Emotional Stress & Nervous System Balance
Difficult life events, such as bereavement, serious illness, an accident or abuse, can leave the body and mind on alert long after they have passed.
Our care is calm and supportive, for people who feel on edge, have broken sleep or cannot switch off: routine, breathing, gentle yoga, gentle therapies and counselling if you want it. It does not heal trauma or replace trauma-focused therapy or psychiatric care.
If you are in crisis or thinking of harming yourself, call Tele-MANAS 14416 (free, 24×7) or 112 now.
Visit us in Sector 75, Noida
C8, 5th Floor (Medical Floor), C-Tower, Spectrum Mall, Phase 1, Sector 75, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301How Stress Affects the Body
When strain continues, the body’s stress response can stay switched on. Ayurveda describes an imbalance of Vata, the principle of movement and the nervous system, with Manas (the mind and emotions) also unsettled.
Who This Care Is For
- People who feel on edge, are easily startled or cannot switch off
- People with broken sleep, a racing heartbeat, irritability or withdrawal
- People who want calming routines alongside counselling or specialist care
Who Should Not Rely on This Care Alone
- If you have flashbacks, nightmares or feel unsafe most of the time, PTSD or severe trauma needs specialist trauma-focused therapy or psychiatry. We can support this care alongside it, not instead of it.
- Severe depression, psychosis or thoughts of ending your life need urgent psychiatric or medical care.
- If you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, breastfeeding, or have liver or kidney disease, tell us before starting any herbal medicine.
Precautions & When to See a Doctor
Do not stop or change prescribed medicines, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medicines or sleeping tablets, without your prescribing doctor. This care is complementary to your medical, psychiatric and specialist care. Tell us about every medicine and herb you take. Herbs may interact with other medicines, and research on herb-drug interactions is still needed [6], so check with us and your prescribing doctor before you start or stop any herb.
Get urgent care for thoughts of self-harm, hearing voices or losing touch with reality, severe confusion, being unable to eat, drink or look after yourself, chest pain, fainting, or a racing heartbeat with breathlessness. If you are not safe at home or with anyone, call 112. See a doctor promptly for persistent low mood, panic attacks, flashbacks or nightmares that disrupt daily life, heavy drinking or drug use to cope, or low mood or anxiety during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Breathing practices and eyes-closed relaxation can feel distressing after trauma. If this happens, tell your teacher or therapist and stop.
Learn More
Tap a topic to read more.
How We Help
- First consultation. Dr. Hemlata Soni, our Chief Ayurvedic Consultant, reviews your stress history, sleep, digestion and medicines, including any herbs suited to you. Only the first Ayurvedic consultation is free.
- Routine and breathing. A daily routine, called Dinacharya in Ayurveda (the rhythm of waking, eating, moving and resting), with short breathing practices. YogiShri Govind Niranjan, our Yoga & Wellness Expert, guides gentle yoga adapted to you.
- Gentle therapies, where suitable. Shirodhara (a slow, steady stream of warm medicated oil over the forehead) and Abhyanga (warm oil massage).
- Counselling. A Clinical Psychologist offers psychological assessment and counselling in English and Hindi.
What the Evidence Shows
The studies below are early, limited or about related conditions. None focuses on trauma or PTSD.
- Ashwagandha, a traditional herb, was studied in a systematic review and meta-analysis. It lowered cortisol, a stress hormone, but had no effect on perceived stress. The studies differed, and some lacked allocation concealment, a design safeguard against bias. The authors say long-term safety and dosing need study [1].
- In healthy volunteers, standardised Shirodhara produced “alert calmness”, similar to the relaxation response of meditation. The authors suggest this may help explain benefits in anxiety, but this is a hypothesis [2]. A separate Ayurvedic oil-dripping study reported less anxiety and lower noradrenaline, a stress-related chemical messenger [3].
- Two single-patient case studies reported less anxiety with Abhyanga and Shirodhara [4], and better mood and stress markers after 14 days of Shirodhara [5]. One patient cannot show that a treatment works for others.
These studies do not show that Ayurveda treats anxiety or trauma.
Prepared by the AyurSoul Healthcare team from the published research listed below. Medical review by Dr. Hemlata Soni, BAMS is in progress. This page is for education and does not replace individual medical advice. Medical disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Ayurveda heal trauma?
No. We do not claim to heal trauma. Our care supports calm and routine, alongside counselling or specialist care.
Is counselling free?
Only the first Ayurvedic consultation is free. Counselling is a separate service, and we will explain its arrangements before you start.
Can I do yoga if I feel unsafe with my eyes closed?
Yes. Practices can be adapted, so keep your eyes open or stop at any time.
Clinical Research
6 studies: 1 systematic review / meta-analysis, 1 randomised trial, 1 review article, 2 case reports, 1 narrative article.
Show the 6 studies
Numbers in the text refer to this list. Each study is labelled by type: systematic reviews and randomised trials are stronger evidence than pilot studies or single case reports.
- Albalawi AA. Dual impact of Ashwagandha: Significant cortisol reduction but no effects on perceived stress – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition and health, 2025. Systematic review / meta-analysis PubMed
- Dhuri KD, Bodhe PV, Vaidya AB. Shirodhara: A psycho-physiological profile in healthy volunteers. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 2013. Perspective / narrative article PubMed
- Uebaba K, Xu FH, Ogawa H, et al.. Psychoneuroimmunologic effects of Ayurvedic oil-dripping treatment. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2008. Randomised controlled trial PubMed
- Sharma A, Sugandh M, Bhardwaj A, et al.. Role of Shirodhara and Abhyanga on serum cortisol in Anxiety – A case report. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 2025. Case report: low evidential weight PubMed
- Rajan S, Shamkuwar MK, Tanwar AK. Impact of Shirodhara on biological markers of stress: A case study. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 2021. Case report: low evidential weight PubMed
- Speers AB, Cabey KA, Soumyanath A, et al.. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress- Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Current neuropharmacology, 2021. Review article PubMed