8 Bedtime Teas That Help You Sleep Better

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Night sleep is very crucial to health. There are around 30% of people worldwide who suffer from a variety of sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep deprivation. Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder in which a person faces trouble while falling asleep and the condition becomes fatal when it persists for a long-term.

There are several sedative drugs available in the market that promise to give you a better night sleep but end causing us a lot of side effects like impaired attention, drowsiness and depression. In that case, what could be a better option than a natural herbal tea? Natural herbal teas are easy to prepare and come with natural sedative properties to help you get better and peaceful sleep so that you wake up fresh and relaxed the next morning.

Here is the list of 8 bedtime teas which will help you get better sleep.

1. Lavender tea

Lavender tea is widely believed to have hypnotic, curative and therapeutic properties. It helps stabilize the mood and enhance the positive feelings in our mind. The tea has a great neurological effect on our mind which helps us sleep well when consumed during bedtime. [1]

How to prepare: Pour 2 cups of hot water in 2-3 fresh lavender flowers. Let the mixture steep for ten minutes. Strain the ingredients and sip the tea.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 3 cups a day.

2. St. John’s Wort tea

St. John's Wort is a yellow flower used since centuries to treat severe depression and other sleeping disorders. The herb is also very effective to treat mood disorders, insomnia, irregular sleeping pattern and decreased concentration. Sipping a cup of St. John's wort tea is helpful for a soundless sleep experience. [2]

How to prepare: Take 2 tablespoon of dried St. John's wort flower and leaves. Boil the herbs in one cup of water for 5-10 minutes. Strain the mixture and add honey or sugar. Sip it hot.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 2-3 cups a day.

3. Hops tea

Hops are flowers of a plant called Humulus lupulus which are widely used in bittering and flavouring beer. This sedative herb heightens the activity of neurotransmitters and calms down the mind and central nervous system. Tea made from this flower is very effective for a peaceful sleep. [3]

How to prepare: Pour a cup of hot water in around 1-2 tsp of dried hops flower. Let the mixture stay for 10-15 minutes. Strain the herbs and add sugar or honey and sip it.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 3 cups a day.

4. Banana tea

Banana infused tea acts as a wonder for people who face difficulties in falling asleep. Banana is packed with magnesium and potassium which help relax the blood vessels, calm the nervous system and muscles. This prepares the body for deep sleep and makes a person sleep faster. [4]

How to prepare: Cut an organic banana into pieces (ends trimmed) and boil it in water for around 10 minutes. Strain the banana and drink the water one hour before going to bed.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 2-3 cups a day.

5. Green tea

Green tea with very less caffeine can help improve the quality of sleep by lowering down stress and anxiety. A study suggests that daily intake of green tea lowers the risk of dementia in the elderly. Be cautious to select ‘no caffeine' green tea as it can interfere the sleep quality instead of inducing it. [5]

How to prepare: Place 1 tsp of green tea leaves in a cup. Add 1 cup of hot water into it and let the mixture steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain the leaves and sip the water.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 3-4 cups a day.

6. Chamomile tea

Chamomile is a collective name for several daisy-like flowers out of which two are widely used for herbal teas like Matricaria chamomilla. It is one among the ancient herbs known to humans for its therapeutic properties. The herb has sedative agents that calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, nightmares, insomnia and other sleep problems. [6]

How to prepare: In a 1 cup of hot water, add 1 tbsp of dried chamomile flower and let the mixture steep for 3 minutes. Strain the mixture and add lime juice or honey. Enjoy the tea.
Recommended quantity: Not more than 5 cups a day.

7. Lemongrass tea

Lemongrass is a long, thick grass with a light-pink end. It is famous for its sedative and hypnotic activity which improves the sleeping time and other sleep-related disorders. Lemongrass causes a neurobehavioral effect and relaxes our mind and block the stress hormone for better sleep. [7]

How to prepare: In 2 cups of water, add 1 cup of chopped lemongrass stalks and boil the mixture for 5 minutes in high flame. Lower the flame and let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, add honey or sugar and sip the tea.
Recommended quantity: Maximum 2-3 cups a day

8. Ashwagandha tea

Ashwagandha tea is very helpful for the wellbeing of a person and effective for preventing insomnia and other sleep disorders. The potential of this herb to treat insomnia is mentioned in Ayurveda. Ashwagandha root extract has a natural sleep-inducing and anxiolytic properties, which is why the tea made from its root extract is widely used for treating sleep disorders. [8]

How to prepare: In a 1 cup of water, add 1 tsp of ashwagandha dried root and boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Let it simmer for 20-45 minutes. You can also add ginger or cinnamon for a better taste.
Recommended quantity: Limit the quantity to 3 cups a day.