7 of the best teas to help you sleep

According to the NHS, you should be getting between 7 to 9 hours a night.¹ But it’s not always that easy.

It’s natural to find it difficult to switch off after a day staring at a computer screen all day or having the stresses of work and family life.

So, it’s little wonder that many of us reach for ways to overcome our lack of sleep by trying anything that is on offer to us.

In this article, we’re going to be looking at teas, perhaps more specifically teas to help you prepare for a peaceful night.

A nighttime tea may seem like an odd concept, but keep with us and we’ll stew over the best teas, providing you with everything you need to know about nighttime teas.

What are bedtime teas?

Might seem like we’re pointing out the obvious here, but the thought is that teas for bedtime are teas that will help you get some much-needed Z’s.

Now, a tea before bed may seem a bit like a crazy idea.

But unlike the tea you would usually go for, bedtime teas do not contain any caffeine.

In fact, many bedtime teas contain the same ingredients that you would find in many supplements – such as chamomile.

How can tea help you relax?

Most of us know about the trick of drinking a warm milky drink before bed, but what about tea? Is it possible that it can help in the relaxation stakes too?

As we all know, normal black tea contains caffeine, which is a stimulant that’s also found in coffee. Because of its stimulating properties, caffeine isn’t something we’re advised to consume before we go to bed. This is due to the fact it can stimulate our brain and make us more alert, which is the last thing we want to be when we’re trying to wind down.²

However, tea doesn’t contain as much caffeine as coffee does. There’s reportedly 11mg per 100g of caffeine in tea. In comparison, coffee contains 37mg per 100g, which is a bit of a difference.^3,4 What’s more, tea also happens to contain an amino acid called theanine.

It’s also been linked to boosting our cognitive abilities, e.g. memory and concentration levels, too.⁵ Different levels of l-theanine can be found in different tea, with green tea containing the highest levels of it.

Overall, the combination of caffeine and l-theanine working together can make us feel more relaxed, as well as the process of enjoying a nice hot cup of tea, can have an effect on our mind and body.

7 bedtime teas to help you drift off

Read on for our top picks of bedtime teas in 2023...

Are there any side effects to sleep teas?

Generally speaking, sipping a herbal tea before bed is safe.

Chamomile is listed as a safe, natural ingredient in most sleep teas.

However, you might want to be a bit cautious of teas that contain valerian may cause some side effects such as:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Upset stomach

If you have any concerns about the effects of sleep teas, please speak to your GP or a health professional.

A final few words about bedtime tea  

Next time you need some help with night-time relaxation, you may want to reach out for one of the bedtime tea blends above, which have been tried-and-tested and highly recommended by plenty of our customers.

Bear in mind that what works for one person, may not work for another. But with so many different relaxation teas to choose from, we’re sure you’ll find something that you love the taste of and will help you with your bedtime routines.

Enjoy trying all of the different blends and best of luck with finding the best tea for you.