Can ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) reduce cortisol levels and promote relaxation before bedtime in individuals who experience excessive daytime somnolence and a second wind at night, delaying sleep onset?

Ashwagandha for Evening Hyperarousal and Delayed Sleep Onset

Ashwagandha root extract (300 mg twice daily) can reduce cortisol levels and improve sleep onset in individuals with stress-related insomnia, but the primary evidence-based treatment for your specific pattern of daytime fatigue with evening "second wind" is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), particularly stimulus control and sleep restriction therapy. 1

Understanding Your Sleep Pattern

Your presentation—tired all day but experiencing a "second wind" between dinner and bedtime—suggests elevated cortisol levels particularly in the presleep period, which is a hallmark of physiological hyperarousal in insomnia 2. This pattern may also indicate:

• Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder (ASPD), where your natural sleep drive peaks earlier in the evening (6:00-9:00 PM) but you're fighting through it, creating a secondary arousal state 3
• Circadian dysregulation from irregular sleep-wake timing, which diffuses homeostatic sleep drive 2

First-Line Treatment: Behavioral Interventions (Not Supplements)

CBT-I is the standard treatment and should be implemented before any pharmacological or supplement approach 2, 1. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines prioritize this multicomponent approach:

Sleep Restriction Therapy

• Limit time in bed to match your actual sleep duration (not your desired sleep duration) to enhance sleep drive and consolidate sleep 1
• If you're only sleeping 5 hours despite being in bed for 8 hours, restrict bed time to 5.5 hours initially 1
• This specifically targets sleep maintenance and consolidation problems 1

Stimulus Control

• Go to bed only when genuinely sleepy (not just tired or fatigued—these are different) 2, 1
• Get out of bed if unable to sleep within 20 minutes and return only when sleepy 2, 1
• Use bed only for sleep and sex, avoiding other activities that create arousal associations 2

Critical Sleep Hygiene for Evening Hyperarousal

• Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime (this means no caffeine after 2:00 PM if targeting 8:00 PM sleep) 2
• Avoid bright light exposure in the evening, as it further delays sleep onset when sleep pressure is already low 2, 3
• Maintain consistent bed and rise times, even on weekends, to prevent circadian dysregulation 2

Ashwagandha: Evidence and Appropriate Use

Cortisol Reduction Evidence

Ashwagandha root extract (300 mg twice daily) significantly reduces serum cortisol levels in stressed adults:

• One study showed substantial cortisol reduction (P=0.0006) after 60 days compared to placebo 4
• Another trial demonstrated cortisol reduction with both 250 mg/day (P<0.05) and 600 mg/day (P<0.0001) 5

Sleep Onset Improvement

Ashwagandha 300 mg twice daily for 10 weeks significantly shortened sleep onset latency from baseline to 29.00 minutes versus 33.94 minutes with placebo (P=0.019) 6. The same study showed:

• Sleep efficiency improved from 75.63% to 83.48% (versus 75.14% to 79.68% with placebo) 6
• Sleep quality significantly improved (P=0.002) 6
• Well-tolerated with only mild, transient adverse events (somnolence, epigastric discomfort, loose stools) 7

Appropriate Context for Use

Ashwagandha appears most effective for stress-related insomnia with documented elevated cortisol 6, 4, 5. However:

• It should not replace CBT-I as first-line treatment 1
• Studies used it as monotherapy in otherwise healthy stressed adults, not specifically for your pattern of evening hyperarousal 6, 4, 5
• No studies have evaluated ashwagandha specifically for circadian rhythm disorders like ASPD 3

Critical Diagnostic Steps Before Treatment

Rule Out Medical Causes First

Before assuming primary insomnia or trying supplements, evaluate for:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (snoring, gasping, witnessed apneas, morning headaches)—this must be ruled out first 3
• Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder—document your sleep-wake patterns with a sleep diary for at least 7 days to reveal if you have an early circadian phase 3
• Medication effects—SSRIs, SNRIs, stimulants, and caffeine all disrupt sleep architecture 3

Distinguish Sleepiness from Fatigue

True sleepiness (tendency to fall asleep) is uncommon in chronic insomnia 3. Your daytime fatigue with inability to nap suggests:

• Hyperarousal state persisting throughout the day 2
• Not a sleep debt issue but rather a sleep quality/architecture problem 3

Recommended Treatment Algorithm

1. Document sleep patterns with a 7-day sleep diary to identify your natural sleep-wake timing 3

2. Implement CBT-I components immediately:

   • Sleep restriction therapy (match time in bed to actual sleep time) 1
   • Stimulus control (bed only when sleepy, out of bed if not asleep in 20 minutes) 1
   • Strict sleep hygiene (no caffeine after 2 PM, dim lights after dinner, consistent schedule) 2

3. If insufficient improvement after 4-6 weeks of behavioral therapy, consider adding ashwagandha 300 mg twice daily 1, 6

4. Avoid common pitfalls:

   • Never use sleep medications or supplements without concurrent behavioral therapy—this leads to dependence without addressing underlying sleep architecture problems 1
   • Don't assume you need more sleep time—you may need better sleep consolidation, not longer time in bed 1
   • Avoid evening electronic device use, which suppresses melatonin and increases alertness 2

When Ashwagandha May Be Appropriate

Consider ashwagandha 300 mg twice daily if:

• You have documented stress with suspected elevated evening cortisol 6, 4
• CBT-I alone provides insufficient improvement after 4-6 weeks 1
• You prefer herbal therapy over conventional sleep medications 6
• You have no contraindications (pregnancy, thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions) 7

Expected timeline: 8-10 weeks for full effect on sleep parameters 6, 8