Why Ashwagandha Is Worth Your Attention / Woods Health Blog Woods Health Supplements And Vitamins

Stress, Anxiety & Sleep in Midlife

It’s 3 a.m., and you’re awake again.

Your mind is replaying a conversation from work, or worrying about your health, or both. You may have tried the usual tricks – warm milk, no screens an hour before bedtime, a relaxing bath – but sleep still feels like something that happens to other people, not to you.

By morning, you’re exhausted. The day ahead feels heavy even before it starts. And by evening, you’re anxious, irritable, reaching for that third coffee (which probably doesn’t help) or the wine you promised yourself you’d cut back on.

If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company. Stress, anxiety and sleep disruption have become almost normal for middle-aged and older adults in the UK. Add in the hormonal shifts of midlife or the adjustment to ageing, and it’s no wonder so many of us feel caught in a loop of stress → poor sleep → more stress.

But what if there was a plant-based option that actually had solid research behind it?

Ashwagandha

A herb used in traditional medicine for thousands of years is now backed by modern clinical trials showing it can meaningfully reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and help support the nervous system.

This article explores what the research says and shows how Woods Health Ashwagandha Extract can fit into a realistic, evidence-based wellness plan for midlife and beyond.

Why Stress & Sleep Get Worse in Midlife

Before we talk about solutions, it’s worth understanding what’s actually happening.

In midlife, typically from the mid-40s through the 60s several things converge:

• Hormonal shifts: For women, oestrogen and progesterone decline; both hormones have calming effects. Men experience a gradual testosterone decline, which can affect mood resilience and sleep architecture. For both, cortisol (the stress hormone) becomes less well-regulated.
• Life stage pressures: Career peaks, sandwich-generation caregiving (kids and ageing parents), financial planning, retirement looming.
• Sleep architecture changes: We naturally spend less time in deep, restorative sleep and more time in lighter stages and we wake more easily.

The result? Many of us slip into a pattern where:

• We’re more anxious (even about things that previously wouldn’t have bothered us)
• We can’t switch off at night
• We wake too early or multiple times
• Daytime stress and poor sleep feed each other in a vicious cycle

This isn’t a personal failing. It’s physiology.

And while lifestyle measures, such as better diet, movement, and sleep hygiene, are absolutely foundational, sometimes our nervous system needs a bit of extra support, actually, to settle down.

That’s where ashwagandha can be of help.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a shrub native to India and parts of Africa. In Ayurvedic medicine, it’s known as a “rasayana”, roughly translatable as a substance that promotes vitality and longevity.

The active compounds in ashwagandha have been shown in studies to:

• Modulate stress hormones (particularly cortisol)
• Support the central nervous system
• Reduce inflammatory markers linked to anxiety and poor sleep
• Support healthy sleep-wake cycles

Over the past 15 years, rigorous clinical trials have validated what traditional medicine already knew.

Who Might Benefit from taking this?

Based on the research, ashwagandha is helpful for:

• Adults (40s–60s) dealing with work stress and life transitions, who’ve also noticed sleep disruption
• People with mild anxiety
• Those whose sleep problems are stress-driven (racing mind, waking at 3 am, worrying) rather than purely age-related
• Anyone wanting to reduce reliance on alcohol or excessive caffeine as stress-management tools
• Seniors looking for a natural option to support calm and sleep quality

Think of it as smart support, something that makes it easier for your nervous system to do what you’re also helping it do through diet, movement and stress management.

How long will it take to notice a difference?

It takes a few weeks of daily intake to start seeing a difference.

Also, include healthy lifestyle habits such as eating a more nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, walking or moving most days, and slowly cutting back on caffeine, all of which can help your body in various ways.

It’s best to consult your GP if you are on any medication or have a medical condition before starting a new supplement.

The Bottom Line

If you’re:

• Stressed and sleeping poorly
• Noticing anxiety you didn’t use to have
• Wanting a natural option with real research behind it
• Interested in supporting your nervous system as you move through midlife or into your senior years

Then ashwagandha is worth a proper trial, ideally for a few weeks, taken consistently, alongside the lifestyle fundamentals that matter. Woods Health Ashwagandha 450 mg Extract is available here: https://www.woodshealth.com/ashwagandha-450mg-extract.html

References:

Baker, C. et al. (2022) The Perceived Impact of Ashwagandha on Stress, Sleep Quality, Energy, and Mental Clarity for College Students: Qualitative Analysis of a Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial. Journal of Medicinal Food, 25 (12). Link: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2022.0042

Lopresti, A., et al. (2019) An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract. Medicine, 98(27). Link: https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2019/09130/an_investigation_into_the_stress_relieving_and.67.aspx?crsi=662497588&cicada_org_src=healthwebmagazine.com&cicada_org_mdm=direct

Arumugam, V., et al. (2024) Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) on stress and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore, 20(6). Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830724001691

Mishra, L. C., et al. (2000). Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera )Ashwagandha: A Review. Alternative Medicine Review 5(4).

Sail, V. and Hadden, K. (2012) Withaferin A. Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/withaferin-a