When should I take Ashwagandha

Andrew Huberman suggests that if you decide to take Ashwagandha to reduce cortisol, given that you want cortisol to be higher earlier in the day for energy, it is probably best taken later in the day or in the evening. He adds that he has not heard of Ashwagandha preventing sleep or causing insomnia, so taking it before sleep might be appropriate. In addition, Dr. Huberman personally takes Ashwagandha from time to time if he is chronically stressed or not sleeping well, typically before sleep or with his last meal of the day, which is at least two hours before he goes to sleep. He also mentions that dosages can vary and it's important to go by the dosage on the bottle from a reputable brand, or to check websites like Examine.com for a range of dosages used in various studies 1.

For general supplementation guidelines and cycling, Andrew Huberman points out that with certain hormones like Ashwagandha, you shouldn't take them for more than two weeks at a time at high dosages. For more specifics on how long to take Ashwagandha and how to cycle it, Dr. Huberman suggests referring to an episode on Mastering Stress or looking at Examine.com 2.