Hi, I’m Kayla. I test stuff for work, but I also test stuff because my brain runs hot. I get tight shoulders. I chew my lip. I wake up at 3 a.m. and think about emails. You get it. So I tried a bunch of nootropics for my anxiety. I used them in real life—at work, on planes, in the grocery line. Here’s what actually helped me feel calm without feeling numb.
If you want the fuller play-by-play of that experiment, I pulled my notes into a longer piece you can skim right here.
I’m not a doctor. I’m just a person with a messy tote bag and a busy mind. If you take meds or have health stuff, please talk with your doctor first. Some herbs can clash with prescriptions.
I also kept a day-by-day diary of which powders and pills actually moved the needle for me—peek at that breakdown in this candid log if you’re curious.
For an even deeper dive into how each of these supplements works, the guide at BestBrainDoping gave me a clear, science-backed overview.
Quick map of what I’ll share
- What “best” means to me
- My top three that I still use
- The rest that helped (and how)
- A few that didn’t play nice with me
- How I stack them on real days
What “best” means in my day-to-day
- Calms my body, not just my thoughts
- Doesn’t make me foggy at work
- Plays nice with coffee
- Doesn’t mess with sleep
- No scary side effects
If a product checks those boxes, it stays in my drawer.
My Top Three (the ones I buy again)
1) L-Theanine (Suntheanine)
Brand I liked: Doctor’s Best and Nature’s Trove
This is my “smooth the coffee jitters” buddy. I take it with my first cup. Ten minutes later, the weird edge drops. My mind stays sharp, but my chest isn’t buzzing.
Real moments:
- Zoom all-hands with 60 faces: I didn’t do the nervous leg bounce.
- Costco checkout the Saturday before Christmas: I stayed calm in the long line.
- School pickup in heavy traffic: less grippy steering wheel, more deep breaths.
What I felt:
- Calm yet awake
- No slump later
- No tummy drama
There’s also solid clinical research supporting this calming effect (see this study).
Small downside:
- On an empty stomach, I once felt a touch floaty. I ate toast and it passed.
Would I keep it? Yes. It feels like a soft volume knob for stress.
2) Magnesium Glycinate
Brand I liked: Pure Encapsulations and NOW
This one works from the neck down. My jaw unclenches. My shoulders drop. On nights when my brain hums like a fridge, magnesium helps me fall asleep and stay asleep.
Real moments:
- Red-eye flight from Seattle to Boston: I dozed off without that “my heart is thudding” thing.
- Sunday night before a big presentation: fewer wake-ups, better morning mood.
What I felt:
- Less muscle tightness
- Steadier sleep
- No next-day fog
Tip from my own belly: citrate blends can make me sprint to the bathroom. Glycinate is gentler for me.
Would I keep it? Yes. It’s my nightly “lower the dimmer” switch.
3) Ashwagandha (KSM-66)
Brand I liked: Nootropics Depot and KSM-66 blends
Ashwagandha runs deeper. It didn’t flip a switch day one. It took a couple weeks for me to notice, “Oh hey, I didn’t spiral about that email.”
Real moments:
- Two crazy weeks closing Q3: fewer panic spikes, more “okay, one thing at a time.”
- Wedding weekend for my cousin (lots of family noise): I stayed present, not prickly.
What I felt:
- A calm base line
- Less startle
- Better nerves in crowded rooms
For wrangling nerves in social settings specifically, I put together a no-BS list of what mellowed me out over here.
Published human trials back up Ashwagandha’s ability to lower stress scores (example).
Downsides:
- If I took it late, I got groggy in the morning.
- Once, after a salty ramen lunch, I felt a bit lightheaded—so now I pair it with a normal meal.
Would I keep it? Yes, but I cycle it. I use it on high-stress stretches, not all year.
I also wrote a deeper, day-by-day journal on Ashwagandha and how it landed for me—peek at that full review here.
Also Helpful (but more situational)
Rhodiola Rosea
Brand I liked: Gaia Herbs (standardized)
Rhodiola felt like “calm plus oomph.” On deadline days, it stopped the doom scroll in my brain and gave me steady focus. But if I took it after lunch? Too peppy. My heart felt a touch fast.
Real moments:
- Quarterly report day: I got into flow and stayed there.
- Hot summer afternoon test: felt a little racy; not ideal.
Keep or toss? Keep, but only in the morning, and not on hot, high-caffeine days.
Bacopa Monnieri (Bacognize or Himalaya)
Brand I liked: Himalaya and Nootropics Depot Bacognize
Bacopa is a slow burn. It took me a few weeks. Then I noticed fewer rumination loops—less “what if, what if.” My recall in meetings felt snappier too.
Real moments:
- Pre-presentation week: fewer “replay” thoughts at night.
- Studying for a cert exam: better recall, calmer pace.
Downsides:
- Mild stomach upset if I didn’t take it with food.
- I felt a little sluggish the first week.
Keep or toss? Keep for long projects. Not my quick rescue.
Lion’s Mane (mushroom)
Brand I liked: Host Defense and Four Sigmatic coffee
Lion’s Mane didn’t make me “calm,” but it lifted the gray a bit. Brighter mood means less anxiety for me. It was subtle—like cleaning a dusty window.
Real moments:
- Rainy stretch in March: my mood didn’t sink.
- Writing morning: thoughts felt cleaner, less sticky.
Downside:
- Mild tummy rumble day one. Fine after.
Keep or toss? Keep for mood support. Pair with theanine on gloomy days.
GABA (PharmaGABA)
Brand I liked: Natural Factors PharmaGABA
I know the science is mixed on GABA crossing into the brain. Still, I feel a body calm from it. Like a soft weighted blanket. Placebo or not, it helps me on “wired but tired” nights.
Real moments:
- Hotel sleep with weird hallway noise: easier to settle.
- Post-conference buzz: my shoulders finally let go.
Downside:
- Once I felt a light face tingle—it passed fast.
Keep or toss? Keep for travel nights.
What Didn’t Work For Me (or I avoid)
- 5-HTP: Nausea and a flat mood the next day. Hard no for my gut.
- High-dose Rhodiola late in the day: Too racy. I felt like I drank two extra coffees.
- Phenibut: I tried it years ago. It knocked me out, then gave me a rough rebound day. I don’t touch it now. Not worth the risk.
Everybody’s body is different. But that’s how it went for me.
How I Stack These on Real Days
This is not advice. It’s just my routine.
Weekday work stack:
- Morning: Coffee plus L-theanine (Suntheanine). Smooth, steady start.
- Afternoon: Nothing, or Lion’s Mane if I’m writing.
- Night: Magnesium glycinate for sleep and jaw clench.
Heavy-stress week:
- Morning: Ashwagandha (KSM-66) with breakfast for a calmer base line.
- Late morning: Rhodiola on big deadline days only.
- Night: Magnesium, always.
Travel days:
- Plane: Magnesium the night before. GABA if hotel noise is loud.
- Coffee at airport: Theanine, so I don’t get that “airport buzz” spiral.
Holiday season add-on:
- Theanine in the car before shopping. Keeps me from snapping when carts bump ankles.
Little things that helped the stack “stick”
- Water and salt balance: If I felt woozy, I checked if I had water and a snack.
- Gentle walks: Ten minutes outside pushed these effects further.
- Fewer tabs: I closed extra windows on my laptop. My brain thanked me.
Sometimes the root of my tension isn’t just deadlines—it’s plain old pent