My Favorite Tonic Herbs For More Energy

It’s more and more common to see people crushing multiple energy drinks throughout the day or gulping coffee all day long. While these things aren’t necessarily terrible in and of themselves, abusing them or over-relying on them for normal energy production in the body often leads to a burst of jittery, anxious energy followed by a steep crash, or even worse, they interfere with people’s sleep cycles, causing a negative cycle of being chronically exhausted. For example: you drank so much caffeine that you couldn’t sleep last night, and now you need even more caffeine today because of how tired you are! We’ve all been there.

That’s why I wanted to provide you with a few of my favorite tonic herbs for having more day to day energy. These adaptogens will offer you the boost you need without making you jittery or overstimulated like many processed stimulants. They also don’t produce a crash or harmful side effects, and instead offer an array of positive benefits aside from just increased energy levels. 

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is growing in popularity among high performance athletes because it has been shown to improve both cellular ATP and oxygen utilization. But what does that mean for the average person? It means that your body actually becomes more efficient at using energy right down to the cellular level. ATP is the molecule that releases energy into our cells. With more cellular ATP and better oxygen utilization, you are providing your body not only with more fuel to burn but more oxygen to fuel it. This will improve your day, providing a more natural, sustainable energy source, and making Cordyceps a leader in fighting fatigue.

Gynostemma

Gynostemma is an excellent choice for those who are sensitive to caffeine or looking to lean off of it for a little bit, but who still would like to enjoy a delicious hot drink that can provide an energy boost during the day. The great thing about Gynostemma is that if you’re one of the people I mentioned earlier, who overdo it on stimulants during the day to the point where they’re keeping you awake at night, Gynostemma can also be enjoyed at night as a relaxing drink to help ease you into sleep. In this way, Gynostemma is one of the most versatile adaptogens, providing you energy when you need it and also helping the body relax and release tension when needed. 

I also believe Gynostemma is one of the best values on the herbal market, and wrote a whole article on why it’s the best bang-for-your-buck adaptogenic herb.

Reishi

Reishi may seem like a surprising recommendation for an energetic tonic, but that’s only because many of us have a misguided idea of what energy actually is. We’ve been taught through marketing and our culture that being energetic and productive is synonymous with being wired, stimulated, strung out on caffeine, and basically bouncing off the walls. 

What I’ve found is that herbs like Reishi which can calm the body down and reduce the stress of our lives, can actually free up more energy that would have otherwise been wasted in trying to hack things out in an anxiety-fueled state. Reishi can help us reassociate the states of productivity and creativity with being energetically calm and centered, rather than jittery and overstimulated.

Polyrachis Ant

Like cordyceps, polyrachis ant has been shown to increase ATP production, making it a great choice for those seeking more energy. Polyrachis is also a great choice for men’s health and testosterone support, having been revered as an elite sexual tonic. Often one’s libido can be an indicator of one’s overall energy levels, and many report higher levels of energy and improved sexual drive while taking polyrachis. Aside from its energy boosting benefits, polyrachis ant increases vitality, prolongs life, nourishes the blood and increases circulation, improves libido, and promotes overall wellbeing.

Summary

If you’re looking for more energy to support you in your day to day life, don’t immediately resort to crazy levels of caffeine. Instead, try incorporating herbs that are gentle and sustainable and also provide many other health benefits when used long term! To learn more about these amazing herbs check out the Hyperion store for our top Energy & Endurance tonics.

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