Ashwagandha and Sleep Apnea: Can This Herb Help With Sleep?

Medically reviewed by Allen J. Blaivas, D.O.

Written by Anastasia Climan, RDN, CDN

Posted on August 21, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Ashwagandha is a popular herbal supplement used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine that some people turn to for better sleep, but its effects on sleep apnea specifically have not been studied.

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Have you heard that the herb ashwagandha supports better sleep quality? In some cases, this may be true — but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone with sleep apnea.

Ashwagandha is also known as Withania somnifera, winter cherry, and Indian ginseng. It’s an evergreen shrub that’s popular in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurvedic medicine).

Today, ashwagandha is sold in pills, capsules, and gummies. It’s marketed to help with a range of issues, including joint pain, anxiety, fertility, athletic performance, and sleep.

🗳️ Have you tried ashwagandha for sleep apnea? How did it work?

It worked well for me.

It didn’t work for me.

I haven’t tried it.

If you have sleep apnea, here’s what you should know about ashwagandha’s safety and what the research says about its potential benefits for people with sleep apnea.

Potential Benefits of Ashwagandha for Sleep

Experts suspect that certain compounds in ashwagandha promote better sleep by influencing the brain and natural sleep cycles. However, most of the research so far is on mice. The research on humans has been on people with insomnia, not sleep apnea.

Summary of Human Studies

An analysis of five trials reviewed the evidence for ashwagandha on human sleep. Adults with insomnia showed the biggest benefit when taking 600 milligrams or more per day for at least eight weeks.

Participants in the ashwagandha groups had a longer total sleep time and woke up feeling more mentally alert. Some studies also found that ashwagandha improved the participants’ quality of life. In addition, no significant side effects were found.

Does Ashwagandha Help With Sleep Apnea?

The benefits of ashwagandha for better sleep may seem promising. However, there aren’t any studies focusing on ashwagandha and sleep apnea.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea causes poor sleep because of breathing problems. It’s not the same as insomnia, which may be caused by anxiety, psychological factors, or lifestyle habits.

In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), blocked airways cause low oxygen levels. In response, the person wakes up, often snoring or gasping for air. While it’s possible to have both insomnia and sleep apnea, they’re two distinct disorders with different causes and treatments.

What Treats Sleep Apnea?

Ashwagandha won’t keep your airways open. Instead, people with sleep apnea need treatment that fixes their nighttime breathing issues.

Sleep apnea is usually treated with:

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, to promote better airflow while sleeping
Oral appliances that are worn at night to help keep the airways open
Surgery (in some cases) to fix issues that block airflow
Some people need to do some trial and error with their healthcare provider to find a treatment that works for them.

What if You Have Insomnia, Too?

Sleep apnea may not be the only issue getting in the way of a good night’s sleep. It’s not unusual for people with sleep apnea to have insomnia at the same time. But sometimes, insomnia goes undiagnosed and untreated.

That’s why it’s essential to let your doctor know if you feel like your sleep apnea treatment isn’t working well. Your healthcare provider may want to do additional testing for insomnia and recommend other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or medication.

If you’re diagnosed with insomnia and sleep apnea, it’s possible that ashwagandha could help. But other treatments might be better. And you shouldn’t try it without talking to your doctor first.

Ashwagandha and the Body’s Stress Response

Research suggests that people with sleep apnea have abnormal cortisol patterns. Cortisol is a stress hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm. Poor sleep and dysregulated cortisol have been linked to other health problems, including dementia.

There’s some evidence that ashwagandha can help reduce stress and cortisol levels. But what this means for people with sleep apnea isn’t clear.

Ashwagandha and Inflammation

Sleep apnea is also linked to high inflammation levels. Ashwagandha may reduce inflammation. In theory, ashwagandha could protect against related conditions, like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. However, this effect isn’t proven.

Potential Side Effects and Risks of Ashwagandha

Most people tolerate ashwagandha well. If they have any side effects, they’re usually mild.

One of the possible ways ashwagandha works is by stimulating parts of the brain that relax muscles and increase sedation. Although this has not been proven, it may theoretically worsen obstructive sleep apnea by relaxing the muscles that cause airway obstruction. It could also make it harder to wake up during a sleep apnea episode, which may keep oxygen levels low for longer.

Potentially serious side effects of ashwagandha include:

Constipation or diarrhea
Hallucinations
Liver damage and liver failure

Some research suggests ashwagandha affects thyroid function. In addition, pregnancy and hormone-sensitive prostate cancer are two conditions where ashwagandha isn’t recommended.

It’s not clear if ashwagandha is safe for long-term use. Most studies haven’t evaluated its safety for longer than three months.

Supplement Quality Concerns

Dietary supplements aren’t regulated the same way as prescription drugs. There’s always a chance that the label isn’t accurate or that the product contains other ingredients.

Try to stick with supplements that have been validated by a third party, such as United States Pharmacopeia (USP). You can also check ConsumerLab.com to see if the brand you’re considering has been tested.

Medication Interactions

Ashwagandha may also interact with certain medications. Use caution and ask your doctor if you’re taking:

Medication for diabetes or high blood pressure
Immunosuppressants
Thyroid hormone medication
Sedatives

You can also talk to your pharmacist to find out if any medications you take could interact with ashwagandha or other herbs.

Should You Take Ashwagandha?

Talk to your healthcare provider before taking herbal supplements like ashwagandha. If you’re looking to supplements because you feel tired despite getting help for sleep apnea, you might need to talk to your doctor about more testing.

It’s possible that another condition, like insomnia, is contributing to your symptoms. You might also need to treat sleep apnea another way if your current treatments aren’t helping.

Ashwagandha comes in different forms. Some products may be safer and more effective than others.

Discuss your interest in supplements with your healthcare team. They can help you choose a high-quality product and watch for unwanted side effects or interactions. Your doctor may also want to do a blood test to check your liver and kidney function first, and monitor for any changes.