“Clinically Hericium erinaceus produces consistent improvements in anxiety and insomnia […]” Martin Powell. “Medicinal Mushrooms–A Clinical Guide.”
Of it’s many attributed benefits, Lion’s Mane is being understood to stimulate both the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (1) and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) (2). These two functions are essential for neurogenesis and are hypothesised to be important for other brain chemical related states such as memory retention, mood, and relaxation.
Some have attributed this to the mushroom’s ability to reduce anxiety and depressive tendencies: those which are known to have a reductive effect on sleep quality. For example, through stimulating BDNF, it’s possible that the resulting reduced anxiety and low mood could contribute to better sleeping.
Good sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing and usually it is said that 7-9 hours of high quality sleep per night ensures that we are well prepared to face our days. Although our biological need for sleep is not fully understood, a widely held view is that it provides our bodies with a regular and necessary opportunity for restoration with respect to molecular, cellular, or network changes (3).
We all know how good an excellent night’s sleep feels; and conversely how terrible we can feel when sleep deprived. Of course many life factors contribute to good restful sleep, but we find it fascinating that Lion’s Mane has the ability to support peaceful sleep through the stimulation and transference of chemicals such as NGF and BDNF, hericenones and erinacines, polysaccharides and more.
A calmer, more relaxed mind leads us to better overall health! Indeed, in a 2021 study (4) researchers recognised that because Lion’s Mane contains hericenones and erinacines, taking supplements containing the mushroom’s mycelium may support sleep disruption improvement.
One of the reasons for this beautiful mushroom’s popularity is the emerging body of science related to characteristics such as enabling better sleep through regular consumption. For example, Vigna (2019) (5) found that volunteers suffering from sleep disorders were found to have an improved mood and an increased quality of nocturnal rest after 8 weeks of Lion’s Mane supplementation.
Our brains are known to process information during our sleep. Mathew Walker, author of “Why We Sleep” argues that dreaming is like overnight therapy, as it takes the edges of emotional experiences to feel better the next day. This could also be why improving our brain processes could help us sleep better and feel better the next day. With Lion’s Mane creating new brain pathways, what better time to do this than whilst we are away with the fairies?
