7 best teas to help you sleep better & reduce anxiety

We’re all looking for ways to get a better night’s sleep and as the nights get colder, many people are finding comfort in drinking a hot cup of tea before hitting the sheets. Teas are soothing, leave you feeling warm and are a great addition to your bedtime routine, but it’s important that you pick ones that can promote sleep rather than disrupt it.

Depending on the type of tea that you drink, having a brew before bed can be used as a natural sleep remedy, by combating insomnia, stress, sleep deprivation and anxiety. Drinking tea can also improve gut health, aid digestion and help with depression symptoms. So, incorporating tea into your daily or nighttime schedule can be almost as beneficial as having the best mattress to sleep on at night.

If you love a cup of tea before bed, consider trying these 7 teas to help you sleep better, relax your body and soothe your mind.

1. Green tea

Green tea is well known for its health benefits, as it’s packed full of antioxidants and healthy compounds, according to Healthline. Green tea can not only increase fat burning, protect against cancer, improve brain function and lower the risk of diseases, but it can also reduce fatigue and insomnia. Having a cup of low caffeine or decaffeinated green tea is said to be incredibly beneficial for improving sleep quality and helping you fall asleep quicker. But, before you drink your green tea, make sure it’s got little to no caffeine so you don’t disrupt your sleep – see what time to stop drinking caffeine for more.

• Try it: Clipper Teas Fairtrade Organic Decaf Green Tea at Amazon

2. Chamomile tea

As the chamomile plant is most associated with sleep, it’s unsurprising that chamomile tea can have a good effect on sleep, too! Chamomile tea is herbal and naturally caffeine-free, with a soothing scent and flavour that’s said to have sedative qualities. Having a cup of chamomile before bed can help your sleep quality and soothe symptoms of anxiety and stress. According to reports from The Sleep Foundation, women who are postpartum reported that drinking chamomile reduced depressive feelings and sleep barriers.

• Try it: Pukka Herbs Three Camomile Tea at Holland & Barrett

3. Lavender tea

Similar to chamomile, the scent of lavender is best associated with sleep and relaxation. Whether you have lavender as the best essential oil, in a tea bag or as a plant in your bedroom, lavender has been proven to help you sleep better, in addition to lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, heart rate, anxiety and stress levels.

• Try it: Tonika Lavender Tea at Amazon

4. Peppermint tea

Peppermint is naturally caffeine-free and the minty smell and cooling taste has a calming, relaxing effect on the muscles which helps you relax before bed. Peppermint also contains menthol that’s well known for treating cold symptoms, congestions and fevers, so if you’re feeling sick, drinking peppermint tea or using peppermint essential oils can help you beat the common cold and the flu.

• Try it: Heath & Heather Organic Peppermint Tea at Holland & Barrett

5. Lemon balm tea

Lemon and lemon balm have a variety of health benefits, and in tea form, it can help nourish and hydrate you, as well as calm you down before bed. Lemon balm has been used historically as an antibacterial or antiviral medicine, so not only can it help with restless sleep, but it can also treat infections and diseases. Lemon and lemon balm tea can also aid digestion, reduce anxiety and improve your mood, so it’s a great tea to drink throughout the day.

• Try it: Forza Natura Lemon Balm Tea at Amazon

6. Rooibos tea

Rooibos comes from the Aspalathus Linearis plant and the leaves are dried, fermented before being used to make caffeine-free herbal tea. Rooibos tea is great to drink before bedtime as it’s packed full of nutrients and antioxidants which help calm the body and mind, in addition to promoting deeper and restful sleep.

• Try it: Tick Tock Rooibos Tea at Amazon

7. Passionflower tea

The passion flower has been used as a natural medicine for years, and it’s often used to treat anxiety, asthma and menopause. For sleep, passionflower tea is used to help combat insomnia and sleep issues. According to scientific research, passionflower extract can help improve sleep time and quality, plus it’s beneficial for your wake after sleep onset, which is the amount of time you stay awake after a sleep cycle.

• Try it: Adanim Bio Organic Passionflower Tea at Amazon