Reishi mushrooms have long been used as an aid to sleep. Reishi’s natural sedative properties help promote an efficient sleeping pattern and ease nervous system tension, so its inclusion in China’s 16th-century Materia Medica as an Shen tonic to restore balance to mind and emotions can only add further credence to its efficacy as an effective aide for relaxation.

Reishi’s adaptogenic properties make it an invaluable ally in terms of managing stress levels, balancing hormones (particularly menopausal symptoms) and increasing energy. Perhaps its greatest strength lies in improving sleep quality.

Researchers have discovered that Reishi has the power to enhance our quality of sleep by decreasing time it takes us to fall asleep, increasing non-REM sleep duration and prolonging light sleep duration. Reishi extract may work by stimulating both hypothalamus (which regulates our sleeping/waking cycle) and dorsal raphe nucleus (associated with learning and memory).

Sue harvests Reishi from Pennsylvania Wilds northern forests and creates a double extraction tincture with grain alcohol and pure mountain spring water, creating Coco Dream: a superfood hot cocoa drink you can use in smoothies or enjoy with plant-based milk as a warm drink!

Individual responses to Reishi can differ widely, so we advise starting low doses and closely monitoring your health. Start slowly incorporating Reishi into your daily smoothie or coffee ritual – adding just a tablespoon or so can go a long way towards providing restful night’s rest!