Americans drink an average of 3. 8 billion gallons of tea a year. Herbal teas have long been used for relaxation and sleep, and there is scientific evidence to support herbal teas as a holistic way to reduce fatigue trusted source national library of medicine, biotech information the national center for biotechnology information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. See full reference and improve sleep quality. Herbal teas can be a great option both day and night, especially if you’re trying to kick a caffeine habit before bed. Herbal teas can be made from any edible herb or plant, but there are six specific herbs that have been shown to improve sleep and promote relaxation.
Bedtime tea can be a good a great addition to a nightly bedtime routine. It can be especially beneficial for people who have difficulty falling asleep or winding down before bed. However, keep in mind that bedtime teas may not be effective for severe cases of insomnia ( ). Additionally, bedtime tea should be used alongside other healthy habits to support better sleep, such as setting a regular nightly schedule and limiting caffeine intake before bed. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should check with a doctor before adding bedtime tea to their nightly routine, as some varieties may contain ingredients that aren’t recommended.
Drinking Water Before Bed
Although there's limited research on lemon verbena tea, one 2018 study found that people who took a 10-milliliter dose of lemon verbena syrup an hour before bedtime reported falling asleep quicker, sleeping longer, and feeling less sleepy during the day. In addition, a small 2021 study found that people who took a 400 mg supplement of lemon verbena daily had less muscle soreness after intensive exercise. Because of that, adams recommends drinking a cup of tea containing lemon verbena after vigorous exercise, or an hour before bed. How to make it: pour boiling water over lemon verbena tea and steep for 3-5 minutes.
Drinking tea before bed soothes many people. There is a calming aspect to sipping a warm liquid in your favorite mug before nodding off. It may mimic the effect of taking a warm bath before bed. Even though the bath or tea water is hot, it ends up cooling you down. As your body dries off and the extra water evaporates from your skin, the corresponding drop in body temperature signals to your brain that it’s time for sleep. Of course, caffeinated teas, such as black tea, white tea, and caffeinated green tea, should be avoided late at night, but there is some evidence that drinking certain herbal teas before bed can help facilitate sleep.
If cow’s milk sends you on too many trips to the bathroom or results in allergic reactions, almond milk is another good source of tryptophan, dasgupta said. One 8-ounce glass of almond milk also has around 20 milligrams of magnesium , a mineral that helps to support the sleep by regulating neurotransmitters to calm our nervous systems and working with melatonin to control our bodies’ sleep-wake cycles. Tart cherry juice may increase your melatonin levels and the time you sleep, stay in bed and feel rested afterward, according to a small study of healthy adults. Tart montgomery cherries have been reported to contain high levels of melatonin.
, researchers associated a tart cherry juice blend with a statistically significant improvement in sleep. The study participants showed a reduction in the severity of insomnia when the researchers calculated the minutes awake after sleep onset. Other parameters, such as sleep latency, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency, were unchanged when the researchers compared them with a placebo. With just eight participants showed that cherry juice increased sleep time and sleep efficiency. The researchers suggest that cherry juice increases the availability of tryptophan in the body, which leads to better sleep. Cherries contain melatonin and other anti-inflammatory substances that may explain their effect on sleep.