I told my best friend this morning that she could stand to mellow out a bit. Lovingly, and with the best of intentions, of course.
This was after a week where I witnessed this woman hiding her face from the anxiety of watching her youngest son audition for a musical, reaching death-spiral levels of panic after sending her oldest son off to prom, and frantically texting me in the middle of the night because she has nothing to wear to a Kentucky Derby party.
TLDR; she’s stressed tf out.
And unfortunately, she’s relatable. We are all operating in a constant state of exasperation with seemingly no end. Watching other, better people float through life and handling crises with a grace and maturity that could only be manufactured in a Mattel factory. Wondering, why can’t that be us? Where’s our calm, nonchalant, devil-may-care switch and how do we turn it on?
To find out if it even exists, I decided to try Ritual’s new Stress Relief supplement after trying Ritual Women's Multivitamin. And hoo boy, have I got some results for you.
Rating Ritual Stress Relief
Product Rating Summary: 4.8/5 I truly believe Ritual accomplished what it set out to do with this product. From the beautiful, simple packaging to the extra pep in my step, this supplement hits a home run.
Quality: 5/5 – Ritual is very selective about their ingredients and chooses from manufacturers that adhere to the highest of standards.
Easy To Take: 5/5 – The capsule is easy to swallow and easy to remember to take, since it’s so cute. The citrusy scent tab makes opening the bottle a fun experience.
Value: 4/5 – Good mental health is something we should all value a lot more. For my money, any helping hand I can get to push through the day is worth it.
Customer Experience: 5/5 – Shipping is quick and free (a word all moms like to hear), the website chat box is a great convenience when you have a quick question, and the 30-day guarantee is a HUGE no-risk bonus.
Brand: 5/5 – Ritual delivers on their promise of no-fluff products by using clean, consistent messaging and science-backed studies.
**Discount Code -We do have a exclusive discount code for Ritual. To unlock the discount, subscribe to Fit Healthy Momma All-Access!
My Experience Using Ritual Stress Relief
This literal capsule of joy is so easy to implement into my daily routine. It’s suggested to take in the morning when cortisol is at its peak, and since I have a cocktail of vitamins that I now take, I just shove them in by the handful with my morning coffee.
I was very excited to try this supplement, and for a good reason. I had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in my teens (it wasn’t a phase, mom), so being on antidepressants is something I’m used to. I recently got a new diagnosis, and a new prescription that interferes with what I was taking before in the form of seizures. No thanks.
I was faced with a double-edged sword: treat the new disorder and stop treating the anxiety? Or keep the status quo? I was mentally struggling for weeks afterwards, wondering if I’d made the right decision to stop the anxiety medication, because I could feel the chokehold of irrational fear starting to creep back in. Nevermind that there’s just so much going on right now and so many new responsibilities and a calendar full of obligations to keep track of.
But could I, perhaps, supplement the anxiety away? The results of Day One said maybe not. Because I didn’t feel a thing. Anxiety disorders are a real, physical condition that requires professional interventions, so realistically, I should not try to rely on a supplement to treat a disease. But I was at least hoping for some relief, so that I could continue my new path. I remember being slightly disappointed, but not surprised, by the outcome of Day One.
Days Two through Four were pretty much the same. Perhaps the new prescription was actually helping my mood, because I didn’t really feel bad. I didn’t feel amazing either. I just felt steady. But by Day Five, I realized it was that steadiness that I’d been looking for. I needed to shift my expectations in the very beginning: this supplement wasn’t designed to make me happy. It was designed for calm.
That’s when I did a deep dive into the ingredients. L-Theanine? Hey, I recognize that. I have two full bottles of the stuff in the back of my pantry. That one is definitely supposed to help with dopamine. Saffron is in there, too. The most expensive spice in the world, but maybe it’s because of the many health benefits it touts, as it’s so rich in antioxidants. Ashwagandha is something I’d heard of, but couldn’t spell or know why it was important. Turns out it’s similar to l-Theanine in that it directly affects levels of cortisol in your body. Did you know Ashwagandha in Sanskrit means “smell of the horse”? Mmm, that’s exactly what I want in a supplement.
But hey, Ritual has a sneaky trick up their sleeve: the scent tab. A pleasant little citrusy scent hits your nose when you open the bottle. There was no taste from the actual capsule itself, but it wouldn’t have mattered since my spouse is famous for making the most bitter coffee in the state.
What about the time-lapse aspect of Stress Relief? Ritual’s BioSeries™ Technology breaks the dosage into three segments: immediate release, a 4-hour tablet, and an 8-hour tablet which dissolves in accordance with the body’s own tapering of cortisol.
And it was precisely this extended release mechanism that made me realize that maybe this crazy little pill was working after all. Because my mood wasn’t going through peaks and valleys. I started with my morning baseline, and it continued throughout the day. Even when the dog threw up in the kitchen. This steadiness has continued through my two-week trial. The results are undeniable. I’m a believer.
Why Ritual?
If this is your first introduction to the brand Ritual, sit down and prepare to be impressed. I’ve done quite a bit of digging on this supplement manufacturer, and I’m in love with their process, what they stand for, and how they take their message and infuse it into every aspect of the business. They make no apologies and adhere to a strict no-BS policy when it comes to standards in ingredients. Here are a few key take-aways:
- Ritual was founded in 2016 by Katerina Schneider, and has since rocketed to popularity with their flagship prenatal vitamins and other nutritional supplements.
- Ritual is committed to scientific research, employing medical doctors specializing in nutrition to formulate their supplements.
- Ritual adheres to their responsibility to make the best products possible by incorporating ingredients that are pure and traceable.
What is Ritual Stress Relief?
Stress can come at us from any direction, and Ritual considers Cortisol to be the Big Bad of our story. I’ve definitely heard the C-word more than once in relation to the effects of stress on the body, like mind fog and weight gain. Now, Ritual claims this formulation to be an “all-day stress relief support” system, boasting an 8-hour release design that positively affects the body’s natural cortisol response system. This is accomplished with their third-party tested vegan and gluten-free ingredients:
- ASHWAGANDHA – a plant from Southeast Asia that has been clinically shown (and used for millennia) to relieve stress, anxiety, and even improve sleep quality
- L-THEANINE – an amino acid most commonly found in green tea and mushrooms that may affect levels of serotonin and dopamine, influencing a sense of calm and improving focus
- SAFFRON – an antioxidant-rich Spanish spice that studies are showing is heavily linked to an improved mood
Ritual uses their BioSeries™ technology to package up each of their carefully selected ingredients into three tiny pellets, designed to release at different intervals to keep the good vibes coming throughout the day. Take that, brain fog.
What Makes Ritual So Special?
Ritual recognized the need for a comprehensive mental health supplement that doesn’t use filler ingredients to justify a higher price tag. They are committed to high-quality and transparency, which is what makes the Traceability™ of their ingredients so unique. Did you know you can just jump on their website and easily find where the saffron is manufactured? I’ll save you the trip: it’s Madrid. Each batch is tested by a third party for quality and compliance, and that peace of mind alone should put anyone in a good mood.
Pros And Cons
Is Ritual Stress Relief right for you? It may be, but here’s a list of things to consider that come from my own research and experience:
Pros
- Subscription-based. All of Ritual’s products are sold under a subscription model – that’s a pro for me, because I can’t remember if I left my children at the grocery store, let alone how many vitamins I have left.
- The peace of mind that comes with a scientifically-backed product. I don’t have to wonder about the purity of what I’m putting in my body. All the research is there and done for me.
- Elevated mood. Yes, I felt real results. Read on.
- 30-day money back guarantee. It’s risk-free, so if you don’t feel it helped you, no worries!
- Shipping is fast and FREE. My favorite f word.
Cons
- No immediate effect. Ritual claims the l-Theanine in the formulation starts to work at reducing stress within the hour, but I didn’t feel any different for the first couple of days. Your results may vary.
- A little pricey. For someone with mild, occasional stress, the price tag might be a little too extreme. But it’s cheaper than therapy. (You should also go to therapy, don’t run from your mental health responsibilities.)
Please do your own research and consult your physician before starting a supplement regimen. You’ll want to be sure to check for possible drug interactions or nasty side effects. Although the risk of side effects for this supplement is low, you’re better safe than sorry.
Pricing
The monthly subscription price for Stress Relief is $54 plus applicable sales tax for 30 capsules – a fraction of what it would cost to buy those nutrients separately; seriously, have you seen the price of saffron? Ritual frequently runs a first-time buyer promotion, where you can get up to 20% off your first shipment. Shipping is always free – one less fee to worry about!
Subscriptions are then kicked off every 30 days to help keep you on track, and they will send you a notification before you are charged for your next bottle. If you need to modify your subscription in any way (rush, delay, cancel), Ritual makes the process really easy through your user account.
Discount / Coupon Code For Ritual
We have an exclusive 20% off discount code for Ritual that can be unlocked by subscribing to Fit Healthy Momma All-Access!
Is Ritual Stress Relief Worth The Price Tag?
For me, absolutely. Ritual Stress Relief supplement seems as though the combination of ingredients is what makes this formulation so special and potent. It’s not the most they can pack in – it’s just what you NEED. This cute little supplement is a great tool to have in your stress-busting arsenal.
Closing Thoughts
There’s a saying that I’ve written on my vision board: do what you do best and outsource the rest. A pill can’t fix you. And you shouldn’t expect it to. There is always work to be done to support your mental health. But it’s not a burden you should have to shoulder on your own.
Luckily, there are so many different ways we can make the load a little lighter, and if a supplement can make peeling yourself off the couch a bit easier, let it. Take a walk. Practice mindfulness. Get a support group of people around you that will help you pick out the perfect outfit for a Derby party. Go to therapy. Take your meds. Drink your water. Do whatever you can to get that sweet serotonin flowing so you can do what you do best: show up and kick ass, or if we’re not saying ass, show up and command the circus.
