Does Chamomile Tea Help You Sleep?

Herbal teas have been a staple in many self-care routines for centuries. Many of the ingredients in herbal teas, like rooibos, lavender, chamomile, and rose petals, can reduce stress, and alleviate mild anxiety and depression. And there truly is no better way to calm down after a long day than with a nice cup of herbal tea, especially chamomile tea.

Chamomile tea is a not only great for calming down after a long day, but it also helps you sleep better. Below, we’ll go over the benefits of chamomile tea, and how having a relaxing nighttime routine can help you get more quality hours of sleep.

What are the Benefits of Chamomile Tea?

Chamomile tea has many possible benefits:

• Menstrual pain relief – regular chamomile tea consumption can reduce the severity of cramps and pain
• Lowering blood sugar – consistent consumption of chamomile tea helps to not only lower blood sugar, but prevent it from rising too
• Reducing inflammation – the chemical compounds found in chamomile can fight inflammation
• Helping with sleep and relaxation – chamomile is calming and has an anti-anxiety benefit

How Does Chamomile Help with Sleep and Relaxation?

Chamomile tea is a decaffeinated tea, which is one reason it helps with relaxation and gets you ready for bed, but there is also something about its chemical makeup that induces feelings of sleepiness and alleviates anxiety. Chamomile tea contains a chemical called apigenin, and when apigenin binds to the GABA receptors in our brains, it makes us tired. When our GABA receptors are activated, our brain processes begin to slow down along with our nervous system, which results in tiredness.

Does Every Tea Help with Sleep and Relaxation?

Not every tea will be a good choice before bedtime. Teas that contain caffeine like white tea, black tea, and green tea have caffeine and are better suited for your morning routine than your evening routine. Caffeine free options like chamomile are best for evenings.

Establishing a Bedtime Routine

Warm drinks before bed are not only relaxing, but they can also trigger a release of melatonin and serotonin in our brains, which helps us to fall asleep faster. Studies have shown that drinking a cup of chamomile tea about 45 minutes before bed will help you to fall asleep faster and easier. In addition to enjoying a warm cup of chamomile tea before bed, other things you can add to your routine are a set bedtime, no electronics, a warm bath, reading a book, journaling, or meditating.

There’s a reason that tea has been popular across the world and within many cultures for countless years. Herbal tea has so many benefits, whether you’re looking for an antioxidant, a boost to your immune system, inflammation relief, relief from stomach issues, and for calming and relaxation, there are countless options of tea available to choose from.

At Revolution Tea, we bag our loose-leaf teas in mesh infusers, keeping the tea leaves intact for maximum benefits of each tea’s properties. Shop our extensive collection of herbal teas, both caffeinated and non-caffeinated!