Different Types of Sleep Tea and their Benefits

 A hot drink will warm you up in cold weather and tea, in particular, can benefit you in a number of ways. You might drink tea with honey and lemon for a sore throat or green tea for its antioxidant properties, but drinking tea with herbs like chamomile and lavender can offer numerous health benefits, including stimulating sleep. Herbal tea or sleep tea has been long used for relaxation and sleep, and there has been scientific evidence that herbal tea’s reduce fatigue and improve sleep quality. Herbal tea can be made from any edible herb or plant, but only a few selected herbs have been shown to improve sleep. Here is some of the best herbal sleep tea:

·         Vervain:

Vervain has a long history of being used as a sleep tea and aid stress. It is used to treat issues that impact our sleep such as stress, headaches, nervousness, and heart palpitations. Vervain root is effective for sleep due to the presence of two naturally occurring sedatives in it called valepotriates and sesquiterpenes. Vervain normally has an earthy taste, which is why some find it unpleasant but when combined with other herbs you dont notice this. You can add a dash of honey or maple syrup to improve the taste if needed.

·         Chamomile:

Flowers of the chamomile plant have been used to treat a number of issues, including sleep for many years. Chamomile contains many active compounds, including apigenin, which has a mild tranquilizing effect once it binds with the benzodiazepine receptors present in the brain. Studies have shown that people who consumed chamomile as a sleep tea had a reduction in sleep barriers and depressive symptoms.

·         Lavender:

Commonly used as aromatherapy, lavender is a purple flower herb that has been in use since the times of the Roman Empire. Not many people know that lavender can be used as a tea, which helps for a relaxing nighttime routine. Lavender oil when taken as an oral supplement has been shown to improve sleep quality and duration. Studies show that taking lavender as a sleep tea reduces nighttime waking and improves mood.

·         Lemon balm:

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family, which smells slightly sweet and citrusy. Lemon balm is commonly used as tea and essential oil. Earlier, lemon balm was used as an antiviral and antibacterial medicine, but later it showed the potential in helping restless sleepers at night. Drinking lemon balm as a sleep tea reduces the symptoms associated with insomnia. It has also been shown to help reduce anxiety and depression.