Last Updated on February 8, 2019 by Marc Seward
Tea for Sleeplessness and Insomnia
If you are one of the many people that suffer from sleepless nights or poor quality sleep then you will be all too familiar with the effects. Getting an insufficient amount of sleep or poor quality if sleep can have a devastating impact on your life. It can affect your work, your studies and your relationship
In the long term, insomnia does not damage your emotional state and your daily life, it can also have a devastating effect on your physical health.
Certain lifestyle changes can help matters. Bedtime routines, exercise and relaxation exercises can all help but for many people, they are at the end of their wits. As somebody who has experienced insomnia at various stages of my life, I know just how difficult it can be. There is nothing worse that in lying in bed watching the hours go by and the light starting to come through. The more you worry about getting to sleep, the less it is likely to happen.
If you are in a similar boat, then I am sure you have tried all sorts of solutions to your problem and you may have given herbal medications a go. Maybe they did not have the desired effect and you are looking to try an alternative solution.
This article will take a look at some of the best herbal teas to remedy your sleeplessness. Some like chamomile are very well known and popular choices. Others may be completely new to you and you might like to give them a try.
If one type of tea does not work for you, try not to despair; it is quite possible that another tea will have the effect you are looking for. They are certainly worth trying and hopefully with a little trial and error, you will hit in the best tea to remedy your condition.
Can Tea really Help you to Sleep Better?
There really is not a great deal of scientific evidence relating to the subject but many people swear by the soothing and calming properties of their favorite herbal teas. Let us look at it this way…. if you enjoy a warm drink before bed time and it helps you to relax then regardless of scientific evidence, that is the most important thing.
While research suggests that herbal teas lack the sedative qualities that you may be looking for, the fact that you can enjoy a nice warm a drink before bed is actually relaxing in and of itself. For some people, just the process of adding a nice soothing cup of tasty herbal tea into their night time routine can have a profound effect on their quality of sleep.
The Best Teas to help you Sleep
1) Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is probably the best known of all the herbal teas when it comes to promoting a good night’s sleep. It is one that I can personally vouch for along with the millions of other people who have found it to be effective.
There is no hard evidence that chamomile tea has any especially powerful sedative qualities but people the world over continue to use it and swear by its effect. It is found as an ingredient in many bedtime tea brands and is easy to make yourself by drying the flowers and then brewing them.
I find chamomile tea absolutely delicious in its own right but some people including my wife prefer to sweeten it with honey.
2) Valerian Root Tea
Unlike most other teas used for promoting sleep, valerian can actually boast a certain amount of scientific evidence. Studies have demonstrated that valerian root has sedative properties which can calm the mind and ease stress and anxiety.
Valerian tea is made from the flower’s roots and it has been used for many years to help people deal with stress, anxiety and insomnia. You may need to use valerian tea each night for a number of weeks before you start feeling its full sedative effects but for anybody with insomnia, valerian tea may well have the answers.
3) Lavender Tea
Lavender essential oil is very well-known for its abilities to calm the mind and improve both the duration and the quality of sleep. A number of studies into the effects of lavender have revealed it can help ease anxiety, reduce heart rate and help people to relax.
When you drink lavender tea, you are getting the benefits of both the fragrance and the plant’s volatile oils. It is very easy to make yourself from the fresh or dried lavender buds.
4) St. John’s Wort Tea
Most commonly used and best-known for its natural ability to treat depression, St John’s wart can also help treat anxiety. Because anxiety and stress are very common reasons for sleep troubles and insomnia, it makes sense that it could help calm the mind and promote better sleep. It may work by stimulating the GABA receptors which are involved in releasing the chemicals responsible for sleep.
5) Ginger and Turmeric Tea
This is an extremely healthy blend of two of the healthiest known herbs and spices. If you love the taste of ginger as much as I do, then you will certainly enjoy a relaxing healthy cup of ginger tea spiced up with the incredibly therapeutic turmeric.
Even if it does not help you get off to sleep, you will benefit a great deal from the health properties of this tea. Add some good quality honey to taste if you find the flavor too pungent.
6) Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm is considered to be a calming herb and is known for its sedative qualities. Although the effectiveness of lemon balm as a sedative is still in dispute, there is some evidence that when combined with valerian root, it can help people to get a better night of sleep. Lemon balm tea may also help you deal with the anxiety that is preventing you from getting off to sleep.
7) Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea seems like a strange addition to the list at first glance because it is often linked with boosting energy. However, peppermint and peppermint tea are also well-known for their ability to calm the stomach and improve digestion.
If your sleeplessness is causes by indigestion, then this is the perfect antidote for you. Try drinking a cup after a heavy meal in the evening and we are sure you will notice the difference.
8) Magnolia Bark Tea
This is a less common tea in the West but Magnolia bark is a common remedy for anxiety and other emotional issues in parts of Asia. Because of its ability to relieve anxiety and calm the mind, many people have found it to be a great natural sleep aid.
9) Passion Flower Tea
Passion flower supplements are often used to help relieve stress, anxiety and other nervous disorders. Many people also find it to be the perfect remedy for mild insomnia. Passionflower might work by stimulating the production of the chemicals needed for sleep. One study has found that drinking passionflower tea helped the participants enjoy a better quality of sleep through the night.
10) Linden leaf tea
Linden leaf is best known for its ability to relieve colds and flu but it also has a reputation for calming the nerves. It crops up on many people’s recommended lists of teas to drink before bed and it may have mild sedative qualities.
Sleep Tea Recipe
You can try any of the teas mentioned above and hopefully one or more will prove effective. For a tea lover like me, I enjoy creating my own blends and you may like to try this simple recipe. It is full of some of the best natural sleep herbs and should hopefully help you achieve a good night of sleep.
What you will need
- Two tablespoons dried chamomile
- 1 tablespoon each of peppermint, dried passionflower, lemon balm and valerian
- Honey to taste
What you need to do
- Combine your herbs in a bow and store them in a container in a cool place.
- Use 2 teaspoons of your herbs to each 2 cups of boiling water.
- Steep for between 5 and 10 minutes according to taste.
- Strain then sweeten with your honey of you so choose.
There are plenty of choices for those of you who would like to try a natural sleep remedy. Which tea do you find the best sleep aid of them all?
If we have missed any off the list, please let us know and we can add it.
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