There is an old saying that goes, “advice is like mushrooms; taking the wrong kind can be fatal.” Although functional mushrooms are generally harmless (and in many cases beneficial) there is right and wrong advice as to how best to use them. This also applies to cordyceps.
There are many conflicting opinions about when the best time is to take this type of mushroom due to the effects they can generate. If you are looking for tools to improve your sleep hours and you want to know if you can enjoy its benefits at night, this is the article for you.
Fixing Your Sleep Schedule Naturally
Whether it's insomnia, jet lag, or simply having reversed or out-of-place schedules, we've all had those days when we struggle with sleep or exhaustion. Although it may not sound like something alarming, the truth is that an out-of-control body clock can lead to serious health problems in the long run.
In addition to fatigue and lack of motivation, inadequate rest can interfere with the ability to retain information and can even increase the risk of accidents at work. In the long run, a lack of rest can lead to health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and even cardiovascular problems. Luckily, there are several tools that could help you bring your circadian rhythm back on track again naturally. Some of these little natural hacks are:
Use Light Cues
Light is undoubtedly the most accessible tool to reset our circadian clock, and the National Sleep Foundation agrees. When it's dark, our brain sends a signal to our body to release melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, since it makes us feel sleepy.
In contrast, when there is light, or we are in a bright place, our brain sends the message to lower the melatonin supply, consequently making us feel more awake. If you understand this logic, you will have already figured out how to hack a circadian clock in order to reset it. If you want to go to sleep earlier, you can try turning off the lights at least an hour before going to bed to signal to your body that bedtime is coming.
Using this same logic, when your alarm goes off in the mornings, turn on as many lights as you can and expose yourself to sunlight to feel more alert and make it easier for you to get up to start tackling your day.
Have a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
Helping your body relax and having a relaxing bedtime ritual can make a huge difference in helping you sleep better. Depending on your preferences, this may include some meditation, a gentle yoga routine, taking a hot bath, or simply turning off electronics.
Try transforming your room into the best sanctuary to sleep comfortably. You can help yourself by bringing the room temperature to around 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit and try not to have any kind of noise or light that interrupts or disturbs your relaxation.
Functional Mushrooms and Sleep
Natural mushrooms can be one of the most effective natural alternatives when we’re talking about natural tools to help you reset. Some functional mushrooms, such as Reishi, could help balance mental and physical stress if you take them before going to bed, which consequently helps to reconcile better sleep and a stronger immune system.
In China, using Reishi has been common for centuries to treat insomnia and lack of rest. Some recent studies show that this fungus could indeed have the ability to prolong total sleep time, including the non-rapid eye movement sleep phase or the deeper sleep phase. Other functional mushrooms, such as Chaga, can regulate sleep stability, helping users to fall asleep deeper and wake up with more energy.
Can I Take Cordyceps At Night?
Some studies suggest that cordyceps could help us improve sleep by improving cellular functions. But, although studies suggest this, cordyceps might not be the best mushroom to take at night. While some types of mushrooms can work miracles when it comes to rest, not all functional mushrooms are ideal for taking before bed.
Some mushrooms, such as cordyceps or lion's mane, are more effective in helping us reset our circadian rhythm when we take them in the morning after a good night's rest, as their effects are more energizing.
In fact, cordyceps appears to have a direct link to improving physical stamina, and lion's mane may have the distinctive ability to stimulate the synthesis of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The synthesis of these proteins supports the normal growth and function of nerve cells, which, consequently, help us feel more alert throughout the day.
Best Time to Take Cordyceps
There is much debate as to what is the best time of day to take this type of functional mushroom. Although nothing prevents you from taking cordyceps at night, one of the most outstanding benefits of these mushrooms is the boost to athletic performance they can provide, which in essence, can improve daytime running.
This evidence suggests that cordyceps may be best taken in the morning to boost your energy for the rest of your day. There is one essential factor to keep in mind for cordyceps as well as for most functional fungi, and that is that they do not work the same as pharmaceutical drugs.
Many pharmaceutical medications such as painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-inflammatory drugs, and stimulants take a very short time to travel through the bloodstream and do their job after we take them. On the other hand, although medicinal mushrooms could offer many benefits, they need to build up and accumulate over time before you start to see changes and experience the benefits they offer.
So if you have insomnia problems and are looking for an immediate solution, taking a little cordyceps before bed probably won't make any difference. Similarly, although cordyceps seem to improve the assimilation of oxygen in our body and how our blood carries it to the muscles, this does not necessarily mean that the most optimal time to take cordyceps is before an exercise routine.
The truth is that there is no exact and universal answer about when is the best time to take cordyceps or how long it takes to start acting since this greatly depends on each person's metabolism.
How Often Should You Take Cordyceps?
As we already mentioned, cordyceps take a while to build up before you start enjoying the benefits they can offer. Therefore, experts recommend taking it once daily to get the most out of it. The evidence regarding the efficacy of cordyceps suggests that the benefits provided by these functional mushrooms begin to appear after a couple of weeks of regular use.
If you are looking for more immediate benefits, you can try other types of supplements, such as cannabis, while the cordyceps begin to kick in. For example, some cannabis strains could be excellent for focus and creativity if you want a boost in focus and alertness. But if you want this boost without any sedation or psychoactivity whatsoever, you could try CBD and pick your favorite among the best hemp strains to boost focus and energy.
On the other hand, if you want to experiment with CBD but smoking is not your thing, you could try CBD gummies. And if you're wondering if CBD gummies can help you with focus, you should know that while there is no concrete, science-backed answer yet to this question, CBD gummies have been gaining a lot of popularity due to their potential beneficial effects to focus and concentration.
After the effects and benefits of cordyceps begin to take place, you could continue taking CBD if you wish, as there is no study indicating that taking cordyceps in combination with CBD carries any additional risk on top of the risks posed by these substances individually.
If you are wondering how long in a row you can take cordyceps, the truth is that there is not much evidence about how safe it is to take cordyceps for more than a continuous year. But, taking into account the existing evidence, we can deduce by default that up to a year of regular consumption of cordyceps is safe.
How Much Cordyceps to Take Daily?
Cordyceps doses generally used in human trials range from 1 g (1,000 mg) to 3 g (3,000 mg), either given as a single dose or in multiple doses with meals. Experts consider 2 g (2000 mg) a moderate daily dose, and it is the dose that they usually recommend. Nonetheless, some suggest doubling this dose for the first two weeks of use to allow the body to build and establish the enhanced profile of these functional mushrooms.
Although studies have tested various doses of cordyceps in animals and humans and found it to be safe many times over, the maximum recommended clinical dose for adults is up to 6 g (6000 mg) for up to one year.
There is still not much data about the benefits and side effects of long-term use of cordyceps in humans, and the ideal dose for each person may vary from person to person. Therefore, it is best to consult a specialist before incorporating cordyceps into your daily routine.
