Best Teas To Promote Quality Sleep
Having a warm cup of tea before bed can be comforting and can put an individual in the right state of mind before drifting off to sleep. Some scientific evidence indicates the body can absorb nutrients better during sleep, which has many healthy side effects. Teas have a lot of disease-preventing potential, cancer reducing agents, as well as many positive benefits. However, it is imperative to choose a tea that does not contain any sleep-disrupting caffeine. Get to know the best teas to drink to promote a quality sleep now.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is thought to have numerous medicinal effects for a wide range of health issues. Although it was traditionally used as a folk remedy, the lasting benefits of chamomile have been researched for many years, and it has been found to reduce menstrual pain, lower blood sugar, slow the progression of osteoporosis, reduce pain and inflammation, treats cold symptoms, and treats certain skin conditions. Chamomile tea promotes better sleep quality because it is believed to function like benzodiazepine, which is an anti-anxiety medication that assists with the induction of sleep. Research has found chamomile binds to benzodiazepine receptors, which are what help an individual feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.
Valerian Root Tea
Valerian root is an herb indigenous to Europe and certain parts of Asia. Due to its sedative-like effect, it is often used for treating insomnia and various other sleeping disorders. Studies have proven valerian extract taken up to two hours before going to bed helps an individual fall asleep fifteen to twenty minutes faster. Because valerian root tea has such strong sedative type of properties, it is not recommended to drink in conjunction with alcoholic beverages. The side effects for this type of tea are also not the most favorable, ranging from stomach problems and headaches to grogginess and heart disturbances.
Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm tea has tremendous amounts of health benefits. This lemony-scented herb is one of the oldest used for medicinal purposes. It has been used to treat skin wounds and is known to help with symptoms for a variety of health issues such as headaches and stomach problems. Notorious for its calming effects, lemon balm contains anxiolytic properties. Anxiolytic are medications taken for anxiety. This is an important characteristic of this tea because experiencing high levels of anxiety for a prolonged period can cause multiple medical issues such as bad heart health and strain on the metabolism. Lower levels of anxiety also help individuals get to sleep more quickly and comfortably. When the body and mind have less to contemplate, it makes the transition to sleep mode more comfortable.
Lavender Tea
Lavender tea comes from the buds that blossom on the lavender plant. Lavender has a strong scent, which also has many notable health benefits. Lavender is known to contain certain neurotransmitters, which can help offset the accumulation of stress hormones within the body. Too many stress hormones in the body can result in mental exhaustion and interference of bodily system function. Lavender tea helps promote better quality sleep by being a natural anti-inflammatory. Anti-inflammatories reduce pain, leading to high quality of sleep.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea has so many mood-enhancing benefits. This tea is used to reduce stress, sharpen concentration, assist with weight loss, provide sinus pressure relief, clear the skin, and soothe stomach issues. It also helps provide a higher quality sleep by relaxing the muscles, which leads to a more restful night of sleep. It also contains properties that produce extremely vivid dreams. Peppermint tea is also known to relieve an upset stomach, which allows to experience a more restful night of sleep. Peppermint acts as an anti-inflammatory and also stimulates bile flow, increasing bowel movements and assisting with digestion. Drinking peppermint tea before bedtime is sure to reduce pain and promote quality sleep due to its analgesic properties.
Decaf Green Tea
Green tea is popularly used because it provides a variety of different benefits. One of the most recent trends is to use green tea as part of a bedtime routine. Some individuals find the beverage helps them relax and sleep well, while others might find some effects are negative for their sleep quality. It's important not to have caffeine for several hours before bed, as caffeine is a stimulant that keeps the brain from feeling tired. Individuals must make sure any tea they drink before bed is decaffeinated or herbal. Green tea has multiple plant compounds with health benefits. In decaffeinated tea, the main groups of health-related compounds are certain amino acids and antioxidants. The main sleep-related component is a substance called theanine. This substance reduces neuron excitement and stress hormones in the brain, which promotes relaxation before bed. Other research indicates drinking three or four cups of green tea intermittently during the day helps reduce fatigue and promote more restful sleep at night.
St. John's Wort Tea
St. John's wort has been used in various health practices across different cultures for thousands of years. Some individuals use it as a popular alternative remedy for conditions like depression and insomnia. Because St. John's wort can interact significantly with medications, individuals should always talk to a doctor before they start using supplements or drinking St. John's wort tea. There hasn't been a lot of empirical research done regarding the effectiveness of St. John's wort tea on sleep quality, but there have been studies showing it might have the potential to help with mild depression. In fact, some studies showed the herb had a similar level of efficacy to traditional antidepressants. This, however, is not a reason to go off medication without consulting a doctor first. If patients experience insomnia and interrupted sleep as a side effect of mild depression, St. John's wort tea might be helpful.
Passionflower Tea
Passionflower tea is another traditional tea that has been used for centuries. The tea is brewed using the dried stems, flowers, and leaves of a Passiflora plant. In traditional medicinal practices, the compound is used to promote restful sleep and alleviate anxiety. There have been multiple scientific studies done regarding the efficacy of passionflower on improving sleep quality. A study of forty healthy adults showed one week of passionflower tea consumption led to much better sleep quality. Those who didn't drink the tea experienced no changes in their sleep quality. One study was done regarding the efficacy of valerian root, hops, and passionflower in comparison to heavy sleep medications. The herbal combination had the same level of efficacy on the average individual's sleep quality as the more regulated sleep medicine. If individuals want a way to unwind before bed, passionflower tea is a good choice.
Catnip Tea
Many individuals might be surprised to hear catnip can be consumed as a tea by humans. Catnip is an herb that has a long history of use in traditional medicine practices. The white flowers and dried leaves can both be brewed for tea, which traditional practitioners use to treat headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. One interesting fact is that individuals can make tea out of catnip roots as well, but this part of the plant has a stimulating effect on the brain, which means it's not something that will help with sleep! The most common use for catnip tea is to treat anxiety and nervousness, plus other symptoms caused by said anxiety and nervousness. If patients experience insomnia because they often lay awake with their thoughts racing, the anti-anxiety effects of catnip tea might be helpful. There are also other medicinal uses for the tea. Some individuals use it to treat gastrointestinal distress including excess gas, cramping, and feelings of indigestion. The tea also has diuretic properties, which means it decreases the amount of fluid the body retains. Diuretics are used to treat a large number of different health conditions.
Rosehip Tea
Rosehip tea an herbal tea steeped using the fruits borne by rose plants. Rose hips can be found directly underneath the petals of roses. They tend to be orange or red pieces of the plant that are small and round. Several hundred different types of rose plants exist, and the health benefits of rosehips haven't been studied across all of them. Most scientific research regarding rosehip health benefits has been on the rosehips of the Rosa canina rose plant. Rosehip tea might have a positive effect on sleep quality, but there haven't been specific studies done regarding the beverage's effects on insomnia. With that said, there are many health benefits of the rosehip plant individuals should keep in mind. The tea is full of antioxidants that help prevent cell damage. Rosehips also have high vitamin C concentrations, which helps improve immune function. Some research also indicates rosehips might help reduce inflammation and chronic pain.