How Does Happy Calm Work?
The herbs found in Happy Calm are traditionally used in both western herbal medicine and Ayurvedic medicine as tonics that support a healthy nervous system. Furthermore, these same herbs work as adaptogens which help the body adapt to life stressors. More specifically, they have the ability to:
- Decrease and relieve symptoms of mild anxiety
- Relieve irritability by soothing and calming the nerves
- Alleviate sleeplessness and disturbed or restless sleep
- Minimise symptoms of stress, nervous tension, and unrest
- Support cognitive, mental and brain function
These herbs in Happy Calm also have the capacity to relieve feelings of general malaise and debility and act as a rejuvenating tonic to maintain and support energy production.
What are the ingredients in Happy Calm?
Happy Calm contains three unique herbs and seven nutrients, all of which have been specially chosen for their scientifically-verified role in supporting the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Both ANS and HPA act as communication lines between your brain and your stress glands.
The ANS and HPA are highly coordinated and physically interconnected systems that define the stress response of your body.
RHODIOLA ROSEA & WITHANIA SOMNIFERA
Withania somnifera and Rhodiola rosea are what herbalists know as ‘adaptogens’. This means they help the body to adapt to stress. More specifically, plants in this category exert beneficial effects on adrenal function, enhance nervous system resistance, restore vitality, increase feelings of energy, improve mental and physical performance and have a normalising action on the body.
Rhodiola rosea has long been used throughout Asia and Europe as a traditional medicine and has also been studied extensively for its specific use in:
- Alleviating symptoms of anxiety, insomnia and mild to moderate depression
- Decreasing mental fatigue in stressful situations
- Boosting mood for individuals experiencing anger, confusion and depression
- Treating generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Increasing work and exercise performance as well as physical fitness
- Addressing weakness, debility and decline in daily functioning in chronic stress conditions.
Withania somnifera is the botanical name for an herb commonly referred to by its Sanskrit name Ashwagandha. It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and also has a wealth of research supporting its efficacy for safe use in:
- Supporting a healthy endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular system
- Improving exercise performance
- Improving the stress response and the immune system
- Reducing cholesterol
- Improving memory recall
- Reducing inflammation and working as an antioxidant, which is of particular interest due to the role chronic inflammation plays in mood disorders
- Treating anxiety through it’s GABA-modulating activity
GABA is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that calms your nervous system.
PASSIFLORA INCARNATA
Passionflower is used by herbalists as an anxiolytic and a mild sedative to relieve sleeplessness, mild anxiety, irritability. It also helps reduce nervous tension and calm the nerves. Studies have shown that its therapeutic activity is the result of its ability to modulate and normalize the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) through its action on the GABA pathways in the brain.
Research has also shown that passionflower:
- Has equivalent efficacy to a benzodiazepine in the relief of anxiety
- Exerts a relaxing effect in physical symptoms aggravated by anxiety or tension
- Is helpful in generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Exerts anti-diabetic properties, which is particularly helpful due to the negative effect stress has on blood sugar levels
- Acts as a muscle relaxant and has a very gentle yet powerful effect on the hormonal system
- Has been shown to have significant sleep-inducing effects due to its ability to decrease GABA and increase melatonin levels
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 reactions in your body and is swiftly ‘used up’ when the body is under stress. A deficiency in magnesium can lead to problems with memory and concentration, depression, irritability, apathy, insomnia, Irritability, nervousness, anxiety, migraines, and PMS. A lack of the nutrient can also cause cramping, muscle pain, twitches and fatigue.
Magnesium supplementation can alleviate these symptoms and its interaction with GABA is likely to produce anxiety-reducing effects in the body. Interestingly, a controlled research study investigating treatments for mild premenstrual symptoms also found that using combinations of magnesium and vitamin B6 showed a significant anxiety-reducing effect on premenstrual symptoms such as nervous tension, mood swings, irritability or anxiety.
VITAMIN B6, B5 & ZINC
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is required for the synthesis of many brain chemicals including serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline. This means that inadequate B6 in the diet can lead to alterations in mood and other psychological disturbances.
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is essential in controlling stress and one's ability to cope with stress-inducing events. This is due to its role in the production of a brain chemical or neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine plays an important role in adrenal function and the synthesis of steroid hormones, including cortisone (the inactive form of cortisol which helps us to slow down).
Research has shown that a deficiency of B5 can also lead to functional changes to the adrenal gland itself. As you can imagine, this results in adrenal hypofunction and an impaired stress response.
Zinc is predominantly found in the brain and plays a role in both brain chemicals GABA and dopamine. There is also evidence of zinc playing a role in serotonin (our feel-good hormone).
If an individual is deficient in zinc or vitamin B6, then adequate amounts of GABA (our calming brain chemical), cannot be formed. Instead, a brain chemical called glutamate is formed, leading to headaches, anxiety, irritability, restlessness and ADHD-like symptoms.
CHOLINE BITARTRATE
Choline (along with vitamin B5 and magnesium) supports our parasympathetic nervous system activity. This is the division of the nervous system known as your ‘rest and digest’ which calms you down and produces a relaxed feeling.
Choline is particularly important for brain health because it makes up our cell membranes and is needed for the vital brain chemical known as acetylcholine. Acetylcholine assists the brain in sending all kinds of messages throughout the body via the nervous system.
Research has found these added facts regarding choline:
- Choline improves cognitive function.
- Choline is involved in muscle control, circadian rhythm (sleep) and memory.
- Low choline levels are highly predictive of cognitive decline and age-related membrane degeneration linked with brain function.
CHROMIUM PICOLINATE & INOSITOL
During stressful situations, insulin levels drop and stress hormones rise which makes it difficult for insulin to work the way it should. Insulin allows your cells to actively take in energy (glucose) from food and if you can’t convert glucose into energy, it builds up in the bloodstream and causes your blood sugars to rise.
Chromium is included in the Happy Calm formula because it plays an essential role in insulin sensitivity and normalising the conversion of glucose to energy.
Inositol also increases the action of insulin and is an important ingredient because it affects the production of serotonin, making it helpful in a variety of anxiety disorders. Several studies have shown that inositol may be able to reduce the number of panic attacks in those with panic disorders.
How long will it take until I notice the effects of these ingredients in Happy Calm?
It’s important to note that Happy Calm is not a magic pill and any type of stress, anxiety or sleep issue needs to be treated both symptomatically and systemically. This means that while you may see results quickly with Happy Calm, it’s important to also consider and address the underlying drivers of any symptoms you have in order to ensure prevention and long-term relief.
These drivers can range from an imbalance of sex hormones to chronic inflammation, dysbiosis, nutrient deficiencies, hypothyroidism, and insomnia. They may also include lifestyle factors that need to be addressed.
Thankfully we now have an online clinic where our experts on women’s health are available for private one-on-one consultations to help you address these underlying factors.
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