keep productivity & mindset rolling through seasonal declines
adaptogens for winter resilience
while productivity, cerebral control and energy applies to everyone, the following information is geared to people who experience fatigue, motivation and productivity declines in the winter (or struggle year round). if you don't know what manifestation of stress impacts you the most, check out our stress manifestation guide.
winter can be rough on energy, mood & productivity.
winter has always been challenging for me. a dead (or dormant) landscape, less sunshine, cold weather and shorter days mess with my mental and physical energy. my stress goes up and productivity declines. i get depressed for seemingly no reason. when i was younger, i just rode the seasonal highs and lows and didn't make any real effort to keep energy steady and productive through the winter months.
some 10+ million americans reported having seasonal depression in 2019, and i would argue those numbers are much higher now. i would also argue that if you take out the word depression and replace it with energy and productivity decline, the numbers are higher than statistics can capture. i believe these terms can be used interchangeably for many people who float in and out of fatigue dominated stress.
i got tired of being a mope for several months of the year and i started having real responsibilities that weren't going to wait around for me to get my shit together. i wanted more out of life, so i needed to demand more of myself. this takes real time and effort (easier said than done), but there are many tools to help keep a steady and productive mindset. adaptogens and performance mushrooms are powerful tools to support smooth (cerebral) energy and the expanded bandwidth needed for consistent productivity.
these plant therapies are tools to help you do the work. despite the claims that many companies will make, adaptogens and performance mushrooms don't make productivity effortless. a hammer is just a tool. it won’t do the work for you, but it definitely makes driving a nail more efficient.
energy. bandwidth. productivity.
some quick definitions.
more energy is desirable, but without cerebral control, energy is often spent “spinning your wheels” on fruitless procrastination, unnecessary drama, unproductive worrying and ruminating on would have should have nonsense. it seems obvious to focus mental and physical energy on things that serve you and respond to problems with a forward mindset, but this is a challenging and never-ending effort for most (…me included).
since energy is not enough for productivity, we use bandwidth to describe the intentional, organized, and controlled energy required to take on the day’s challenges with progress towards an improved self (productivity).
we define productivity as a measure of effectively applied bandwidth. productivity can be anything that advances your sort or long-term goals. this can be personal or career goals. productivity can be taking care of the smallest daily tasks or taking big steps towards future goal, and everything in between. most importantly, productivity means you’re moving the needle forward on things that are objectively necessary or subjectively important to your experience in life.
productivity means something different at different stages of life. productivity can be spending more (intentional) time with your family and friends, it can be self-care, it can be yard work, it can be exercise, it can be meal prepping, it can be gardening, it can be job searching, etc. whatever you're doing, do it with intention.
more energy does not consistently translate into more productivity without organization and prioritization, which doesn't happen without consistent cerebral control.
adaptogens expand bandwidth
the right combination of adaptogens and performance mushrooms promote the kind of cerebral energy that expands bandwidth to take on the day’s challenges with improved intention and focus. this expanded capacity also allows for more mistakes, setbacks, and other stressors before tipping into lower brain dominance (reactive mindset / fight or flight).
states of high tension or exhaustion don't leave much mental or physical space to take on new challenges or even process daily information through a consistenty productive lens. if you're consistently experiencing stress and fatigue, it's hard to get things going. high tension and exhaustion are unsustainable and will wear on your quality of life. by reducing the time spent in these disruptive states, adaptogens create more mental and physical bandwidth.
how long does it take for adaptogens to start working?
with a consistent routine, these fundamental shifts in how your mind-body handles stress, energy, and resources can positively change the way you interface with daily life. the real values of adaptogens are in this fundamental shift. so, while you may enjoy some of the "quick results" (improved mood, energy, mental clarity, etc.) with the first few days, the real benefit takes time + consistency. i would not pass judgement on any adaptogen based product in the first week of use. some people don't notice the quick results but find real success with a consistent routine within the first month.
progress towards a balanced stress response is typically noticed between week 2 and week 3 of a consistent routine. this doesn't mean you're going to have the productivity of elon musk with the stress levels of an enlightened monk, but you should be noticing good progress towards improved mood and smoother energy.
how and when to roll into your routine.
for improved energy and bandwidth, it's good to get things rolling in the morning. whether you're looking at the adaptive greens, adaptive cacao, tea + honey stack or individual mushroom stacks, we recommend 1x serving in the morning and 1x serving around lunch time. two servings a day is a good call for the first month or two. you can play with the serving frequency and timing after the first few weeks of success. you can mix and match the products listed below for fatigue dominated stress based on your preference. keep it simple. most importantly, be consistent. the benefits of adaptogens and performance mushrooms are cumulative and holistic.
tired all day + wired all night
we have some clients who experience fatigue dominated stress all day, but their brain ramps up at night and makes seep difficult. this is disaster of the circadian rhythm and has significant consequences on productivity, wellbeing, and overall health. to help bring this back to balance, a combination of stimulating adaptogens during the day and calming adaptogens in the evening is best. for example, a client may serve the adaptive cacao (or greens) in the morning and at lunch to support sustainable energy and focus during the day, then work the anxiety tincture or cbd sublingual in the later afternoon (5ish) and about an hour before bed. this routine can help pull the circadian rhythm back into a productive cycle while offering smooth energy during the day and help support restorative, natural sleep in the evenings.
product recommendations for winter resilience
fatigue dominated stress. (smooth energy support)
adaptive greens
the adaptive greens and adaptive cacao are stacked with adaptogens and performance mushrooms that strengthen stress resilience, support smooth energy and expand capacity.
the adaptive greens has a stronger emphasis on micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants and digestion. this is our only product with a probiotic blend.
3 pack shroom stack
if you’re not a fan of greens or cacao drinks, you can incorporate adaptogens and performance mushrooms into your daily routine without one of these staple blends.
our top recommendation for fatigue dominated stress (besides the adaptive cacao and adaptive greens) is the 3 pack shoom stack of lion’s mane, reishi and cordyceps mushrooms. this stack is highly apaptogenic and promotes increased mental and physical endurance.
energy tea + adaptive honey stack
this is for the tea drinkers. our loose leaf energy tea + our lion's mane & cordyceps honey provides a nice smooth energy and mood boost without the caffeine crash. since this is an adaptogen heavy stack, a consistent daily routine will strengthen stress resilience and expand bandwidth. the tea + honey stack is not a comprehensive as the greens or cacao (not as much gut helth support, immune support or inflammaiton support).
high tension anxiety
maybe you don't experience more fatigue in the winter. some people experience higher levels of high tension anxiety during the winter. if you dont know where you land on the stress boundaries, refer to our "stress manifestation guide" or sign up for our next stress manifestation webinar.
anxiety tincture
the anxiety tincture is an adaptogen-based extract that focuses on calming nervous system tension and building stress resilience so future stressors don't push the mind-body deeper into the sympathetic state. some people use this "as needed" on days when tension is exceptionally high. that being said, this works best if used daily to create more "space" between baseline and symptomatic reactions.
THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FATIGUE DOMINATED ENERGY STRESS.
1260mg cbd sublingual.
when served consistently (starting at 20mg 2x daily), this product has the strongest track record for lowering high nervous system tension that throws the mind-body out of parasympathetic balance.
a good full spectrum cbd works through multiple pathways that influence mood, energy, inflammation, cognitive performance, immune system and more. nacher cbd sublingual isn't necessarily better than the anxiety tincture at addressing nervous system tension and anxiety, but it's more holistic in action. we don't typically recommend this for people who are mostly struggling with the energy and motivation (fatigue dominated).
found exclusively nachercbd.com