POV: You’ve got a lot on your plate. Work is really busy, you’re trying to build your side hustle and maintain a social life, eat well and take time for self-care. Or perhaps you’re late for school drop off, the house is a mess and you just remembered a few more things on your to-do list… You’re overwhelmed and slowing down feels impossible. But what are you supposed to do?
The world keeps moving faster and faster, and as you try to keep up, you may find yourself unable to relax, snapping at your loved ones, and feeling agitated. Feeling irritated is an experience many of us are intimately familiar with; especially in the society we live in that demands so much from the nervous system. Whether you experience this irritability as sleepless nights, a shorter temper, or feeling unable to settle down enough to relax, there is a variety of herbs that can be used to help strengthen your nervous system, recalibrate your stress response, and reclaim a sense of calm (understand the meaning of full-spectrum herbalism.)
When we are under mental or physical stress the sympathetic nervous system secretes hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) which trigger the “fight or flight” response. Through a chain of reactions within the endocrine system, this then results in the adrenal glands producing and secreting cortisol throughout the body.
Although cortisol plays a role in health and functionally ensures survival, excess cortisol production suppresses your immune health and digestive functioning. Moreover, it can leave you feeling a sense of chronic anxiety, stress, or dread. If your cortisol levels remain high for prolonged amounts of time, it can lead to nervous system exhaustion and endocrine fatigue; both of which lead to irritability. This type of burnout also results from unhealthy lifestyle choices and from “burning the candle from both ends.” While herbalism can contribute towards your sense of rejuvenation and wellbeing, it works best when combined with a larger holistic approach that includes other nourishing habits, such as improving sleep quality, eating a nutritious diet, and meditating.
Nervine Trophorestoratives are a category of herbs that are known to nourish and restore the nervous system. With their gentle and cumulative effects, these herbs assist in reducing the frequency and intensity of nervousness, irritability, and burnout. These herbs also possess a toning quality, which means that the longer you take them, the stronger you feel their effects - working slowly, subtly, and deeply to restore your nervous system to strong health. They leave a long-lasting impression on your nervous system and support common symptoms associated with burnout, such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, and stress. My personal favourite nervine trophorestorative is Ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha
Latin Name: Withania Somnifera
Common Name: Ashwagandha, Winter Cherry, Indian Ginseng
Origins: Northern India & Africa
Plant Part: Root & Leaves
Energetics & Tastes: Warm, moist, sweet, slightly bitter
Actions: Adaptogen, anti-anxiety, anti-tumour, rejuvenative, reproductive tonic (and aphrodisiac), immunomodulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, nervine, antispasmodic
Healing Properties: Ashwagandha is both a nervine trophorestorative and an adaptogen. With its dual quality, this assists in strengthening a fatigued nervous system and endocrine system. Traditionally classified in Ayurveda as a rasayana plant, Ashwagandha is a rejuvenating tonic that assists in rebuilding, restoring, and replenishing the constitution of those who often feel weak, deficient, and exhausted. Ashwagandha is an herb that is best taken over a long period.
Spiritual Properties: Ashwagandha works on decalcifying the pineal gland and purifying the third eye energy centre, offering an improved sense of direction, confidence, and clarity. This wise plant creates the potential for accessing higher levels of consciousness and spiritual breakthroughs – calming the body to free consciousness. Liberating us from feelings of stress and anxiety as we transform the parts of ourselves which no longer serve us.
