Six Healthy Teas For Better Sleep
A good night’s sleep is what all people need and, at the same time, what many of us lacking. This issue can be caused by different circumstances, such as party-hard lifestyles, poor sleep hygiene or even mental and physical conditions. Despite the reasons, not getting enough sleep is no good.
Luckily, one of the easiest and pleasant ways to get sound sleep is to drink bedtime tea. Many ingredients in bedtime teas have a calming effect; some help to reduce the stress and anxiety that affect sleep, while others aid in relieving indigestion so that the body can relax before bed. Since anything that helps with anxiety, pain or induces some form of muscle relaxation can be beneficial for getting a quality night’s sleep, here are the top six teas that can help you sleep.
Why Drinking Tea May Help You Sleep
Good quality sleep depends on quantity and quality and comes from good sleep hygiene. For most individuals, good sleep hygiene means keeping the bedroom dark, quiet and cool. It can also include maintaining a daily bedtime routine aimed at relaxation before sleep. To relax and unwind before hitting the hay, you can take a warm bath or even have a cup of soothing tea.
Finding what works for you may be partly perceptual. If you think one particular tea helps you feel more comfortable and relaxed at night, this is probably the best tea to help you catch enough z’s.
While tea may be one of the best aids to help you fall asleep, it is not necessarily a solution for good sleep or a substitute for serious sleep problems. Without a solid foundation of sleep, such as waking up and going to bed at the same time every day, a cup of tea can be an addition to your sleep routine.
Six Best Teas To Help You Fall Asleep Faster
Chamomile
When we think of relaxing or soothing teas, chamomile is the kind of tea that most often comes to mind. Chamomile flowers have been used for many years to treat various ailments, including poor sleep. Chamomile is loaded with several active chemical compounds like an antioxidant called apigenin, which possesses a mild sedative effect when it binds to certain receptors in your brain to help decrease anxiety and induce sleep.
In a 2015 study, researchers randomly asked 40 postpartum women that are subjected to poor sleep to drink chamomile infused tea for a period of two weeks. At the end of the trial, the experimental group reported better sleep quality and fewer symptoms of depression than the control group of women who did not drink chamomile tea.
However, at a 4-week post-test, there was no difference between the two groups, which means that chamomile tea may have an immediate sleep effect but does not last long.
Mint
When it comes to a minty and fresh way to help you sleep better, peppermint tea is considered the best option. This herb is known to be able to work as a muscle relaxant and pain reliever, which can help to diminish certain types of headaches, relieve menstrual cramps and help you relax before bedtime.
Peppermint also can help to relieve gas and bloating, aiding to promote sleep when you experience symptoms of indigestion or other digestive problems.
Valerian Root
Valerian tea is also a good option as this herb is commonly used to help with sleeping disorders like insomnia. Although it is very common in dietary pills, capsules and tincture formats, valerian root also comes in tea form.
While researchers are not entirely sure how valerian can improve sleep, it is suggested that it increases levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). When present in high amounts, GABA can promote drowsiness. Also, some studies suggest that valerian root can be an effective sleeping solution. For example, one study involving 27 people with sleep issues found that 44% of participants reported perfect sleep and 89% improved sleep compared with a placebo group.
CBD
CBD, an abbreviation for cannabidiol, is an active compound that is found naturally in Cannabis sativa plants. It is believed to provide various therapeutic benefits through its interaction with certain receptors of the complex endocannabinoid system, which is involved in many bodily functions, including mood, stress, pain, inflammation and sleep.
Drinking CBD infused tea or adding a few drops of CBD oil tincture to your beverage can help relieve pain and chronic aches, diminish stress and anxiety and promote much-needed rest – all essential for a quality night’s sleep. To reap the potential benefits of using CBD oil for sleep, you can even combine your relaxing bedtime ritual with a couple of CBD gummies for a delicious yet beneficial snack or if you are a vaper, try out cannabidiol in the form of a CBD vape pen.
Lavender
Whether it is lotion, bath bombs or pillow mist, everything in your chill-time arsenal has a lavender scent, and for a good reason. Lavender is known for its relaxing scent that evokes feelings of calmness and peace.
A 2011 study in 67 midlife women with insomnia found decreased heart rate and heart rate variability and improved sleep quality after 20 minutes of inhaling lavender twice a week for 12 weeks. Also, research has found that Silexan, a patented active ingredient obtained from the flowers of Lavandula angustifolia, can reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality in people that are subjected to anxiety or anxiety-related disorders.
Turmeric
Turmeric is not only a delicious addition to your favourite curry or soup but also a great sleep-inducing tea. It has been shown to enhance brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and serotonin and stimulate the production of dopamine, which determines how we experience pleasure and pain. A 2006 study showed that behavioural patterns and elevated cortisol levels in rats with chronic stress were reversed by chronic administration of curcumin.
A 2008 study have also found that curcumin protects 72-hour sleep-deprived mice from sleep deprivation symptoms. A 5-day treatment with curcumin extract significantly prevented weight loss, anxiety-like effects, impairment in locomotor activity and oxidative damage.
