★★★★★ 5
A Powerful Anxiolytic and Sleep-Enhancer
Size: 30 Count (Pack of 1)
I have tried a plethora of non-pharmaceutical anxiolytics, and I can say that CalmAid is by far the most effective. For me, the effects are comparable to a low dose of Ativan, but without the drugged feeling. Here are the main things I notice:
-Relaxed heartbeat. My heartbeat is usually very pronounced, but when I take lavender, it calms down dramatically.
-Quieter thoughts. I don't know how to describe this except to say that the "volume" of my thoughts is turned way down on lavender.
-Tremendous sense of calm. It's very hard to get upset or agitated or anxious while under lavender's influence.
-Improved sleep. I've suffered from horrible insomnia for a long time, and lavender is one of the only remedies that's had a noticeable effect. It doesn't make me drowsy per se, but it makes me so calm and relaxed that sleeping is easier.
However, there are some "side effects" (I use the term loosely) to be aware of when using this:
-Reduced energy. I suspect this is just the lavender calming my stress response and revealing fatigue that's already present to some degree, but it's worth noting. As I mentioned, lavender doesn't make me tired, but it makes me just want to kick back and chill rather than doing anything very active or exciting.
-Reduced motivation. Tying into the above, when using lavender I would often rather relax and watch a movie or read instead of getting work done. This is, I suspect, the dark side to being incredibly calm, whether it's lavender or something else making you that way. When you're calm, nothing seems to matter that much, including work. Ergo, you have less motivation. I think a certain amount of anxiety is healthy for optimal motivation, and lavender does away with that.
-For these reasons, I don't consider lavender an optimal anxiolytic for social anxiety, because energy and motivation are so important in social situations. I suffer from social anxiety, and have used lavender to deal with this at times, and though it does make me less anxious, it also makes me less social. I'd recommend something more like phenibut for social situations.
Despite these limitations, I still consider this an essential component in my anti-anxiety toolkit. I just try not to use it too often. Also, it's worth noting that human studies on lavender are somewhat lacking, and without more data, we don't know what the long-term effects of using it are. As with any drug (and I do consider this a drug), I think it should be used as little as possible. I would, however, much rather use this than a pharmaceutical anxiety medication.
A final note, on when to take it: I've found the best time to be 30 minutes before bed, on an empty stomach. The effects are more dramatic when taken well away from food, and if you take it before bed, you get the sleep-enhancing effects immediately, and the anxiolytic effects all throughout the next day (it lasts a looong time).
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Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2017
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