Best Calming Supplements
[amazon table=”3989″]Today we’re counting down our top picks for the best calming supplements for stress and anxiety.
It seems like stress and anxiety are very much a part of the human experience, and they are, yet some of us experience them on a much greater level than others.
If you feel stressed out to the point of exhaustion or your nerves are shredded from constantly worrying about anything and everything, there are ways to manage how you feel.
The right calming supplement can have a significant impact on your mood and overall wellbeing, allowing you to live a more normal life with less stress and anxiety.
Here are our top picks…
👑 Our Pick for Best Overall
[amazon box=”B079NMSPBW” title=”Physician’s Choice Organic Ashwagandha Root Extract” description=”If you’re looking for an effective calming supplement, this one from Physician’s Choice is as good as it gets. The use of just two Certified Organic ingredients speaks to the commitment of the company to producing a high-quality product.”]⭐ Our Other Top Picks for Calming Supplements
- Best of the Best: Physician’s Choice Organic Ashwagandha Root Extract
- Runner Up: WellPath Zen Anxiety and Stress Relief
- Best Gummy: OLLY Goodbye Stress Gummy
Best Calming Supplement Reviews
Physician’s Choice Organic Ashwagandha Root Extract (👑 Best of the Best)
One of the most effective ingredients for treating anxiety is Ashwagandha. Our top pick from Physician’s Choice brings out the best healing properties of this ingredient, and that’s what makes it the best calming supplement as far as we’re concerned.
Given that the medicinal herb Ashwagandha is one of the most popular natural ingredients for combatting stress and anxiety, it’s no surprise that one of the top-rated calming supplements features it as the star ingredient. Physician’s Choice also made the decision to go organic with its Ashwagandha root, which should indicate a much higher level of quality in each serving. The brand itself claims that the calming supplement market is plagued with sub-par supplements that aren’t effective, which is why they wanted to use 100% USDA certified organic ashwagandha root powder. There is nothing but pure ashwagandha root in the supplement, which means no leaves, no stems, and most importantly: no fillers.
There is more than one ingredient in this supplement, but only two more. Along with the Organic Ashwagandha Root the brand decided to throw in some Organic black pepper extract as is common in Ayurvedic medicine, and the two ingredients are bundled together in vegetarian capsules for simple digestion. That’s it, though—no laundry list of ingredients here. There’s no soy, gluten, milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, GMOs, preservatives, shellfish, color additives, or binders. This supplement is as pure as it gets, which results in a much more effective product, and one that isn’t likely to trigger an unwanted reaction from your body.
In each small container, there are 90 vegetable capsules and with a serving recommendation of just three a day, it should last you around 30 days in total. That’s a month’s worth of reduced stress and anxiety with a single purchase. Not a bad deal, all things considered. Plus, since the Ashwagandha root comes in convenient capsule form, you shouldn’t have any trouble digesting it or taking it every day. Unlike other forms of supplements, capsules are very easy to take even if you’re not at home. And they’re easy to take with you on trips, too.
Features:
- 90 vegetarian capsules
- USDA Certified Organic Ashwagandha root
- Organic black pepper extract
- 1950mg each serving
- 3rd party tested
- Manufactured in GMP-certified facility
WellPath Zen Anxiety and Stress Relief (🥈 Runner Up)
The well-thought-out branding and the effectiveness of this supplement are what makeWellPath’s Zen formula a winning one, and our pick for runner up.
If you are enamored with Eastern mindfulness practice and want to supplement your meditation with natural healing for your stress and anxiety, Zen is an excellent choice. Past customers think so too, as the product is listed as an Amazon’s Choice option on the popular online retailer, which speaks to its quality.
In the bottle you’ll get 60 vegan capsules, each of which is loaded with a herbal formula designed to lift your mood. Among the ingredients are herbs, vitamins, and adaptogens, which include the incredibly effective Ashwagandha, which is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, as well as passionflower, bacopa monnieri, lemon balm, and l-theanine. Taking this supplement will feel like drinking a hot tea from a ceremonial mug, intended to give your a warm hug which should radiate throughout your body for much-needed stress relief.
WellPath claims that its supplement will put you at ease, support mental clarity and focus, and help you to feel more relaxed as you go about your day. The mood-boosting superfood passionflower is in there to kickstart a positive sense of self-esteem, while ingredients like riboflavin and magnesium will give you an energy boost to help you combat sluggishness and lethargy. Then there’s the rhodiola rosea, which is an adaptogen from Scandinavia that has a solid reputation for raising your energy levels and the amino acid l-theanine which helps you sink into a state of deep relaxation. Of course, the star ingredient though is the Ashwagandha, as the ayurvedic herb has a lot of evidence behind it suggesting it is effective for helping to mange stress and anxiety.
As you’d expect from a healing supplement, Zen is free from GMO, gluten-free, and soy and it is vegan-friendly. It is also third-party tested to ensure the highest quality, and produced in a GMP-certified facility.
Features:
- 60 vegan capsules
- Contains a formula with herbs, vitamins, and adaptogens
- Manufactured in GMP-certified facility
- 3rd party tested
OLLY Goodbye Stress Gummy (⭐ Best Gummy)
If you used to enjoy taking your vitamins as a kid purely because they came in the form of gummies, we’ve got good news for you: this stress-busting supplement from OLLY is full of delicious-tasting gummies for you to chew on.
No supplement list would be complete without taking a look at what the alternatives are to pills and capsules – after all, not all of us can stomach the idea of taking them on a regular basis. In this guide, gummys is the wildcard option, and it doesn’t disappoint. If you want to get on top of your stress and better manage your anxiety, this gummy supplement from OLLY provides an excellent way to go about it.
In each container there are 42 gummies, which should last you around 21 days provided you take the recommended serving size of two gummies per day. The flavor of the gummies is berry verbena, and they are chewable so no need to swallow hard-to-digest pills. The brand OLLY says ‘why leave fun, chewable vitamins to kids?’ and we couldn’t agree more – why not make it fun to take your supplement every day?
The other good news with this calming supplement is that many customers love it, and this is reinforced with the Amazon’s Choice label it has on the online retailer’s website. If there were anything bad to say about this it’s that each gummy does have glucose syrup and beet sugar in it, so you will be taking some sugar on board with this supplement. Other ingredients in the gummies include coloring from various vegetables and vegetable oil, but the star ingredients are GABA, lemon balm extract, and l-theanine which should help boost your mood and lower your level of stress. There is no gluten in this supplement, nor artificial colors. Plus, all the delicious gummy flavor comes from natural ingredients, so while it may be a sweet supplement, it isn’t artificial.
Features:
- 42 gummies
- Includes GABA, lemon balm, and L Theanine
- Natural berry verbina flavor
- Gluten-free
- No artificial colors
Ultimate Guide
When shopping for calming supplements, you want to focus on a few key factors in the decision-making process.
First you’ll need to consider what type of supplement you could feasibly take on a regular basis, since this is something you’ll have to do.
But beyond the type of supplement it’s worth considering the effectiveness of the ingredients on the label, to make sure you’re getting a high-quality product that actually works.
Before we get into what makes a calming supplement great, we’re going to answer a question that may well be weighing on your mind.
Can Supplements Provide Relief from Anxiety and Stress?
While you can find a natural remedy for just about anything, it doesn’t mean that it’s effective or that it will work for you.
So where are we at with calming supplements? Can they actually provide relief from anxiety and stress or is it all just placebo?
Well, the good news is that some ingredients used in calming supplements have a wealth of scientific (and anecdotal) evidence behind them that points to a high level of effectiveness.
The most promising evidence suggests that natural ingredients like the herbs Ashwagandha and Rhodiola rosea as well as the amino acid L-Theanine can prove very effective for treating stress and/or anxiety.
We’ll get into the specific ingredients that work shortly, but for now you just need to know that it is indeed possible to find a supplement that will reduce the level of cortisol – the stress-producing hormone – in your body and boost your mood/lower stress.
Type of Supplement
It’s common knowledge that pills, tablets, and capsules aren’t the only options for supplementation.
While they may feature most prominently in health stores, due to their convenience and high potency, there are other types of supplements to consider.
Powder is one, but in terms of calming supplements we’re going to focus on gummies as an alternative to pills and capsules.
Capsules
The best part about capsules is convenience.
When it comes to supplements, ideally you want them to take up as little of your time as possible, especially if you lead a busy life.
This is what makes capsules and pills such an appealing option for so many people.
You just have to take one or two a day along with a sip of water and that’s it, you can then move on with your day.
They’re also convenient in that you can easily transport them for supplementation on the go.
They also tend to have a high dosage of the ingredients in each capsule, which can be good for the supplement’s effectiveness.
On the downside, nobody enjoys swallowing capsules, and for some the idea is hard to stomach.
This can be off putting, and potentially a dealbreaker.
Gummies
Gummies aren’t as convenient as capsules, since they can melt if they become too hot, which can make them tricky to store if you want to take them with you as you travel.
However, what they may lack in convenience, they more than make up for with flavor.
Most supplements in pill form seem like an obligation, even if it’s something you know is going to be good for your body.
Gummies, on the other hand, feel like a guilty pleasure or a treat.
They can take you back to your childhood when you would happily chew down on some vitamin gummies.
They are also much easier to eat and swallow than their pill counterparts.
It is worth mentioning that gummies will more often than not be sweet, so you have to be careful if you choose gummies that you don’t let them affect your dental hygiene.
Best Ingredients
To save you the effort of tracking down every ingredient you see on the label to find out whether it’s effective or not, we’ve compiled a list of the best calming supplement ingredients.
In this list we’ve picked out the ingredients that are thought to have the biggest impact on stress and anxiety, so seeing any one of these as the first ingredient listed on a label is good news.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha has become more popular in the Western world over the last few years, primarily for its benefits regarding anxiety.
This medicinal herb is an adaptogen, and that means it will work together with your body to stay on top of stress.
It’s commonly used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and has been used for many years due to its ranging health benefits. But far from being an alternate form of medicine, the herb is backed up by scientific research and really does help the body manage stress better.
It does so by boosting your body’s resilience towards stress, both physical and mental. It has also been shown to lower the body’s levels of cortisol, which is a hormone responsible for producing stress.
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is a herb that can be found growing natively in Asia and Russia.
It’s an adaptogen, like Ashwagandha, and it is said to boost the stress response of the body to make it more effective at dealing with stress.
As well as being very effective for treating and managing stress, Rhodiola Rosea is a herb that can also tackle anxiety and exhaustion.
It can help with people who suffer from chronic fatigue, too.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid that you will likely see in a lot of calming supplements.
It is capable of boosting the body’s ability to relax, as well as tackling stress.
You’ll find that it’s an ingredient in many green teas, which is perhaps the reason why many people turn to them for a calming effect.
Melatonin
You are probably familiar with melatonin as the sleep-inducing hormone, but what you might not realize is that it can also be used for reducing stress.
Melatonin is responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm of the body, and helping you keep a healthy sleep schedule.
If you take a supplement with a small amount of melatonin in it before bed each night, you could improve the quality of your sleep.
Since the quality of your sleep and your level of stress are connected, you should find that after a while of taking melatonin your evening stress won’t be as severe.
B Vitamins
The body needs vitamins to function optimally, so to get it firing on all cylinders and ready to combat stress, it’s good to make sure you take on enough of them.
It’s specifically B vitamins that are good to see in calming supplements, and they are the ones you’d usually find in grains, legumes, and leafy greens.
B vitamins have been shown to reduce stress levels as well as encourage a positive mood and high energy level.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calming Supplements
What is the best supplement for anxiety?
We believe that the best supplement for anxiety is the Organic Ashwagandha root extract powder from Physician’s Choice.
This supplement uses just two Certified Organic ingredients to ensure optimal results and the highest quality.
There’s no artificial fillers in the product, and it’s suitable for most dietary preferences and needs.
How can I reduce anxiety fast?
One of the best ways to reduce your level of anxiety quickly is to take a moment to stop what you’re doing, and take a few deep breaths.
By focusing on each inhalation and exhalation, you can align your attention with the body, and stop feeding the vicious cycle of negative thoughts circling around your mind.
If you have a calming supplement, this can be useful too, as it can help bring the body’s levels of cortisol down which should make it easier to focus on what’s important.
Do calming supplements work?
There is evidence to suggest that taking supplements designed to reduce stress and anxiety can indeed be effective.
Provided that the supplements have the right combination of ingredients, they can help you feel more relaxed.
It’s always worth consulting your doctor before you try to treat your own symptoms, but both anecdotal and scientific evidence point to the positive effect of calming supplements.
A Final Word From Wellness Nova
If you feel like you’re constantly battling stress and anxiety, you could benefit from taking a calming supplement.
Supplements designed to tackle stress and anxiety can relax the body and give your mind a reprieve from constantly operating as if it were in a fight or flight scenario.
