A little help when trying to sleep is always welcome. Bedtime teas have been in use for hundreds of years, ever since we humans first noticed that some plants help us relax and fall asleep easier.
And when you're suffering from insomnia or chronic stress, a little relief can feel like a slice of heaven. Even if you don't even if you don' end up sleeping a full 8 hours, you still get to feel relaxed and at ease.
There are medications for this, but in the long run they do their own kind of damage. So a simple bedtime teas will always be easier on the digestive system, and some of them are actually meant to help with digestion.
An overly full stomach, bloating, stomach aches can all lead to trouble falling asleep, so getting your cup of tea to help with this is going to be great.
I'll get to best bedtime teas that I know of, but first let's see if bedtime teas really do work.
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Do bedtime teas work ?
Yes, bedtime teas do work. Their effects will be slower and more subtle than sleep medication or muscle relaxants, but they do work.
It depends on what you're drinking as well, since some teas - like valerian - are better for falling asleep faster. While some teas - like mint and fennel - are better geared towards digestive problems that might keep you up at night.
So I think first, you should try and figure out what is the cause of your staying up til 1 AM. Is it something you can't stop thinking about ? Is it too much caffeine ? Is it a headache ? Is it an upset stomach ?
It could be anything, so knowing what the problem is will make soothing it much easier.
1. Chamomile for calming yourself before sleep
Chamomile has long been used as the primary tea in order to calm nerves, reduce stress, and generally feel more relaxed. It's a very old plant, and nearly everyone knows it, or at least of it.
Which is why having chamomile tea around the house is kind of a given, no matter where you live.
Some of the health benefits of chamomile include reducing symptoms of depression, which has also been linked to poor sleeping habits (they influence each other). Reducing one will help reduce the other, and as such you might find it easier to sleep, if this is something you've been suffering from.
Chamomile tea has been shown to hep reduce stress in postpartum mothers, and helped them sleep better (1).
For example this chamomile tea from Celestial Seasonings comes in a 20 tea bag box, and you get 6 such boxes. So if you've got a long-term problem to solve, then these 6 boxes of tea might help you sort it out.
You can always brew a double cup if you think you need extra help, just keep in mind that chamomile is a pleasant flavor and you might find yourself drinking 2 cups anyway.
It's herbal tea, caffeine free, so you won't have any reason to stay up late because of it.
You can find the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
2. Valerian Root for insomniacs
Valerian is my favorite tea before bed, and I've had a long history of taking either valerian root capsules or drinking valerian tea. This is a plant that grows naturally in Europe and China, but has also been introduces to North and South America.
It can be easily taken without prescription, as a mild sedative. As an extract, you're not meant to go over the 600 mg/day dosage.
But when you're brewing tea then a cup of 2-3 grams of dried valerian root should be enough to safely ingest and fall asleep. You will not feel it immediately, you your body will relax and you'll feel less stressed.
I first encountered valerian in high school when anxiety and teenage drama kept me up, and it was important that I actually fall asleep so I could go to class the next day. I think we've all been there.
So let's look at this valerian tea from Traditional Medicinals. It's valerian root, passionflower and lemon balm, with a heavy emphasis on valerian root.
You get 16 sealed tea bags in this box, and you should know beforehand that valerian smells pretty strongly. Not the most pleasant smell, for some it smells like cheese or feet, but its power is undeniable.
Both passionflower and lemon balm are on this bedtime tea list, so I believe this particular blend will help you fall asleep in no time.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
3. Lavender for relaxation and de-stress
Lavender is another plant that's going to help you fall asleep, mostly because of its anti-stress properties and the smell is just amazing.
It's been used in aromatherapy for a while now, and if you've ever had a couple drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow, you know the whole room ends up smelling like a dream.
Meaning that when making yourself a cup of lavender tea, both the smell and the lavender itself will help you relax. Lavender essential oil has been show to help reduce anxiety in patients waiting to be admitted at a dentist's appointment, and we all know how terrifying those are.
Let's look at this lavender tea from Yogi. It's not just lavender, but rather a beautiful blend between lavender and honey, two very flavorful and calming food items.
They're backed by chamomile and lemon balm, both of whom are on this bedtime tea list as well. So it stands to reason that this is a very potent blend that will get the job done for you.
Yogi has long been known as a brand focusing on the healing properties of the plants they use, and I've had several of their teas in the past. Especially loved the Christmas edition, and an older Sweet Dreams one.
For this lavender tea you get 16 individually wrapped tea bag in each box, and there are 6 tea boxes in total (6 pack). You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
4. Mint tea for easing stomach aches before bed
Mint tea is one of those things I grew up with, and it was usually a morning tea, along with a slice of bread with loads of butter. I always have some mint tea around the house, partly out of nostalgia, and partly for the health benefits.
As far as the health benefits go, mint if very well known to aiding digestion, and the smell of it simply sets one at ease. It may not put you to sleep immediately, but if you've been up because of some bathroom troubles, then mint tea will help you out.
You might wonder why I've put it on a list of bedtime teas. Mostly because digestive and bowel problems are sort of unseen culprits, and an overly full stomach will make you drowsy but also not let you fall asleep.
Which is why I recommend drinking a cup of mint tea before bed, so you let the aroma of mint ease your mind and help you center yourself, and also settle any digestive issues you might have at the moment.
For example this mint tea from Yogi is a good example of 100% pure, organic peppermint, and it will help you out. It's a 6 pack offer again, so you're getting 96 total tea bags, in the form of 6 tea boxes.
When drinking mint tea, remember that too much can upset your stomach, so try to not have more than 2 cups of this tea before bed. The warmth of the tea should help you relax from the inside, and the nice contrast between minty-fresh and warm makes for a delicious experience.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
5. Lemon Balm for anxiety and insomnia
Lemon balm, otherwise known as Melissa (Melissa Officinalis) is another plant that will help you settle symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. This means you'll find it easier to sleep, if restlessness is what was keeping you up late at night.
As with valerian (they're kind of related), lemon balm can be found in capsule form as well, and take without prescription. The teas that you will find are made from the leaves of the lemon balm plant, as the roots aren't as helpful as in the case of valerian.
Also, the flavor of lemon balm is heavenly when compared to valerian, but with a weaker effect to begin with.
Lemon balm has been shows to help with reducing stress and anxiety, and is a fairly common plant to be found in dishes around the world
As for teas, this one by Chinese Tea Culture is a pure, loose leaf version that's going to help you with your sleeping troubles. If brewing loose leaf tea is a bit confusing, check out my brewing guide and you'll know just what to do.
This lemon balm tea comes in 3 sizes: 2 oz, 4 oz, and 8 oz, depending on how much you need and how long you need to take it for. You can also blend it with other teas, if you've got some loose leaf teas that will help with sleep or stress relief, to get an even more powerful brew.
For starters, you should know that about 4 oz will last you nearly 60 cups of tea, so keep that in mind when deciding on much you want.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews as well.
6. Passion flower as a mild sedative
Passion flower is a common plant used in bedtime teas, though the name wouldn't really give that away. I'm not really sure why it's names passion flower, of all things, but its comes from a family of plants that also includes passion fruit.
This flower has been used in South America as a mild sedative for ages now, and it's been introduced to other continents as well. So it's safe to say it's a well known plant, and will definitely help you in trying to fall asleep easier, much like valerian, but without the terrible smell.
This passionflower from Frontier comes sealed in a 1 lb bag, so you get it in bulk. Considering how well it works for aiding sleep, having a load of it around the house is going to be great, no matter what.
For tea and tincture purposes, you can use the herbs as-is. Again, check my loose leaf brewing guide for more instructions on how to do this.
And you can also check the listing on Amazon here, and read the reviews for these dried passionflowers as well.
7. Fennel Tea to aid digestion before sleep
Fennel is another plant (usually in the form of seeds) used to improve digestion and ease stomach troubles. If mint isn't really your thing, then maybe fennel will do the trick if you're suffering from digestive problems that won't let you sleep.
It's also one of the main ingredients in mother's milk teas, that help promote milk production. So if you're lactating, fennel tea might help you out.
The best thing about this fennel tea is that you can add a little bit of milk to it, which again will help you fall asleep and relax easier.
Other benefits of fennel tea include appetite suppression, which is very helpful if you suffer from late night snack episodes and would like to handle them better.
Also because of the antioxidant count in fennel seeds, there may be some help in fighting free radicals (that in turn lead to developing cancerous cells).
This fennel see tea by Pukka will help you out, and it's actually a 3 pack deal. Each pack contains 20 tea bags, meaning you'll get 60 tea bags and this can help you in the long run.
You can check the listing on Amazon here, and see for yourself.
Conclusion
Bedtime teas are really helpful when you're going through a rough time, even if you take them during the day. you won't fall asleep at work (careful with valerian, though) but you'll find them to be a source of calmness and ease.
I used to drink this type of teas on and off during high school and the first 2 years of college, especially while reading something I really liked in the evening before bed, or just playing Solitaire until I ran out of tea.
Which brings me to something I've been meaning to say. If you're having trouble falling asleep and it's not something severe (like trauma or family problems), also try distracting yourself with a good story book.
It works with kids, why shouldn't it work for adults as well ?
Whatever you do, try and stay away from TV and internet in the evening before going to bed, so you have nothing influencing your mind. And the bedtime tea will work its magic even better.
If you want to know more about coffee or tea, feel free to check the related articles below. Who knows what else you might find ?
