Feeling wired, exhausted and not quite yourself? You’re not alone. Chronic stress has become one of the defining health challenges of modern life – and yet so many of us are still trying to push through it rather than actually address it. We spoke to Sophie Barrett, Medical Herbalist and Naturopath at Hifas da Terra, to understand what stress is really doing to our bodies, and the evidence-informed natural approaches that can help.
First things first – what’s actually happening in our bodies when we experience stress?
“When we experience stress, the body activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis – what’s known as the HPA axis,” Sophie explains. “This triggers the release of stress hormones, primarily cortisol and adrenaline, which prepare the body to respond to a perceived threat.”
In the short term, this is entirely normal and even protective, it’s the system that gets you through a tight deadline or a difficult conversation. The problem arises when stress becomes chronic. “When the stress response is repeatedly or continuously activated, it can dysregulate the HPA axis,” says Sophie, “leading to either persistently elevated cortisol, or in longer-term burnout, the eventual depletion of it.”
That dysregulation has a knock-on effect across multiple body systems. “The nervous system, immune function, endocrine balance and gut health can all be impacted,” she notes. Which goes some way to explaining why prolonged stress doesn’t just make us feel emotionally frazzled, it can show up physically in so many different ways.
What are the early warning signs that our body is under too much stress?
This is where Sophie’s clinical experience really comes into its own. “Often the signs are things people normalise or put down to being busy,” she says. “But the body is communicating quite clearly.”
The key ones to watch for, according to Sophie:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrefreshed despite a full night
- Feeling simultaneously wired and exhausted – a classic sign of HPA dysregulation
- Increased anxiety, irritability or emotional reactivity
- Brain fog, poor concentration or a sense of mental slowness
- Digestive disturbances such as bloating, irregularity or nausea
- A lowered immune response – getting ill more frequently or taking longer to recover
“These symptoms often appear gradually,” Sophie adds, “which is why people tend to adapt to them rather than recognise them as signals that something needs to change.”
You work a lot with medicinal mushrooms. Can you explain how they support the stress response?
“Medicinal mushrooms are classified as adaptogens, a category of natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and restore physiological balance,” Sophie explains. “They work by modulating the stress response rather than suppressing it, which is what makes them so well suited to longer-term use.”
She highlights three in particular:
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is Sophie’s go-to for nervous system calm. “Reishi is often referred to as the mushroom of calm, and clinically, I find it one of the most valuable for stress-related sleep disruption. It supports GABA activity – the inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps quieten neurological overactivity – and has a longstanding history of use for both relaxation and sleep quality.”
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is where the neuroscience gets particularly interesting. “Lion’s Mane supports the production of nerve growth factor, or NGF,” says Sophie, “which plays a key role in the maintenance and regeneration of neurons. For people experiencing brain fog, poor memory or reduced cognitive resilience as a result of chronic stress, this is where I often see meaningful improvements.”
Cordyceps sinensis addresses something slightly different, the energy depletion that so often accompanies prolonged stress. “Cordyceps works at a cellular level via its key compounds cordycepin and adenosine, supporting ATP production and utilisation,” Sophie explains. “This is fundamentally different from a stimulant like caffeine, which essentially borrows energy from the future. Cordyceps supports the body’s own capacity to generate and sustain energy, which is what people in burnout genuinely need.”
How does the Hifas-Equilibrium formula bring these together?
“The Hifas-Equilibrium blend was formulated to address the full picture of chronic stress – not just one aspect of it,” says Sophie. “Reishi supports the parasympathetic nervous system and sleep, Lion’s Mane supports cognitive and emotional resilience, and Cordyceps helps restore energy at a mitochondrial level. Together, they work synergistically to regulate the stress response, support neurotransmitter balance and promote restorative sleep, without causing sedation or dependency.”
For those who want to work with individual extracts, Sophie also recommends Mico-Rei (Reishi) for targeted sleep and relaxation support, and Mico-Leo (Lion’s Mane) for cognitive clarity and emotional balance.
Stress and sleep seem so closely connected. Can you explain that relationship a little more?
“They’re deeply bidirectional,” Sophie says. “Elevated cortisol in the evening, which is common in chronic stress, directly interferes with melatonin secretion, making it harder to fall asleep and to reach the deeper, restorative stages of sleep. But then poor sleep sensitises the stress response, meaning you start the next day with a lower threshold for cortisol release. It becomes a self-reinforcing cycle.”
Breaking it, she says, requires addressing both simultaneously. “Supporting cortisol regulation during the day matters just as much as your evening wind-down routine. That’s where adaptogens like Reishi and Cordyceps can be particularly effective, they work with the body’s natural rhythms rather than against them.” She often recommends Hifas-Equilibrium for clients who are caught in this cycle, as the combination of all three mushrooms addresses both the daytime stress load and the overnight recovery piece together.
Beyond supplements, what daily habits genuinely move the needle on stress?
Sophie is clear that no supplement replaces the foundations. Her clinical recommendations:
- Morning light exposure to anchor the circadian rhythm and support a healthy cortisol awakening response
- Breathwork or mindfulness practice – even five to ten minutes daily has been shown to meaningfully reduce cortisol levels
- Balanced blood sugar throughout the day, since blood sugar instability is itself a physiological stressor
- Time in nature, which has robust evidence behind it for lowering cortisol and supporting nervous system recovery
- Limiting caffeine, particularly in the afternoon, to avoid compounding an already activated stress response
Who is most likely to benefit from adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms?
“In practice, I see the most significant benefit in people experiencing chronic stress, burnout, persistent fatigue, sleep disruption, anxiety or cognitive decline,” says Sophie. “These are people whose systems have been under sustained pressure and need meaningful, targeted support, not just a temporary lift.” For this group in particular, she frequently reaches for Mico-Leo to support the cognitive side, and Mico-Rei to help the body find its way back to genuine rest.
Finally – what would you say to someone who’s feeling completely overwhelmed right now?
“Start small and focus on consistency,” Sophie says simply. “The temptation when you’re overwhelmed is to overhaul everything at once, but that in itself can become another source of stress. Choose one or two things that feel manageable, build from there, and give the body time to respond. Supporting your physiology with simple daily habits alongside targeted adaptogens can genuinely help restore balance. It just takes time, and that’s okay.”
This article was created in partnership with Hifas da Terra. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before beginning a new supplement regimen, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.
