Kalma in the morning, Starshroooms at night
Two gummies with breakfast, two before bed. That is the routine we follow with our ashwagandha and mushroom gummies, and this guide explains why. It also covers what the research says about the best time to take ashwagandha, because the honest answer is less exciting than most articles make it sound.
No published trial has compared ashwagandha taken in the morning with ashwagandha taken at night. We looked. Timing comes down to habit, comfort and what you want from your day.
Last updated 26 September 2026.
The short answer
Take ashwagandha at the time you will remember every day, with food if supplements tend to upset your stomach. The trials that found differences between ashwagandha and a placebo gave it daily for six to twelve weeks. None of them tested the hour on the clock.
- Morning, with breakfast, suits people who want it tied to a meal they never skip, or who already take other supplements then.
- Evening, 30 to 60 minutes before bed, suits people whose main interest is sleep, or who find it makes them a little drowsy.
- Split, one serving in the morning and one at night, matches the most common trial design: 300 mg of root extract twice a day.
Mushroom supplements have even less timing research, and we cover them further down.
Ashwagandha in brief
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an evergreen shrub grown in parts of Asia, Africa and southern Europe. The Sanskrit name refers to the smell of the root, said to resemble a horse. It is also called winter cherry or Indian ginseng, although it is not related to true ginseng.
The root has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine in India as what practitioners call an adaptogen, a loose term for something traditionally thought to raise general resistance to stress. Medicine does not recognise it as a formal category.
The root contains compounds called withanolides, which is why labels often quote a withanolide percentage, commonly 5%. Root and leaf differ chemically, and most supplements use root extract. You will find ashwagandha as capsules, tablets, powders, teas and gummies, and in some creams and oils. Our ashwagandha guide covers the plant in more depth.
How the ashwagandha trials were timed
If the time of day made a big difference, you would expect researchers to control it tightly. Most did not specify it at all. Here is how some of the better known human trials gave their doses.
| Study | Who took part | Amount per day | How often | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandrasekhar et al., 2012 | 64 adults with chronic stress | 600 mg root extract | 300 mg twice a day | 60 days |
| Langade et al., 2019 | 60 adults with insomnia | 600 mg root extract | 300 mg twice a day, with milk or water | 10 weeks |
| Salve et al., 2019 | 60 stressed, healthy adults | 250 mg or 600 mg root extract | Twice a day | 8 weeks |
| Lopresti et al., 2019 | 60 stressed, healthy adults | 240 mg extract | Once a day | 60 days |
| Deshpande et al., 2020 | 150 adults with unrefreshing sleep | 120 mg extract | Once a day | 6 weeks |
| Gopukumar et al., 2021 | 130 stressed, healthy adults | 300 mg slow release root extract | Once a day | 90 days |
| Smith et al., 2023 | 120 adults aged 40 to 75 with stress and fatigue | 400 mg root extract | 200 mg twice a day | 12 weeks |
Twice a day is the most common pattern, which is where the morning and evening advice comes from. Once a day trials also reported differences from placebo. Several twice daily papers do not say which hours the doses were taken, and none randomised people to morning against evening.
Taking ashwagandha in the morning
For most people, morning is the easiest slot to keep, because breakfast is a fixed point in the day. Food also matters to anyone whose stomach objects to supplements. Stomach upset, loose stools and nausea are among the mild side effects listed in the US National Institutes of Health ashwagandha fact sheet.
You will read online that morning ashwagandha lines up with your cortisol peak. Part of that is true. Cortisol rises naturally in the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking, a pattern called the cortisol awakening response. Several ashwagandha trials measured cortisol and found lower levels in the ashwagandha group: in the Chandrasekhar trial, serum cortisol fell by 27.9%. But those trials gave doses twice a day, and none tested whether a morning dose changes the waking rise. The link sounds sensible. Nobody has measured it.
Taking ashwagandha at night
The species name somnifera comes from the Latin for sleep inducing. In Ayurvedic tradition the root powder was often warmed in milk in the evening, and a modern version, sometimes called moon milk, stirs ashwagandha powder into warm milk with spices before bed.
The sleep research is the main reason many guides suggest night time. In a 2019 trial by Langade and colleagues, 60 adults with insomnia took 300 mg of root extract or a placebo twice a day for 10 weeks. Measured with a wrist monitor, the ashwagandha group took about 29 minutes to fall asleep by the end, against about 34 minutes on placebo, and rated their sleep quality higher.
A 2021 meta analysis by Cheah and colleagues pooled five trials covering 400 adults and found a small but significant effect on overall sleep. The effect was larger in people with insomnia, at 600 mg a day or more, and over eight weeks or longer.
Look at what drove that effect: the daily amount and the number of weeks. None of the trials tested a single evening dose. If you choose night time, the practical reasons are good ones. It slots into a wind down routine, and if it makes you a little drowsy, you would rather feel that on the sofa than at your desk.
Splitting the dose
Split dosing is what most trials did, so it has the most research behind it. With a product made for two gummies a day, you could take one in the morning and one at night. Some guides suggest starting on a smaller amount for the first week to see how your stomach copes. That is a cautious idea, though no study has tested it.
A split routine means remembering twice. Plenty of people find once a day easier to keep up for eight weeks, and the once daily trials by Lopresti, Deshpande and Gopukumar still reported differences from placebo.
With food or on an empty stomach
No trial has compared ashwagandha with and without food. The Langade 2019 trial gave capsules with milk or water. Some guides recommend a meal with some fat in it, such as yoghurt, nuts or avocado, while others say any meal will do. Neither view has been tested in people. If supplements upset your stomach, take them with or just after a meal. Gummies make that easy.
How long before you notice anything
In the research, ashwagandha does not act quickly. Most trials ran six to twelve weeks and measured outcomes with questionnaires at the end, and the Cheah review found stronger effects in trials of eight weeks or more.
We suggest giving any daily supplement a full month before deciding whether it suits you. Keep a short note each day: the time you took it, how you slept, and how stressed you felt on a scale of 1 to 10. After four weeks that note will tell you more than memory can.
The bigger timing problem is missed days. A routine you keep five days out of seven is not the routine the trials tested. If you miss a dose, skip it and carry on the next day. There is no need to double up.
The best time to take mushroom supplements
We could not find a single trial that tested a mushroom supplement at different times of day. Here is what the human studies on the mushrooms and ginseng in our blend actually did.
- Lion's Mane: in a 2009 trial by Mori and colleagues, 30 Japanese adults aged 50 to 80 with mild cognitive impairment took Lion's Mane tablets three times a day for 16 weeks. They scored higher than the placebo group on a cognitive scale at weeks 8, 12 and 16, and scores fell again four weeks after stopping. In a 2023 pilot study at Northumbria University, 41 healthy adults aged 18 to 45 were quicker on the Stroop test 60 minutes after a single 1.8 g dose, though most other tests showed no difference from placebo. More in our Lion's Mane guide.
- Panax Ginseng: also at Northumbria, Reay, Kennedy and Scholey (2005) gave 30 healthy young adults single doses of 200 mg or 400 mg of a ginseng extract and tested them from an hour later. After 200 mg, people did better on a mental arithmetic task and rated themselves less mentally tired. Both doses lowered blood glucose. These were daytime sessions, which partly explains why ginseng is usually taken earlier in the day. See our Panax Ginseng guide.
- Cordyceps: the human research is mostly about exercise, such as a 2010 trial in 20 adults aged 50 to 75 over 12 weeks. Timing was never the question. Read the Cordyceps guide.
- Reishi: known as lingzhi in China, with more than 2,000 years of traditional use as a calming mushroom, often in the evening. Most of its sleep research so far is in animals, so the evening habit rests on tradition. See the Reishi guide.
- Chaga, Maitake and Tremella: the research is mostly in the lab and in animals, with nothing on timing. See Chaga, Maitake and Tremella.
A caffeine free mushroom blend can go at either end of the day. If it is built around Reishi, the evening follows tradition. If you mostly care about Lion's Mane or ginseng and want to mirror how they were studied, earlier in the day matches those designs. You can compare blends in our mushroom gummies collection.
Our routine: ashwagandha in the morning, mushrooms at night
7.30am: two Kalma with breakfast
Kalma is our ashwagandha gummy. Each serving contains ashwagandha root extract, concentrated 10:1 and standardised to 5% withanolides, plus 2.8 mg of vitamin B6 (200% of the NRV). Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. The gummies are apple flavoured, set with fruit pectin and coloured with black carrot, so they are vegan.
Breakfast is about habit. Ashwagandha can be taken at any time of day, and a meal you never skip is the simplest anchor there is.
9am to 6pm: the day happens
Nothing to do here. Neither gummy contains caffeine, so your morning coffee carries on as normal.
9.45pm: two Starshroooms
Starshroooms goes in 30 to 60 minutes before bed. It combines Reishi at a 20:1 extract, our most concentrated, with Lion's Mane (2:1 extract), Chaga (10:1), Maitake (10:1), Cordyceps whole mushroom powder, Tremella polysaccharide powder and full spectrum Panax Ginseng root, plus 12 mg of vitamin B5 (200% of the NRV) and iodine. Pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
The Lion's Mane and ginseng studies above were run during the day, so the evening slot needs explaining. Reishi is the most concentrated extract in the gummy and has the longest tradition as an evening mushroom, so the whole gummy goes at the end of the day. If you would rather take it with breakfast, go ahead. Pair it with something you do every night, such as brushing your teeth. There is more in our wind down routine guide.
A day at a glance
| Time | What | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 ashwagandha gummies | Easy to remember with a meal |
| Lunch (optional) | 2 Grooovy Greeens | Any time works, lunch is a handy anchor |
| 30 to 60 minutes before bed | 2 mushroom gummies | Reishi as part of your wind down |
Grooovy Greeens has fruit and vegetable powders and inulin fibre. All three come together in the Mind, Body & Soul bundle, 60 gummies of each for £69.95, or as a five day trial for £12.99.
Coffee, magnesium and other supplements
Some guides say caffeine and ashwagandha cancel each other out and should be taken 30 to 60 minutes apart. We could not find a human study that tested this. Spacing them out does no harm if you prefer it.
Magnesium is a popular evening partner. No trial has tested the two together, and we are not aware of a known interaction. Magnesium has authorised claims in Great Britain, including that magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.
Some guides pair ashwagandha with rhodiola in the morning. Stacking herbs makes it hard to tell which one you are reacting to if something feels off, so add one at a time.
Sedatives and sleep medicines are the pairing to take seriously. The NIH fact sheet lists sedatives among the medicines ashwagandha might interact with, so speak to your GP or pharmacist before combining them.
What the evidence does and does not show
What it shows:
- In several placebo controlled trials, mostly run in India and six to twelve weeks long, adults taking ashwagandha root extract scored lower on stress and anxiety questionnaires than those on placebo.
- In sleep trials, people taking ashwagandha fell asleep sooner on wrist monitors and rated their sleep higher, with bigger differences in people with insomnia.
- Once daily and twice daily schedules both produced differences from placebo.
- Ashwagandha was generally well tolerated for up to about three months.
What it does not show:
- That morning or evening is better. No trial has compared them.
- That results apply to every product. Trials used specific extracts, such as KSM-66 and Shoden, in amounts that may differ from a gummy serving.
- That it is safe to take for years. Long term safety data is lacking.
- That every trial found a difference. In the 2023 Smith trial, perceived stress fell in the ashwagandha group but not by more than on placebo, though fatigue scores did differ.
- Anything about the timing of mushroom supplements.
In 2022 an international taskforce from the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments provisionally recommended 300 to 600 mg a day of root extract standardised to 5% withanolides for generalised anxiety disorder, while saying a stronger recommendation would need more data. It is a guideline for a diagnosed condition, and it is silent on timing.
Who should check with a GP or pharmacist first
Ashwagandha does not suit everyone. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking it if you:
- are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
- have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication. In a 2018 trial of 50 people with subclinical hypothyroidism, ashwagandha changed thyroid hormone levels compared with placebo, and there are case reports of an overactive thyroid
- have a liver condition. Rare cases of liver injury have been reported, including a 2020 case series of five people in Iceland and the US who took 450 to 1,350 mg a day and recovered after stopping
- have an autoimmune condition or take immunosuppressants
- take sedatives, antidepressants, anti anxiety medicines, diabetes medicines or blood pressure medicines
- have surgery coming up
Common side effects in trials were mild: stomach upset, loose stools, nausea and drowsiness. Stop and get medical advice if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, persistent itching or bad stomach pain. There is more in who should and shouldn't take ashwagandha.
Ginseng lowered blood glucose in the 2005 Northumbria study, so check first if you take diabetes medicines, and ask a pharmacist if you take warfarin or another blood thinner. Avoid mushroom supplements if you have a mushroom allergy.
Ashwagandha in the UK
In Great Britain, ashwagandha is sold as a food supplement in chemists, health food shops, supermarkets and online. Food supplements are not licensed by the MHRA before sale and cannot claim to prevent, treat or cure any condition. The only health claims allowed on pack are those on the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register, which is why our labels carry vitamin B6 and B5 wording and no claims for ashwagandha or the mushrooms. When comparing products, look for the extract ratio, the withanolide percentage, root or leaf, and whether the maker says it is produced to GMP standards or third party tested.
The Food Standards Agency is reviewing the safety of ashwagandha. It ran a call for evidence from 8 July to 1 September 2024 and published a summary of the 19 responses on 25 June 2026. The Committee on Toxicity discussed a third draft statement at its meeting on 8 September 2026. No safe upper level has been set in the UK yet, and nobody outside the committee knows whether the FSA will set limits for supplements.
Elsewhere in Europe, Denmark banned ashwagandha in 2023, and in 2024 the French food safety agency ANSES advised against its use by certain groups, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with hormone disorders. The NHS does not publish guidance on when to take it. If you take prescribed medicines, tell your GP or pharmacist about any supplement you use.
Our research page links the human studies behind each ingredient we use, with notes on who took part and where each one stops.
FAQs
Do you take ashwagandha at night or in the morning?
Either works. No trial has compared morning with evening ashwagandha, and trials that found differences from placebo used both once daily and twice daily schedules, most often 300 mg of root extract twice a day. Take it in the morning if breakfast is your most reliable habit, or in the evening if sleep is your main interest or it makes you slightly drowsy. The same time every day matters more than which time.
Does ashwagandha make you sleepy or give you energy?
People differ. Drowsiness is one of the mild side effects reported in trials, and in sleep trials people taking ashwagandha fell asleep sooner than those on placebo. Yet a 2023 trial of 120 adults with stress and fatigue found lower fatigue scores in the ashwagandha group after 12 weeks. If it makes you drowsy during the day, move it to the evening.
Can you take magnesium and ashwagandha together?
No trial has tested the two together, and we are not aware of a known interaction between them. Many people take both in the evening. Magnesium has authorised claims in Great Britain, including that it contributes to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. If you take prescribed medicines, particularly for blood pressure, diabetes or sleep, ask your pharmacist before adding either one.
What should you not mix with ashwagandha?
Speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you take thyroid medication, sedatives or sleeping tablets, antidepressants or anti anxiety medicines, immunosuppressants, diabetes medicines or blood pressure medicines. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists these as possible interactions. Alcohol and other sedating herbs may add to any drowsiness. Avoid ashwagandha if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and check first if you have a liver, thyroid or autoimmune condition.
Should ashwagandha be taken with food?
There is no trial comparing ashwagandha with and without food. Taking it with a meal is a sensible default, because stomach upset and nausea are among the mild side effects reported in trials. One well known sleep trial gave the capsules with milk or water. Gummies are easy to take after breakfast or dinner, so tying them to a meal costs you nothing.
How long does ashwagandha take to work?
The human trials ran for six to twelve weeks, and a 2021 review of sleep trials found stronger effects in those lasting eight weeks or more. No trial has shown it acting within hours. Take it daily for at least a month before deciding whether it suits you, and keep a short note of how you slept and how stressed you felt.
Can I take ashwagandha every day?
Daily use is how it was taken in the trials, and it appeared well tolerated for up to about three months. There is little data on safety over many months or years. Some practitioners suggest taking a break after three to six months, although no study has tested that approach. The UK Food Standards Agency is reviewing ashwagandha safety, so check back for updates, and talk to your GP if you plan to take it long term.
What is the best time to take mushroom supplements?
There is no trial comparing times of day for Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Reishi or other mushroom supplements. Reishi has a long tradition as an evening mushroom. The Lion's Mane and ginseng studies at Northumbria University tested people in daytime sessions, about an hour after a dose, so some people prefer those earlier in the day. A caffeine free blend can go at either end of the day. Pick a time you can keep.
Can I take Kalma and Starshroooms together?
Yes. Our gummies are made to be taken alongside one another, and together they come to four gummies a day: two with breakfast and two before bed. Neither contains caffeine. Kalma contains ashwagandha, so the cautions above apply: check with your GP first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a thyroid, liver or autoimmune condition, take regular medication or have surgery coming up.
What if I miss a dose?
Skip it and carry on at your usual time the next day. There is no need to double up. Missed days matter more than timing, because the trials tested daily use over several weeks. If you keep forgetting, attach the gummies to something you already do every day, like breakfast or brushing your teeth, and keep the pack where you will see it.
