Top Teas that will Knock You Out & Help you Sleep

Okay, I’ll admit it, these teas may not exactly knock you out like sleeping beauty, but they will help you get in the right state for bed and improve your sleep quality too!

It cannot be overstated how important sleep is. Sleep deprivation can take a major toll on your mental and physical well-being and even your appearance – yes, you heard that right. If only it was easy to get good quality sleep yet drinking 8 cups of coffee a day and constantly checking work emails doesn’t exactly help you get in the right state of mind for rest. 

Drinking tea is an easy evening routine to help you wind down at night and to prepare your mind and body for your best sleep.

Passionflower

Passionflower is a popular sleep remedy to treat sleep disturbance and anxiety because it is composed of flavonoids which induce sedation. One study showed that consuming passionflower tea provided sleep benefits among participants who typically experience inconsistencies in quality of sleep. 

One study even combined passionflower and valerian root and concluded that it was as effective as Ambien in terms of sleep quality.

Drinking passionflower tea prior to bedtime will help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system to promote relaxation.

Get it: Passionflower Tea or Passionflower-Valerian Tea

Reishi

Reishi mushroom is an oriental medicinal fungus that is widely recognized for its sleep benefits. It can be referred to as Ganoderma Lucidum, Lingzhi in China or Reishi in Japan. Traditionally, the Chinese and Japanese highly regard Reishi for its ability to promote sleep and to treat insomnia due to its sedative properties. It has been shown to decrease sleep latency, increase sleep time and non-REM sleep time. 

Reishi can easily be incorporated into your nighttime routine as a tea which has a very calming effect on the central nervous system.

Get it: Reishi Elixir Tea

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an ancient ayurvedic medicinal herb that is used to relieve stress. Since it is an adaptogen, it helps manage stress, reduces anxiety and is popular to induce a calming state. It is a very effective tea to wind down and get the body and mind ready for sleep. It has been shown to relieve insomnia and improve sleep. 

Get it: Ashwagandha Tea

Valerian Root

Valerian root is an herbal remedy to treat insomnia due to its sedative and hypnotic effects. The reason it’s an effective sleep remedy is because it contains y-aminobutyric acid (GABA), tyrosine, arginine and glutamine. Studies show that it helps with insomnia by reducing sleep latency and improving sleep quality.   

If you are someone who consistently gets good sleep, valerian might not improve your quality of sleep as much as if you’re a poor sleeper. One study showed that participants who considered themselves as good sleepers did not experience improvement in sleep latency or quality, while those who considered themselves poor sleepers whether they were male, female or adolescents experienced a significant reduction in sleep latency and improved sleep quality. 

If you’re a poor sleeper, then valerian could be just what you need. Drink valerian tea at least 30 minutes prior to sleeping. You can also consume dried herbal valerian root, the dosage is 2-3 g that can be added to hot water for 15 minutes.  

Get it: Valerian Tea

Chamomile

Chamomile is a great tea to wind down after a long day. Chamomile is a popular treatment for anxiety and is used as a mild sedative to induce calming effects, and to treat sleep-related issues such as nightmares and insomnia. Chamomile has even been used as a tranquilizer.

Multiple studies have shown how effective drinking chamomile tea and chamomile extract is at improving sleep quality, among both postpartum women and the elderly.

Get it: Herbal Chamomile Tea

Lavender

Lavender essential oil is a popular and effective tool to provide a calming environment. Exposure to lavender aroma among female college students improved their insomnia and levels of depression. Another study showed that exposure to lavender at night increased deep sleep and participants even felt increased vigor in the morning. In addition, one study showed that exposure to lavender relieved grogginess when participants woke.

While lavender tea does not get as much attention as lavender essential oil, one study did show that lavender tea improved sleep quality, although results from other studies are inconsistent.  

The aroma of lavender is associated with improvements in sleep-related issues such as insomnia and in sleep quality. Whether through a diffuser or a tea, the scent of lavender will provide calming effects to activate your parasympathetic system getting you in a state for rest and sleep.  

Get it: Lavender Mint Tea or Lavender Chamomile Tea

Let’s quickly touch on honey. I’m sure you know that you can sweeten up your nighttime tea with a tablespoon of honey, but did you know that honey in your tea can improve your sleep quality too?! Check out how honey helps to improve a good night’s sleep here. 

If you love curling up with a hot mug of tea and putting your feet up, then try these teas and get ready for better sleep.Combined with the proper lifestyle habits for sleep, sipping on these teas can do wonders for you, so why not try it out!