You probably don’t need science to tell you sleep and stress are connected, but it’s true. Your body and brain use a series of pathways called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) to send signals related to both stress and sleep. Disruptions to this communication can wreak havoc on your ability to get a good night’s rest and on your stress levels.1 The cyclical nature of this communication means that when you’re stressed, you’re not sleeping well and when you’re not sleeping well, you feel the effects of stress more strongly.
Swanson Deep Rest & Stress Relief is a gentle, plant-based approach to solving the sleep/stress challenge. It features an herbal sleep and stress combo called KaraCalm™—a blend of time-honored botanicals that help lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and promote a healthy circadian rhythm. KaraCalm is made up of extracts of valerian, passionflower, holy basil, jujube, rosemary and black cumin seed. Valerian is traditionally used to induce sleep, holy basil and rosemary are popular for easing feelings of stress and improving sleep quality, passionflower and jujube are trusted relaxation aids and black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) delivers antioxidant polyphenols to protect the body from oxidative stress.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of healthy male and female adults has found that 500 mg of KaraCalm daily improved sleep quality by increasing total time spent sleeping, decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep, and reducing the number of times participants awoke during sleep. It was also found to reduce cortisol levels and overall feelings of stress.2 Measurements were taken at 14 days and 56 days of the protocol. At the two-week mark, participants experienced a 39% increase in total sleep time. In less than two months, they noted a 70% decrease in the time it took to fall asleep and a 53% decrease in the number of times awakening during sleep. They also found a 30% decrease in serum cortisol.2
A healthy sleep routine is multifaceted: finding ways to lower stress and calm your mind, practicing good sleep hygiene and committing to a routine bedtime and wake-time are essential. Get a powerful helping hand on your journey to less stress and more uninterrupted sleep with Swanson Deep Rest & Stress Relief featuring KaraCalm.