About Bacopa
Bacopa Monnieri is a herb that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s also known as the water hyssop, Indian pennywort, and bacopa monnieri.
This plant can be found in wetlands and marshy areas all over India and Sri Lanka. The plant’s leaves are used to make medicines that are said to have a number of health benefits including improved memory, reduced anxiety, better sleep quality, improved concentration, and focus.
How Does Bacopa Work?
The main Bacopa benefit is memory improvement. So, how does it actually work? It does this by enhancing the communication between neurons and synapses, which helps you think faster and remember more.
Does Bacopa Monnieri Make You Sleepy?
The short answer is no, Bacopa Monnieri does not cause sleepiness. But, this herb does have an effect on the mind. It can alleviate stress and anxiety levels, due to bacosides inside which are believed to be responsible for Bacopa’s benefits. Therefore, it can make you feel more relaxed and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Bacopa may not help with sleep directly but it does improve the quality of sleep by increasing REM sleep.
How to Use Bacopa Monnieri? – Daily Dosage
When deciding on the optimal dosage of Bacopa Monnieri, one should keep in mind how this supplement works. Bacopa Monnieri helps to clear stress from your brain and boosts memory and cognition. It’s recommended to take the optimal dosage before you need to give an important speech or when you know that you’re going to need your brain at its best.
It all depends on what you’re looking for, but the standard dosage of Bacopa Monnieri is 300mg daily. Higher doses than that haven’t been shown to promote greater effects.
Does Bacopa Alone Promote Substantial Results for Brain Health?
While Bacopa is beneficial for brain health to some degree, mostly for memory and stress, that ingredient alone is not enough for substantial improvement. When looking for a quality nootropic, we always keep our eye on the ingredient formula, making sure it has at least several different proven, natural ingredients.
Bacopa Monnieri will work for stress, and therefore promoting a better sleep quality to some degree, but it is the best when combined with other proven nootropics like:
- L-Theanine – alleviates stress and anxiety, and promotes a state of relaxation, therefore improving sleep quality
- Phosphatidylserine – supports locomotor functions and boosts short-term and long-term memory
- Maritime Pine Bark Extract – protects the brain cells from oxidative stress
- Ashwagandha – enhances mood and reduces stress hormone (cortisol)
- Rhodiola Rosea – combats depressing mood and protects the brain cells from destructive effects of chronic stress
Safety
Bacopa Monnieri is natural and considered safe for most people. It was studied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and it was found that there were no harmful effects on users’ health. If the doses are drastically exceeded, side effects like stomach upset, diarrhea, headache, dry mouth, and skin rash can occur.
However, these are extremely rare and shouldn’t happen if you take the optimal doses.