‘Sleep teas’ are all the rage right now, with many swapping their cappuccinos for chamomiles and their hot chocolates for a steaming lavender brew.
We’re talking herbal teas hailed for their soothing, sleep-inducing qualities, promising to help you drift off.
Do sleep teas really work?
If you are a novice to the night-time tea trend, it can be hard to know where to begin though, and whether they even have any real benefits at all. We tapped up some tea experts to see what they think…
What is the science behind sleep teas?
Dr Tim Bond, a member of the Tea Advisory Panel and tutor at the UK Tea Academy, says tea contains thousands of different bioactive compounds, some of which are physiologically active and some of which have more of a psychological effect. “Tea is actually a rare source of an amino acid called L Theanine, which sort of has the opposite effect of caffeine,” explains Bond, “which is why people feel quite relaxed when making a cup of tea.”
Kitty McEntee, founder of sustainable wellness brand Lab Tonica which makes Unplugged Tea, says drinking tea affects how the body responds to heat too, which may also be a factor when it comes to sleep.
“When you fall asleep, your body will drop between two and four degrees. When you drink a hot tea, even in the summer, what that does is it kind of kick-starts your internal thermometer and helps by producing natural perpetration to cool you down. In the winter, it starts to warm your body up to the correct temperature and helps with circulation. It helps the blood pump quicker and oxygenate your hands and feet, which could be one of the biggest problems in he colder months for getting to sleep for people,” adds McEntee.
What ingredients we should look out for?
McEntee says there’s a “multitude” of reasons why people may struggle to fall asleep, which may include backpain from working on a laptop regularly, indigestion from eating too late, or not being able to switch off, which she refers to as “monkey mind”. For each of these factors, there will be different herbs that would be most appropriate, and so it might be best to go for a herbal tea with a mix of herbs.
Look for ingredients like passionflower, which is a gentle sedative, skullcap and lemon balm, she suggests, which “act on the brain and the nervous system to shut off an overactive brain”. Another classic soothing choice is chamomile, which is said to help reduce overactive spasms in the body and help with digestion.
McEntee also says lavender is one of the best herbs for a sleep tea, as “it has a little bit of everything”. It has sedative properties so helps calm the brain, it’s also believed to have analgesic effects, meaning it helps with pain or discomfort, and it is a nervine – “it works on the nervous system to get rid of feelings of anxiety,” McEntree explains.
Phil Lawlor, a sleep Expert at Dormeo, believes green tea is a good shout for those who are looking for a sleep aid as it contains theanine, an amino acid which reduces stress and comes in a variety of flavours to please even the most pickiest. He also suggests peppermint tea, as it can “relieve stomach problems and aid digestion”, plus “the taste and smell ease stress”. Make sure not too add sugar to your tea though, as that might “promote wakefulness”.
How can you maximise the benefits of sleep tea?
Bond says drinking tea regularly is best: “The body is constantly breaking things down that it absorbs, so actually having something regularly is going to be the best way of getting those health impacts communicated constantly to your body.”
Lawlor suggests preparing and drinking tea an hour before bed, to give it time to “work its magic” and minimise the chances of you having to disturb your kip to go to the toilet during the night.
If you are new to the world of herbal teas, McEntee says it’s important to try out your tea of choice five nights in a row, an hour before you plan on going to sleep, to fully examine how effective it is. “Keep the teabag in and never take it out,” she adds. And most importantly, don’t forget to switch off screens an hour before bedtime too!
Best-selling sleep teas
Need to get a better night’s sleep? Check out our list of best-selling sleep teas on Amazon!
- SLEEP: Getting a full night's sleep is the inspiration for this tea - Begin your wind-down ritual with this Twinings sleep blend & support normal sleep - Dreams in Every Drop
- SELF CARE: Take a sip & let your dreams take you away with this deliciously sweet & serene blend of spiced apple & vanilla herbal tea infusion - vegan friendly
- CALM DOWN: Enriched with passion flower to contribute to normal sleep & camomile to help you wind down at the end of the day - naturally caffeine free
- Clipper Infusions Easy Sleep Tea Bags: A refreshing and distinctive night time tea blend with cinnamon, chamomile, valerian, orange and other natural herbs. The perfect comforting bed time tea drink
- Naturally caffeine free teabags: 6 x boxes of 20. Our herb tea bags are plant-based, ethically sourced, with no artificial ingredients added and no caffeine - the ideal everyday or afternoon tea blend
- Unbleached tea bags: 120 camomile blend teabags with a deliciously delicate flavour. Organic tea bags in plastic-free, unbleached material; so being good to your guests doesn't have to cost the Earth
- SLEEP INFUSION - our award winning “Sleep” infusion is the luxurious way to help you drift off to dream land with a soothing blend of camomile, honey, lavender, and fortified with passion flower...
- 100% NATURAL - using 100% natural ingredients for our popular Sleep infusion, our Tea Masters use a luxurious blend of flowers, honey and lemon balm to create this dreamy infusion.
- AWARD WINNING - our Great Taste Award winning Sleep infusion is thoughtfully crafted to deliver dreamily delicious flavour, and fortified with passion flower for a wonderfully relaxing blend.
- Perfect for bedtime, our Night Time herbal tea blends the floral notes of chamomile and lavender, with the silky sweet touch of limeflower and the sleepy crush of oat flower and valerian
- Blended by our in-house herbal experts and nutritionists, our herbal creation combines the latest scientific research with traditional herbal wisdom to naturally relax you as you get ready for bed
- Chamomile & Lavender: Full of calming essential oils, these two botanicals help the body to relax
- SLEEP TEA: Calming camomile, valerian and lemon balm come together with a whisper of soothing lavender for a deeply relaxing cup, which many find to be an effective sleep aid
- DREAM AWAY: Inhale, relax and allow the evocative aromas to conjure fragrant Mediterranean landscapes, the inspiration for this herbal blend
- SOFTLY FLORAL: Our fragrant sleepy tea brings together a careful balance of botanicals for a gentle floral aroma and smooth finish, with notes of apple and pine
Last update on 2024-05-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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