Improving your cognitive abilities is one of the things people consider the frontier of modern supplementation. For some reason, people who are engaged with professional jobs where a high degree of focus is required are becoming more competitive. That means people need more help to improve their results and keep their job (or get a promotion). When it comes to brain health, it doesn’t always have to come from the latest and greatest smart drug. Instead, it can come from an ancient medicinal herb like these four.

Bacopa monnieri – this is a natural herb used in India to improve memory and mental performance. It is fat soluble so it is consumed with ghee and is still taken by kids in rural villages of India. Reishi mushroom – a traditional Chinese medicine, reishi mushrooms are a great way to boost your immune system and give you a much needed stress reliever. If you are working constantly and need a break, reishi mushroom is the go-to for sure. Shilajit – another native of India, this is rarer and less popular than the rest of this list. Still, it is one of the best nootropics for improving your mental abilities and performance. Often, this is done by improving your ability to focus while removing the stressors in your life as well. This amplifies the effects to look like better memory. Ashwagandha – the final Ayurvedic herb is perfect for relaxing before sleep. Not only can it make it easier to get to sleep, but it can also help you to have a much better opportunity to get quality sleep. The quality of sleep is something most people never think about. Compared to other nootropics, this has general anxiety remedies as well if that is something that you suffer from.

Even though natural is not always better, sometimes they are a good place to start. Test out with these 4 natural herbs and see if any help your brain.