mood · Outcome
Capacity to absorb stressors without sleep, mood, or performance falling off a cliff. Mostly an autonomic + HPA-axis property, measurable via HRV.
How to measure: Wearable HRV trend (Oura, Whoop). Subjective perceived-stress 1-10 daily. Cortisol awakening response if you're tracking labs.
Three levers, one stack. Each works through a different mechanism. They compound.
40% lower stress
300-600 mg KSM-66 or Sensoril extract · Evening, with food
Evidence
Effect size
Research
32 papers
range 39–42 · n=2 quantitative claims
“Ashwagandha root extract sustained-release 300 mg reduced perceived stress by 41.6% from baseline to day 60 in healthy stressed adults.”
Why: Best-evidenced adaptogen for stress specifically. Effect emerges over 4-8 weeks; not acute. KSM-66 or Sensoril are the standardized extracts with the actual trial data, generic ashwagandha varies wildly in withanolide content.
19% lower stress
2-4 sessions/week · Any time; avoid heavy training within 2h of bed
Evidence
Effect size
Research
165 papers
range 7.4–89 · n=6 quantitative claims
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We only surface a food once enough quality studies back it for this goal. None clear the bar yet. We add new research daily, so this can fill in soon.
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Every pick has two signals. They answer different questions and we never bundle them into one number.
Effect size
How big is the change on stress resilience, in the units that matter for this outcome.
Confidence
How sure are we the effect is real for stress resilience, given the studies we have.
For every pick, the “papers” number is how many studies we've cataloged that test this entity for stress resilience. “Favorable” means the study reported the direction you want.
The tier badge (S, A, B…) on the entity itself is its overall research confidence across all outcomes. It's the same letter wherever you see this entity on the site, not specific to stress resilience.
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“Carbohydrate plus branched-chain amino acid beverage ingestion resulted in lower postexercise cortisol levels compared to carbohydrate alone, though this difference was not statistically significant.”
Why: Regular training is one of the most robust interventions for autonomic balance. The acute stressor of exercise builds chronic resilience. Doesn't have to be heavy, even Zone 2 cardio works.