsi is rich in antioxidants famed for their anti-aging properties, protecting the body from cellular damage. It helps with uplifting the spirits and allowing for deeper, nourishing breathing.
Samantha Entwistle, Medical Herbalist
