Lion's Mane Mushroom for Sleep
Article at a Glance:
- High-quality, restful sleep is essential for overall health and daily function, but most of us aren’t getting enough of it regularly.
- Lion’s Mane mushrooms have been studied for their ability to help support healthy brain function, relaxation, and restful sleep phases.
- Our Lion’s Mane Mushroom Gummies are a simple way to reap the sleep benefits this adaptogen offers as part of your nightly routine.
Sleep is one of the most valued aspects of our daily lives, but most of us are not sleeping enough. Nourishing your body well, engaging in regular exercise, creating a calming sleep environment, and adding Lion’s Mane functional mushrooms to your sleep arsenal can all help.
Let’s examine the importance of sleep and how Lion’s Mane mushrooms can help you find a more restful routine.
The Importance of Sleep
Busyness has become a standard part of our culture. Everyone seems to be running on nearly empty, and “self-care” has become a health buzzword. One of the biggest things we lack when taking care of ourselves is the permission and space in our schedules to prioritize rest.
Health experts agree that most adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night.[1] Rejuvenating sleep is essential for our well-being, impacting heart health, energy, cognitive function, and stress management.[2][3][4]
When we don't get enough sleep, this can lead to fatigue upon waking up, difficulty concentrating on tasks, irritability, trouble with memory, weakened immune health, higher stress levels, and a higher risk of accidents.
There are many reasons why people struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. For example, you may experience chronic stress, have an erratic work schedule, eat or exercise too late in the day, or have a health problem that can interfere with rest.
Many people find that adding Lion’s Mane mushrooms to their health regimen can help promote the relaxation and calmness they need to wind down at the end of the day.
How Lion’s Mane Helps Sleep
As an adaptogen, Lion’s Mane mushroom helps the body adapt and better respond to stressors.[5] Research suggests that Lion's Mane helps target our REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep phase. REM sleep is when we're sleeping, but our brains are active. This is when you have dreams.
Some studies have observed that Lion’s Mane may help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, meaning we reach the REM stage faster. It may also help us stay in the REM sleep stage longer. Both of these things can help improve our overall quality of sleep. Furthermore, Lion’s Mane has been studied for its ability to improve mood, which can directly impact sleep patterns.[6]
A small 2015 study conducted among sleep-deprived female undergraduate students found that four weeks of a Lion’s Mane-containing supplement was associated with improved reported sleep quality. The authors suggested that the functional mushroom may offer benefits for balancing the mind and body to better prepare an individual for rest.[7]
In one 2016 animal study, researchers found that a Lion’s Mane extract helped improve the sleep-wake cycle of mice, suggesting that it could help reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.[8]
Another animal study published in 2021 found that Lion’s Mane given to mice helped relax the brain and reduce interruptions in REM sleep. The authors suggested that compounds in Lion’s Mane help promote the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), two proteins associated with optimal brain health and function.[9][10][11]
Finally, in a 2018 study among 77 overweight or obese adults, eight weeks of Lion’s Mane supplementation in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet was associated with improved duration and quality of sleep.[12]
Overall, Lion’s Mane has plenty to offer when it comes to naturally and gently helping your brain and body relax.
How to Add Lion’s Mane to Your Sleep Routine
To reap the most benefit of Lion’s Mane for sleep, it’s best to take it later in the day as part of your winding down routine. This can help relax your mind in preparation for falling asleep.
One of the easiest ways to add this functional mushroom to your nightly routine is with Fungies® Lion’s Mane Gummies. Each serving provides 500mg of dual-extracted Lion's Mane mushroom, which may help support brain health and relaxation at the end of the day.
References
- Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
- Seixas AA, Moore J, Chung A, et al. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2020;22(8):52. doi:10.1007/s11906-020-01051-3
- Hosker DK, Elkins RM, Potter MP. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2019;28(2):171-193. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2018.11.010
- Schneider L. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2020;26(4):848-870. doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000878
- Todorova V, Ivanov K, Delattre C, Nalbantova V, Karcheva-Bahchevanska D, Ivanova S. Nutrients. 2021;13(8):2861. doi:10.3390/nu13082861
- Chong PS, Fung ML, Wong KH, Lim LW. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;21(1):163. doi:10.3390/ijms21010163
- Okamura H, Anno N, Tsuda A, Inokuchi T, Uchimura N, Inanaga K. Person Med Univ. 2015;4:76-78. doi:10.1016/j.pmu.2015.03.006.
- Furuta S, Kuwahara R, Hiraki E, Ohnuki K, Yasuo S, Shimizu K. Biomed Res. 2016;37(4):227-232. doi:10.2220/biomedres.37.227
- Li TJ, Lee TY, Lo Y, et al. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021;21(1):295. Published 2021 Dec 5. doi:10.1186/s12906-021-03463-3
- Lima Giacobbo B, Doorduin J, Klein HC, Dierckx RAJO, Bromberg E, de Vries EFJ. Mol Neurobiol. 2019;56(5):3295-3312. doi:10.1007/s12035-018-1283-6
- Lai PL, Naidu M, Sabaratnam V, et al. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(6):539-554. doi:10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i6.30
- Vigna L, Morelli F, Agnelli GM, et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:7861297. Published 2019 Apr 18. doi:10.1155/2019/7861297