I Tested 12 Sleep Teas To See If They Really Help

photo of a man sitting at a table with a selection of sleep teas

In the photo above, you can see some of the herbal teas I bought and tested during the last month. If the saying ‘you are what you eat’ is to be believed, I must be at least 30% chamomile and valerian by now!

If you spend much time with us Brits, you’ll soon discover that an important step in dealing with many of life’s problems is to put the kettle on.

As well as being a reliable friend that accompanies us in both the good and the bad times, can tea really help us sleep better though? Or is it just the placebo effect and taking some time out to relax that does the trick?

Personally, no herbal tea I’ve ever tried has magically knocked me out if I wasn’t already tired. In reality, I choose to drink them for three main reasons: they don’t contain caffeine, they taste good, and I find they mark a moment in the evening when I intentionally decide to slow down and start unwinding before going to bed.

In this article, I’ll start off by sharing my thoughts on twelve ready-made teas, which includes some classics I’ve drunk for many years. After that, I’ll take a look at the evidence they work, along with some reader suggestions of even more teas to try.

Contents

12 teas I bought and tried

How I decided on this list

I’ve been drinking some of these teas for several years anyway, so they were easy includes. To broaden the selection though, I picked up a few I hadn’t previously tried from Sainsburys and Waitrose supermarkets in the UK, and also looked online to see what was currently popular.

My partner and I spent a month drinking our way through the twelve teas, drinking two cups of each tea on two consecutive nights. We then spent a week tasting all of them at different times during the day to see how the flavours compare.

I know it’s always tempting to see lists like this as a ‘number 1 must be the best’ recommendation. However, neither my partner or I found any of them to be noticeably more relaxing than the others. Don’t get me wrong – we both agree that relaxing on the sofa with a nice cup of tea is, well, relaxing. But none of them made us feel unexpectedly drowsy mid conversation!

So, this list has ended up being more about how much we enjoyed the taste. And as you know, taste is subjective. If number 10, 11, or 12 on the list sounds like your cup of tea, don’t be afraid to try it just because it didn’t tickle our taste buds so much.

Some ingredient spellings are different, such as camomile and chamomile. This is due to American and British differences, and I’ve listed them as they appear on the box.

Please note that all the photos in this article are my own and the exact teas I bought and tried, but the manufacturers may change the ingredients or packaging in the future.

1. Pukka Night Time Blissful Rest

Pukka Night Time Blissful Rest Tea

Ingredients

  • Oat flowering tops (30%)
  • Licorice root
  • Chamomile flower
  • Lavender flower (14%)
  • Lime flower (10%)
  • Valerian root (4.9%)
  • Tulsi leaf

There are three Pukka teas on my list, but the night time blissful rest is my personal favorite. My partner had it as number three, so we both agreed it’s a lovely sleep tea.

It has a pleasant aroma, without the lavender being overpowering. The same applies to the taste, which is flowery and balanced, with a hint of sweetness. It’s the only one we tried with oat flowering tops, which perhaps contributes to the gentle taste.

We also both agreed that the taste is simply what you’d associate with a sleep tea. Nothing jarring or too strong – just a soothing tea you can sip at bedtime.

You can find it in some supermarkets and health food shops in the UK, on the Pukka website, and on Amazon globally.


2. Yogi Tea Bedtime Ayurvedic Blend

Yogi Tea Bedtime

Ingredients

  • Fennel (31%)
  • Chamomile flowers (17%)
  • Peppermint (13%)
  • Cardamom
  • Lemon balm
  • Lemon grass
  • Valerian root (6%)
  • Sage (5%)
  • Lavender flowers (3.5%)
  • Nutmeg

With ten herbal ingredients, the taste of the Yogi Bedtime (the Ayuverdic blend version) isn’t overpowered by any of them, which is a good thing in our opinion.

It has a warm, herbal glow that we immediately associated with the thought of a calming drink. In some ways, all of our favorites had this in common: they may have herbal/flowery elements, but are balanced and enjoyable to drink.

The Yogi Tea was one that seemed to get better the longer we kept the teabag in too, with the taste developing nicely rather than becoming too strong.

I bought it on Amazon, but you can also find it on the Yogi Tea website. It may also be sold in some health food shops, such as Holland and Barrett in the UK, and stores like Walmart in the US.


3. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Infusion

Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea

Ingredients

  • Chamomile
  • Spearmint
  • Lemongrass
  • Tilia Flowers
  • Blackberry Leaves
  • Orange Blossoms
  • Hawthorn
  • Rosebuds

When I asked my partner to describe the taste of the Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Infusion, her reply was that “It has a rounded palette, with sweet notes.”

After wondering if she’d ever had a job as a wine critic, I realized she was right. Like the previous two, this one works well as a sleep tea because it’s well balanced, with all eight ingredients working in harmony.

The spearmint does just about poke its head through the other flavours, which we both liked. Perhaps it’s also an ideal choice if you’ve overindulged late at night and need some mint to work its digestive magic.

I bought it on Amazon. You can also find it on the Celestial Seasonings website, and in some health food shops around the world.


4. Pukka Night Time Berry

Pukka Night Time Berry tea

Ingredients

  • Rosehip
  • Hibiscus Flower
  • Chamomile Flower (15%)
  • Lavender Flower
  • Licorice Root
  • Ginger Root
  • Echinacea herb (6%)
  • Elderberry (4%)
  • Blackcurrant Fruit (4%)
  • Valerian Root
  • Blueberry Flavor
  • Blackcurrant Flavor

After I’d finished taking the photos of the brewed teas for this article, I realized they were all yellow/orange with one exception – Pukka Night Time Berry. The Berries in this tea give it a lovely colour, as well as a punchy aroma and taste.

As you’d expect from looking at the ingredients, it has a fruity taste that’s both sweet and slightly sour at once. Along with the berries, perhaps the Echinacea contributes to the interesting blend of sweet and sour. I’m not always a fan of herbal teas with a strong taste of berries, but this one hits the spot nicely.

You can find it in some supermarkets and health food shops in the UK, on the Pukka website, and on Amazon globally.


5. Tick Tock Bedtime

Tick Tock Bedtime tea

Ingredients

  • Camomile (20%)
  • Apple
  • Rooibos (15%)
  • Honeybush
  • Lemon Balm (13%)
  • Liquorice
  • Lavender (3%)
  • Aniseed
  • Blackberry Leaves

I’m a huge fan of Rooibos tea and often drink it during the daytime, so I was very happy to discover a specific sleep tea with Rooibos included alongside some typical bedtime tea ingredients.

Tick Tock Bedtime has a full-bodied flavor (back to the wine descriptions!), with a herbal aroma and taste that isn’t dominated by any of the nine ingredients. I could detect the Rooibos though, which gave it a warming feel that I found relaxing to sit down and sip.

I bought it in Waitrose in the UK. It’s also on the Tick Tock Tea website, in some health food shops, other supermarkets like Morrisons, and on Amazon.


6. Twinings Sleep Spiced Apple & Vanilla

Twinings Sleep spiced apple and vanilla tea

Ingredients

  • Passionflower (35%)
  • Apple Pieces (15%)
  • Camomile (14%)
  • Cinnamon Bark (10%)
  • Natural apple flavouring with other natural flavourings (10%)
  • Cardamom (6%)
  • Cloves (6%)
  • Natural vanilla flavouring with other natural flavourings (4%)

There are two versions of Twinings Sleep on my list, but we both preferred this one. It has a beautiful vanilla aroma, even though the vanilla is slightly more subtle in the taste. Perhaps that’s because the spiced edge created by the Apple, cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves is so apparent.

Relaxing on the sofa while drinking this tea on a cold night in January just felt right to us. The combination of sweetness and warming spice make it a perfect sleep tea for those long winter nights.

I bought it in Sainsburys supermarket, and it’s also sold in other supermarkets in the UK as it’s a popular bedtime tea. You can also find it on the Twinings website and on Amazon.


7. Pukka Three Chamomile

Pukka Three Chamomile tea

Ingredients

  • African chamomile flower (70%)
  • Egyptian chamomile flower (20%)
  • European chamomile flower (10%)

If you just want a straight up chamomile tea without other ingredients, the Pukka Three Chamomile is the one we recommend.

We’ve both tried various chamomile-only teas over the years, but this one from Pukka stands out for its intense flavor. It’s also interesting that it contains a blend of African, Egyptian, and European chamomile.

There’s not much else to say about it really – it’s just pure chamomile that you’re likely to associate with relaxation if you’re used to drinking chamomile.

You can find it in some supermarkets and health food shops in the UK, on the Pukka website, and on Amazon.


8. Clipper Snore & Peace

Clipper Snore & Peace tea

Ingredients

  • Chamomile (30%)
  • Lemon Balm (15%)
  • Lemongrass
  • Lavender (14%)
  • Fennel seed
  • Rosehip
  • Spearmint

Clipper Snore & Peace contains a fairly sizeable percentage of lavender (14%), but manages to contain the potentially intense smell and flavor that lavender is known for.

There were a couple of teas that didn’t make this list because of what I call extreme lavenderization (the taste was so strong, I had to invent a word for it).

Snore & Peace definitely has a noticeable lavender taste, so it’s one to consider if you enjoy that. Unexpectedly, we found the lavender aroma and taste is strongest when you first pour the tea, but the other flavors catch up after a few minutes and balance it out.

I bought it in Waitrose in the UK, and it’s sold in some other supermarkets too. You can also find it on the Clipper website and Amazon.


9. Twinings Sleep Valerian & Orange Blossom

Twinings sleep tea with valerian and orange blossom

Ingredients

  • Camomile (35%)
  • Passionflower (35%)
  • Lavender (12%)
  • Orange Blossom (10%)
  • Valerian Root (4%)
  • Natural Blood Orange Flavouring (2%)
  • Natural Flavouring

In a similar way to lavender, valerian can also dominate the taste of a herbal tea if the manufacturer allows it to. This version of Twinings Sleep manages to contain the two, even though it still has a noticeably herby taste.

The inclusion of orange blossom and orange flavouring perhaps helps counterbalance the overall feel of the tea. It has a curious combination of earthy flavors with a sweet note layered over the top.

We both thought it has a slightly more medicinal taste than the spiced apple and vanilla Twinings Sleep, but still enjoyed drinking it while relaxing before bedtime.

I bought it in Sainsburys supermarket, and it’s also sold in other supermarkets in the UK as it’s a popular bedtime tea. You can also find it on the Twinings website and on Amazon.


10. Dragonfly Tea – Night Sky Calm

Dragonfly Tea Night Sky Calm

Ingredients

  • Camomile
  • Lemon balm
  • Liquorice
  • Honeybush
  • Valerian
  • Oatstraw
  • Lavender
  • Sage

Dragonfly Tea Night Sky Calm was one that surprised both of us. It has a kind of medicinal taste when you first sip it, with the valerian and sage coming across quite strongly. But then there’s a kind of sweet aftertaste that lingers in the back of your mouth and throat afterwards.

Some of the other teas have a similar effect, but none as strongly as this one. We couldn’t quite decide which ingredients were responsible for the delicious after taste. Whichever they are, they offset the medicinal side nicely, making it a lovely tea to relax with.

Dragonfly tea also make a couple of excellent mint teas if you’re looking for a digestive tea. And they also make one of my all-time favorite daytime teas, the superb Earl Grey and Rooibos blend.

I bought this one on Amazon. You can also find it in supermarkets and health food shops in the UK and some other countries, as well as the Dragonfly Tea website.


11. Nutra Tea Chamomile & Valerian

Nutra Tea Chamomile & Valerian

Ingredients

  • Chamomile (85%)
  • Valerian (15%)

In comparison to most of the other teas I’ve looked at so far, Nutra Tea only contains valerian and chamomile. Both the aroma and taste are therefore predictably strong, with no other ingredients to balance them out.

Personally, I preferred the teas that add a little sweetness, but if you’re a fan of chamomile and valerian, this is one to consider. The mix isn’t quite as strong as in some other chamomile and valerian focused teas I’ve tried, so you can still enjoy the tea without feeling it’s too much.

I bought it on Amazon, and haven’t seen it in any physical shops in the UK. You can find out more about it on the Nutratea website.


12. Teapigs Snooze Sleepy Tea

Teapigs Snooze Sleepy Tea

Ingredients

  • Organic Apple Pieces (80%)
  • Organic Chamomile Flowers (12%)
  • Organic Lavender Flowers (8%)

Teapigs Snooze Sleepy Tea ended up in twelfth place only because the lavender was a bit too powerful for my palette. If you associate lavender with relaxation and enjoy the taste though, you may well love this tea.

From the second you pour hot water over the teabag, the unmistakable scent of lavender fills the air. It also contains apple pieces and chamomile, but they fade into the background with so much lavender floating around.

Even though it’s only listed as 8% of the ingredients, I found it provided more like 80% of the taste. So if you find lavender calming and enjoy drinking it at night, this is one to try.

I bought it in Sainsburys in the UK, and you’ll also find it in other supermarkets like Waitrose and Tesco. It’s also available on the Teapigs website and on Amazon.

The bottom line is that there hasn’t been enough research into the sedative effects of the herbal ingredients in tea form to draw any firm conclusions. And studies of the ingredients in other forms, with higher quantities than typically found in tea, have found mixed results.

On a more optimistic note for bedtime tea lovers, there’s plenty of support among sleep experts for the idea that intentionally taking some time out to relax before bed can put you in the right frame of mind for sleep.

If drinking your favorite cup of herbal tea in the evening feels relaxing to you, perhaps even forming part of a relaxing bedtime routine, then that may be all the evidence you need.

Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the key ingredients in the herbal tea world. I won’t cover every ingredient listed in the teas above – just the most commonly found ones.

In the photo below, I’m enjoying the best part of my bedtime routine – a relaxing cup of tea and a good book. Bliss!

Man drinking a herbal tea and reading a book in bed

Chamomile

Chamomile is found in many brands of herbal tea, either alone or mixed with other plants. It’s in all twelve of the store bought teas I discussed above!

As for evidence that it works as a sedative, one review study in 2019 found that it helped with sleep quality, but not with the severity of insomnia.

Studies involving chamomile in actual tea form are very limited. One study in 2016 found that it helped postpartum women sleep better. However, after four weeks there was no difference between those and the control group who didn’t drink the tea. So they suggested that “the positive effects of chamomile tea were limited to the immediate term.”

Valerian

People is an ingredient in six of the twelve teas I tried. It’s one of the few plants which have been shown by researchers to help with sleep. However, a detailed review in 2018 of previous clinical trials found that the overall picture was one of inconclusive results.

Other researchers suggest it may work, but the problem is one of the clinical trials not being well designed. I haven’t found any research studies that used valerian tea specifically; they tend to be in larger dose supplement form instead.

Lavender

Although chamomile and valerian have long been two of the stars of bedtime teas, lavender makes an appearance in eight of the twelve teas I tried.

The evidence that lavender helps with sleep is mainly anecdotal though. I haven’t seen any evidence that it helps with sleep when drunk in tea. One review of eight studies using aroma inhalation suggested that it may provide a small to moderate benefit, but that more research is needed.

Interestingly, in a study in 2015, Taiwanese researchers found that lavender tea helped postnatal women feel less fatigued and depressed – but only in the short term compared to a control group.

Lemon balm

Like lavender, lemon balm has plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that it helps with anxiety, stress, or insomnia. It’s included in four of the teas on my list.

In a study in 2004, lemon balm was found to be associated with an increase in self-reported feelings of calmness.

One study in 2011 found some positive results when using a concentrated extract. But again, it wasn’t in tea form so the same effect can’t be guaranteed if you drink it – especially if it’s just a small contributor to a tea mix using several ingredients.

Passionflower

The passionflower is stunning when in bloom, alien almost with its complex design. Is the beauty of the flower mirrored in the quality of your beauty sleep though?

There is some research using it in tea form. In the study, 41 participants were given either passionflower tea or a placebo tea. The researchers found that those drinking the real tea had ‘short-term subjective sleep benefits’.

Spearmint and peppermint

In the past, I would only make myself a mint tea if my stomach was bubbling away uncomfortably after eating, but it’s also sometimes included in these herbal teas.

Despite a lack of research using mint in tea form specifically, animal studies have found that peppermint oil can help with indigestion and some other stomach complaints, and work as a muscle relaxant.

And in a study in 2020, using aromatherapy with peppermint was found to improve the sleep of cancer patients.

In the years since I first wrote this article, many readers have shared their favorite teas for sleep. With so many great suggestions, I’ve compiled the list below.

  • Yogi soothing bedtime caramel.
  • Lemon balm and skullcap combination.
  • Chamomile Nights by Stash, with chamomile, spearmint and lotus.
  • Chamomile mixed with Chinese tea.
  • Lavender sun tea.
  • Sleepytime tea mixed with chai white tea and Rooibos red tea.
  • Chamomile steeped in hot water along with lemon verbena, with some lemon and sugar added.
  • Brewing 10 sweet mint leaves in hot water.
  • Sleepytime tea with vanilla.
  • Triple Leaf Relaxing Tea (Chinese herbal tea).
  • Linden leaves tea.
  • Peppermint and chamomile tea combined.
  • Tension Tamer.
  • Tazo tea.
  • Happy Nights tea by Carmencita.
  • Nettle tea and Chamomile with a teaspoon of raw honey.
  • Teavana’s Winterberry.
  • Decaffeinated Earl Grey.
  • Nighty Night.
  • A concoction of the leaves of guava, taro and mulberry.
  • Triple Leaf Relaxing.
  • Ahmad Verbena (Vervain).
  • Hibiscus tea.
  • Dr. Stuart’s relaxation tea.
  • David’s tea – Mother’s Little Helper.
  • Morpheus from Tin Roof Teas.
  • Teepee dreams from the Native American Tea Company.

What’s your favorite tea for sleep?

Which tea do you drink to help you relax as the sun sets and the moon rises? Do you think it has true sedative properties, or is it just the placebo effect working its magic Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

340 Comments

  1. You pretty much named all of the teas that I drink for relaxation. One more to add to the list is Tazo (Calm) tea. It has chammomile, hibiscus, rose petals, and other common sleep herbs. I sometimes add yogi to it, because it has Valerian.
    Rest easy,
    Jeff

    • Hi Jeff
      Thanks for your comment. I will have to try Tazo. Considering the fact that we share so many favourite teas, I imagine I’ll like that one too!
      Regards
      Ethan

  2. I love Triple Leaf Relaxing Tea. I think it’s the strongest and best tasting tea of its kind — it really works! I can find it usually in Chinatown, and I also order it online at vitamin shops, for less than $2 for a box of 20 tea bags. It’s a great aid for sleep.

  3. I really enjoy sleepytime extra and bedtime. I add one sachet each to a cup and pour hot water over and steep until cool enough to sip. I have backups of each now that I have a cup each night before bed. I will have to look for the sleepytime with vanilla.

    • Hi Melody
      Thanks for your comment. I haven’t tried combining the two before, so maybe I’ll give that a go! I do find that very strong tea is a bit too much, so it might not be for me. But if you enjoy it and find it relaxing, that’s the main thing.
      Regards
      Ethan

  4. Sleepytime is an excellent tea for relaxation and I regularly drink it at bedtime. Celestial Seasonings now makes a Sleepytime tea with vanilla which is delicious and has become my preference when I can find it in the stores.

  5. I have a box of celestial sleepy time tea & a box of Alvita valerian root tea, can I brew the 2 together for better sleep?

    • Hi Sarah
      Thanks for your comment. I would say the best thing is to find honey made locally to you and buy it direct from them rather than a big brand honey. I’ve found some amazing honeys around the world before by doing that. Then you also have other options like Agave nectar and Stevia. But local honey is my preferred choice.
      Regards
      Ethan

    • Hi Richey
      There are other teas you can try, but perhaps the best thing is to look where you live and see if you can find teas containing some of the other ingredients instead of chamomile. You might have to just look in a shop or online and carefully check the ingredients of any teas which are marketed as being relaxing or calming.
      Regards
      Ethan

    • Try tearing up maybe 10 or so sweet mint leaves in boiling or very hot water. That works for me when I’m out of Sleepytime tea which I usually use along with it.

    • Hi Arnold
      I have seen sources which suggest that, and then again, other research studies which suggest it doesn’t, for example this study looking at it’s effect on anticancer drugs.
      I think the best thing is always to research carefully if any meds you are on interact with anything else you take. And if you have doubts, consult your doctor.
      Regards
      Ethan

  6. In England, I haven’t found Sleepytime tea, which I loved in America. I drink Snore and Peace tea by Clipper which has the chamomile, lemon balm and lavender ingredients on your list. I like the artistic bright blue packaging too. I have also drunk Pukka’s night time tea, but it doesn’t really do it for me.

  7. I love yogi bedtime tea… I’ve tried several different kinds but yogi always does the trick for me. I have an extremely hard time getting sleepy enough to fall asleep no matter how tired I may be.. I’ve tried every thing possible except knocking myself out with a bat lol but yogi works the best so far..

  8. Drinking Sleepytime and Bedtime tea cause me to get ancy and keep me from sleeping. Valerian tea does not make me ancy.

  9. I love all kinds of herbal teas especially Sleepytime. They’ve come out with a version of this tea with some other things to help sinus. This is great for me and my eternal sinus problems. I would like to learn more about the concerns of using St. John’s Wort or Kava, Kava. Thank you.

    • Hi Barbara

      Thanks for your comment. I didn’t know they had produced a tea to help with sinus. That will be great if it helps, as so many people have sinus trouble. If you want to know more about St.John’s Wort or Kava Kava, I’d do some searching online. There are many great websites with lots of information about them. WebMD and Wikipedia have comprehensive articles about both of them for example.
      Regards
      Ethan

  10. I’m currently waiting to have surgery on an injured shoulder and have been struggling to sleep. I’m currently on muscle relaxants that supposedly have a drowsiness quality. I honestly haven’t slept through the night due to the pain since I got hurt in Sept. The other day a close friend suggested that I try chamomile tea and another friend who heard in passing gave me some. My first night I tried it and did my usual routine, not long after drinking it I felt fairly sleepy. I turned off everything and crashed. For the first time in a couple months I actually slept through the night. Night two- I’m fairly tired and could probably sleep, but I’m feeling fairly wound up due to a lot of hard circumstances going on in my life. I am considering drinking a second cup, but thus far this tea has actually made a difference for me, and this sleep deprived girl is extremely grateful.

    *Just a little side note, I actually hate tea, of just about 99.9% of every kind but I actually kinda like the taste of this stuff. Lol.

    • Hi Robin
      Thanks for your comment. I’d say there’s nothing wrong with drinking a cup or two of chamomile tea every night. If it helps you relax and sleep, that’s great! Good luck with the surgery when it happens.
      Regards
      Ethan

  11. Hi, Ethan,
    I have a friend who sent me a bag of Chamomile (whole leaf/flower) and a bag of Lemon Verbena (whole leaf/flower) and i steeped them together in hot, but not boiling, water for about 5 minutes (in a tea ball) and drank it with a bit of lemon and sugar, and i can attest that these two in conjunction are fabulous at calming one down and allowing them to have a VERY peaceful night’s sleep. I absolutely love these two teas and they have a VERY pleasant taste together. :-)

  12. I started on Sleepy Time to help me sleep at night. Melotonin gave me nightmares. Sometimes I’ll take a mild antihistamine with it. Heck dries me up.
    I’ve started mixing my tea, the red tea with sleepytime and chai white tea. Taste pretty good. I make it dark strong in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Might try that Kava or Purple sage if you think it’ll help more. Plus a little honey.

  13. I’ve drank tea, hot or cold, for a long time. Used to be with milk and sugar, when I was young, then started leaving out the milk and switched to honey. I also use Celestial Seasonings Sleepy time tea, I also add a sack of chai white tea (stash premium) and a sack of (private select) Rooibos Red Tea. I cook them in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. I run it several time until the tea very dark then I add the honey. I’ve tried the yogi before but it wasn’t the Bedtime. I’ll have to try it as well since I sleep short intervals, the tea helps with the antihistamine :)

    • Hi Lori

      Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure to be honest, though my take on it would be not to drink more than one cup before bed otherwise you might end up waking up needing the toilet.
      Regards
      Ethan

  14. So I found out that purple sage (cenizo) was used once upon a time for colic because it’s a sedative. Didn’t believe it, tried it, it definitely works. My body went a little numb. I’ve had purple sage growing in my yard for years and never knew I could use it.

    • Hi Dean

      Thanks for your comment. Have you done some research into purple sage? As I understand it, it does have sedative properties but also carries several potential warnings against poisoning.
      Regards
      Ethan

  15. I drank yogi bedtime caramel last night for the 1st time…I slept 11 hrs…def not typical for me. That aside, I definitely had very vivid dreams and the most concerning was I woke up all night with a tightness in my throat. It is still present this morning and I truly believe it is an allergic reaction to something in the tea. An anaphylactic type reaction. Due to this I will not be having the tea again but I was wondering if anyone else had this happen or knows of it happening with either this tea or any of the ingredients in it?? Thanks

    • Hi Kelly

      Sorry to hear you had that reaction. It’d feasible that it was due to one of the many ingredients it contains. Definitely don’t drink it again until you know for sure. I’d speak to your doctor about this and see if you can get an allergy test done.
      Regards
      Ethan

  16. I drink Sweet Dreams chamomile tea, and peppermint tea from my back yard, but I didn’t know if they could ACTUALLY help you sleep, or if it was just me, but every time I drink ANY type of tea, I get sleepy-er. It’s very helpful when I can’t fall asleep.

    • Hi Lisa

      Thanks for your comment. To be honest, my opinion is that they help many people through a combination of the placebo effect and also just the very act of preparing a tea and sitting down to relax and drink it is in itself an important calming ritual. Whether they contain enough sedative ingredients is difficult to say. But it boils down to this: if it works for you, then that’s all that matters.
      Regards
      Ethan

  17. Hi every night and in the morningI drink a cup of Tazo tea . I also am outside for at least an hour everyday . I feel great and never get sick! It also relaxes me , the only strange thing is … I have very vivid dreams? Other then that I have never slept or felt better. I’m 55 and went through menopause at 47 . I never had any problem only with nervousness and anxiety . That’s why I started drinking tea. Thanks so much for your great information!!

    • Hi Cathy
      Thanks for your comment, and I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Have you tried not drinking the tea for a couple of weeks to see if you stop having the vivid dreams, and then drinking it again as an experiment?
      Regards
      Ethan

  18. Another two very good choices are:
    – Sleepytime Extra – the extra being Valerian (which is not in regular Sleepytime)
    – Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night VALERIAN – with both Valerian & Passionflower

    Passionflower is another plant frequently used to aid with sleep.

  19. I suffer from insomnia and also have cardio-vascular disease. I tried a tea that contained Valerian which is supposed to be helpful but in the middle of the night I had a mild attack of angina. I have since read that Valerian should not be taken by anyone with heart problems.
    Hibiscus tea, taken in moderation, seems to help a bit.

    • Hi Jackie
      Sorry to hear you’ve had heart problems. I’ve also read that Valerian is sometimes used to treat some heart conditions. But the most important point I’ve read is that if you have any heart condition, it’s best to consult your medical practitioner before taking it. Did you ask your doctor if they though the tea could have been responsible for the angina attack?
      Regards
      Ethan

  20. Herbal tea helps me sleep because at bedtime I drink it instead of coffee. Its effectiveness is pretty much guaranteed in this context.

    • Hi Kathy,
      That’s a good question, and to be honest I’m not entirely sure of an exact time! I tend to drink a herbal tea about an hour to half an hour before bed so I’m not getting up to go to the toilet just after getting into bed!
      Regards
      Ethan

    • Yes! Happy Nights tea by Carmencita is the real deal. I use only use it about 3 times per week so I don’t become immune to it. Two teabags steeped for about 30 minutes and consumed about an hour before I want to be asleep. I take 5 mgs of melatonin with this and the combination has me falling asleep and staying asleep at least 8-9 hours. The melatonin puts me to sleep and the Happy Nights tea keeps me asleep. It’s hard to find in my town. I have to go to the Latino grocery store to get it. It’s cheap. They charge $1.49 for 10 teabags at the Thrifty in my town.

  21. I think that if you are allergic to ragweed, you should NOT have chamomile because they are in the same “family” (?)

  22. I find that rooibos (so. African red bush tea) puts me to sleep very easily. There is the yogi chai version which includes cardamom and cinnamon for flavor and eliminating congestion. Has anyone tried this?

    • Hi Rashidah
      Thanks for your comment. I do like Roooibos, but don’t really consider it a bedtime tea. I drink it during the day when I’m avoiding caffeine. It may be that it’s just the relaxing feeling which often accompanies a nice cup of tea which is helping.
      Regards
      Ethan

  23. I have been sleeping so badly recently (my partner gets up a lot in the night and we have gotten into really bad habits of staying up late watching tv on the tablet). I was getting really bad headaches every morning from disturbed sleep and a friend recommended I try chamomile tea (I don’t like taking prescription drugs if I can help it) but I hate the flavour – tastes like hay/grass! I was having to put so much honey in to cover the taste, but then having to get up and brush my teeth again – not very relaxing! After trying a few I have managed to find one that wasn’t too bad (mixed with lavender and rose too, I quite like rose) from bluebird tea brighton, its called dozy girl- has helped a lot! Put a lot of effort into turning off the tablet 30 mins before bed and getting a proper bedtime routine in and that has also helped loads! Can’t recommend the tea enough!

    • Hi Claire

      Thank you for your comment and the recommendation of that tea. Chamomile isn’t for everyone, and I think that with so much variety available, if you don’t like the taste initially, it’s probably better to look for a different tea rather than try to mask the flavour, which you worked out too.
      I that that you hit the nail on the head with the importance of not watching TV right up until bedtime. Having a regular bedtime and stable routine is a key ingredient for good sleep. Hopefully you’ll get back into a normal pattern now and those headaches won’t come back.
      Regards
      Ethan

  24. These are great suggestions! I have become rather fond of Twinnings chamomile honey vanilla tea. I am not a huge fan of chamomile’s flavor as a rule, but the honey and vanilla make it magically tasty and, for me personally, effective for catching some Zzz’s.

    • Hi Jenn

      Thank you for your comment. Yes, sometimes those little extra ingredients can completely change the taste of a tea and make it much more palatable. I’m a big fan of adding honey to most teas.
      Regards
      Ethan

  25. WARNING:
    Valerian is as bad as Kava Kava for the liver.
    I take TWO bags of Chamomile tea in an oversized cup, it makes me sleep like a log all night long, even thru pain. (I have stage IV cancer but I don’t take the dangerous prescribed opiods).

    I advise not to mix Chamomile with other teas, it dilutes the Chamomile. You can add REAL Stevia if someone does not like the taste.

    Ethan, thank you for your wonderful web site, it helps people to follow a more natural path.

    Good luck to all!

    • Hi Celia
      Thanks for your comment and your compliment about the website. Liver damage is only rarely linked with valerian as far as I know.
      It’s good that you find Chamomile works for you, and I wish you strength in your cancer journey. I’ve been through it myself, and didn’t really like the opioids much either! They do too many strange things to your body and mind, even if they do help in some ways.
      All the best
      Ethan

    • HI everyone I’m from Australia I drink Peppermint and Chamomile tea to get a solid nights sleep and it works for me anyway I’m on medication so St John’s wort is out I haven’t tried the others but will have to give them a bash and see how they go thank you all for the info,pleasant dreams to you all cheers Michael.

      • Hi Michael
        Thanks for your comment. It’s great that you have a tea which helps you sleep, and maybe you’ll find some new ones which you can also enjoy and have the same effect.
        All the best
        Ethan

  26. I was not a believer in teas actually helping you sleep. I even tried xanax for relaxation!! However, I drank some straight lavender tea…. Three nights in a row, knocked me out more than anything other than Narcan before surgery…. I have such intense insomnia, sometimes I don’t sleep at all! It’s wonderful to have found something that works so effectively… And I can grow it myself. Not enough evidence my ass! Pharm companies don’t want you to find such a cheap answer! They would lose thousands!

    • Hi Tatjana

      Thanks for your comment. It’s great that you’ve found a tea which helps you sleep, especially as you say you had bad insomnia. That’s fantastic!
      You may be right about the evidence…who knows.
      Regards
      Ethan

  27. Hi, I’ve recently gotten into sleepy time teas. Yogi Caramel Bedtime tea has been great. I’ve started to look at Chai’s, since I love the flavoring. I’ve just ordered Bedtime Chai II from California Tea House. I hope it’s great! I’ve read several great reviews on it. Has anyone tried it yet? Lots of Valerian root….

    • Hi Rosa

      Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you like the sleepy time teas too – they really are good aren’t they?
      I haven’t tried that bedtime chai though. Let me know what you think!
      Regards
      Ethan

  28. Tadin Tea, Pasiflora.
    Pasiflora also known as “Passion Flower” is a plant that blooms with large gorgeous white or yellow flowers. The plant got its popular name in the 16th century, when a spanish doctor who lived among the Incas envisioned the plant’s beautifully intricate blossoms as a symbol for the passion of Christ. The tea made from this dazzling passion plant can relieve stress, insomnia and anxiety.
    My grandma used to drink this before going to sleep. I tried it, and I felt a deep sleepy feeling that eventually put me to sleep.

    • Hi Solrac,

      Thank you for your comment and the interesting information about passion flower. I didn’t know about the origins of the name, so thank you for sharing that.

      Regards
      Ethan

  29. Although it is a lesser known herb, Mitragyna speciosa (aka Kratom) is also used as a sleeping remedy and can be taken as a tea. There are many vendors that sell it online if you know where to look.

    Kava kava is also extremely effective as well, although the taste is almost unbearable. Still very effective however.

  30. could you recommend a night time time tea that’s not too sweet as i dont take sugar in my normal tea thanks

    • Hi Sandra,

      I don’t think any of the teas I talk about in the article have added sugar or sweeteners. And of course, any natural herbal tea which you brew yourself from dried herbs will be fine.
      Regards
      Ethan

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