I’ve been using Ashwagandha almost every day for over two years now, and most of the time it’s been amazing. It calms my mind, helps me sleep better, keeps stress from taking over. But there was this one side effect that kept popping up and drove me crazy: feeling unexpectedly sleepy during the day.

It wasn’t every day, but when it hit, it was frustrating. I’d take my usual dose in the morning with breakfast, feel great for a couple of hours — then around 1 or 2 p.m. I’d suddenly feel this heavy, mellow wave. Not full-on exhaustion, but like someone turned the dimmer switch down on my brain. I’d get sluggish, eyelids heavy, motivation gone. I’d sit at my desk staring at the screen thinking “I just want to lie down right now.” It wasn’t dramatic enough to nap, but it was enough to make afternoons unproductive and leave me annoyed at myself.

At first I blamed other things: maybe I didn’t sleep enough, maybe lunch was too heavy, maybe I needed more coffee. But after a few weeks of paying attention, the pattern was clear — it happened almost every time I took a full dose (500–600 mg) in the morning. On days I skipped or took half, I felt normal. That’s when I realized Ashwagandha was the culprit.

I started reading what other people experienced. Turns out I wasn’t alone. A lot of folks report the same thing: Ashwagandha is supposed to be calming, but for some it crosses the line into “too relaxed” during the day. Especially if you’re sensitive to GABA-boosting effects or if your cortisol is already on the lower side.

So I decided to figure it out instead of quitting. Here’s what I tried, what worked, and what didn’t — in the order I tested them.

First attempt: I just powered through it

I figured “it’s a good tired,” and tried to push past the drowsiness. Bad idea. I’d drink extra coffee or take a walk, but it only made me jittery on top of tired. The afternoons stayed foggy, and I ended up less productive, more frustrated. Lesson: ignoring it doesn’t fix it.

Second try: I moved the whole dose to evening

I read that many people take Ashwagandha at night for sleep, so I switched everything to evenings — 400–500 mg about 90 minutes before bed. The daytime sleepiness disappeared completely. No more 2 p.m. fog. Mornings felt normal, energy steady.

But there was a downside: the daytime stress protection was weaker. I still got anxious during work, still felt tense in meetings. Evening-only helped sleep a lot, but it left my days feeling more exposed to stress. It wasn’t the full solution.

Third try: I lowered the dose overall

I dropped from 500–600 mg total to 300 mg total per day. I kept it in the evening. Sleep stayed good, daytime sleepiness was gone, but the overall calming effect felt thinner. Stress still crept in more easily. It was better than nothing, but not as powerful as before.

Fourth (and final) fix: Split dosing with lower morning amount

This is what finally clicked. I started doing:

• Morning: 100–150 mg with breakfast (just enough for subtle daytime calm without sedation)
• Evening: 250–300 mg in warm milk or tea (the bigger dose for sleep and overnight recovery)
• Total daily: still around 400 mg, but spread out

The result? Daytime drowsiness vanished. No more heavy afternoons. I still get that gentle “buffer” against stress during the day — things don’t rattle me as much — but I’m not dragging. Evenings are perfect for winding down, and sleep is deep and consistent. It’s like I finally found the balance: enough to help, not so much that it knocks me out.

Other little tweaks that helped:

• Always with food — even the small morning dose. Empty stomach was the fastest way to feel off.
• No caffeine for 1–2 hours after the morning dose — it seemed to amplify the mellow feeling.
• If I ever feel a dip coming, I eat a small snack (nuts, fruit, yogurt) — it snaps me out of it quickly.

I still have days where I feel a bit tired — life happens — but it’s normal tired now, not the weird Ashwagandha-induced heaviness. I’m more alert during work, more patient at home, and I still get the deep rest at night that I was chasing in the first place.

If you’re taking Ashwagandha and sometimes feel unexpectedly sleepy during the day, you’re not imagining it. For me, the fix was simple: lower the morning amount, shift most to evening, always take with food. It took some trial and error, but once I dialed it in, the benefits stayed and the downsides disappeared.

Now I don’t dread the afternoon slump anymore. I just sip my morning coffee, take my tiny dose with breakfast, and keep going. Ashwagandha still helps me stay calm — it just doesn’t knock me out while doing it.

And honestly? That balance is exactly what I was looking for.