What's the Best Tea for Sleep?

Mention tea and you might be confronted with images of the Queen enjoying a quiet afternoon at the palace. Or maybe it reminds you of a cozy evening in. Your mom may have even brought you a cup or two when you were battling a cold as a kid. As it turns out, tea is pretty good for the immune system. But did you know it can also secure a good night's sleep? Read on below to learn more about the best tea for sleep and how it can help you achieve your full eight hours.
How Does Herbal Tea Help You Sleep?
Herbal teas are hugely popular, thanks to their relaxing effects. They can help drinkers unwind and settle in for the night without the morning grogginess that often accompanies other available sleep aids.
That said, some herbs introduce a more of a sleep-inducing effect than others and are known to promote good sleep by inducing calmness and relaxation. If you suffer from poor sleep and are in search of products that can help you prepare for sleep, it’s time to give this all-natural beverage a try. Check out the list below to learn more about herbal bedtime teas to help you fall asleep.
6 Best Teas for Sleep

Looking for a natural herbal solution for insomnia? Try these herbal bedtime teas:
1. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, also known as Melissa officinalis, is a citrus-scented aromatic herb that belongs to the mint family. Lemon balm is used in two forms: tea and essential oil. It's been used to induce sleep since the Middle Ages. Today, lemon balm remains widely used by people from all over the world.
It's also known to significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. If you’re struggling with your sleep schedule, a cup of this herbal drink might just help remedy things.
Introduce a cup of tea to your evening routine and see how things develop. You can use tea bags or loose-leaf teas. The active properties in the tea bind to the areas of the brain that regulate how calm or active you are.
Try: U.S. Wellness Naturals Lemon Balm Tea
Sourced from the Republic of Serbia, U.S. Wellness Naturals Lemon Balm Tea is 100% natural. It is pesticide, herbicide, and caffeine-free. The product uses cut and sifted lemon balm leaves in a resealable Kraft stand-up pouch.
The resealable bag is designed to maintain the freshness of the sleep tea leaf by acting as an oxygen barrier. As long as you keep the bag sealed and away from moisture, its contents will remain fresh and potent long after the “best by” date.
2. Valerian Root
For centuries, valerian root has been used to treat insomnia, nervousness, headaches, and heart palpitations. Research suggests that valerian root extract can help you sleep better without any side effects.
Its sleep-inducing properties are so well-known that valerian root is frequently used as an ingredient in herbal sleep aids and mild sedatives in the United States. It is commonly available in two forms: capsules and sleep teas.
In small doses, valerian root sleep tea has two naturally occurring sedatives: valepotriates and sesquiterpenes.
Though the exact reason why valerian root is so effective remains unknown, one hypothesis theorizes that taking it increases the body’s GABA levels, a neurotransmitter that can increase the feeling of drowsiness when found in high amounts.
To battle restlessness and improve sleep quality, drink a cup of Valerian tea before bed. If you find its taste unpleasant, add a natural sweetener like honey to make it sweeter and more palatable.
Try: Hanan Peruvian Secrets Valerian Root Tea
Sourced from wildly grown organic valerian root plants in Peru, Hanan Peruvian Secrets Valerian Root Tea uses generous amounts of authentic valerian root sleep aid in every herbal tea bag.
Despite its strong taste, taking valerian root is still better than prescription pills since there are fewer side effects. Don’t forget: you can always add sugar, sweet honey, and other sweeteners to make it taste better.
When consumed, Hanan Peruvian Secrets Valerian Root Tea has a relaxing, sedative effect on users so they can have their nightly dose of rest without feeling hungover and groggy the next morning.
3. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile herbal tea is often regarded as a mild tranquilizer. It's been used as traditional medicine for centuries. It's restorative properties include the ability to reduce inflammation, anxiety, stress, and to treat insomnia. Chamomile has also been demonstrated to improve sleep quality.
Chamomile tea is often celebrated for its earthy, floral flavor. While chamomile flowers contain several active chemical compounds, their calming effects are attributed to apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain to reduce anxiety.
There have been many studies that support chamomile tea’s sleep-related benefits but many have yet to be conducted to establish the extent of chamomile’s abilities in triggering sleep.
Try: FGO Organic Chamomile
FGO Organic Chamomile’s tea is enclosed in foil-lined Kraft bags filled with premium chamomile from Egypt.
The bags' fiber paper is free from dyes, adhesive, glue, or bleach. They are non-GMO and USDA Certified. They’re also free from staples, strings, and extra unnecessary waste.
FGO Organic Chamomile is available in bulk. If you don't like it, just return it and you'll get a full refund.
4. Lavender Tea
Lavender, a plant native to the Mediterranean region, is renowned for its relaxing properties as well as soothing and aromatic scent. It’s commonly used in aromatherapy. Not only can this loose leaf blend be used for tea, but you can sprinkle a handful of it in a bath for a double dose of calm.
Lavender has its roots firmly established in history and dates back to ancient times when Romans and Greeks would use lavender in their baths for its calming fragrance and soothing effects.
To create the lavender sleep tea, the flowering Lavandula angustifolia is harvested for its small purple buds. It exudes a minty aroma and has a sweet, mild, and light flavor profile. It’s said to aid sleep, relaxation, and calm the nerves — proven health benefits backed by years of research.
Lavender tea is said to improve sleep quality and decrease anxiety and stress. You can include a cup of lavender tea in your bedtime routine to prepare for a more relaxing and restful sleep.
While there is little evidence to support lavender’s benefits when it comes to sleep quality, its relaxing aroma can potentially make it easier to fall asleep, allowing you to sleep longer. Make sure to inhale the aroma and fragrance as you drink to maximize its health benefits.
Try: FGO Organic Lavender Flowers
The FGO Organic Lavender Flowers are culinary-grade lavender flowers sourced from the fields of Southern France. They come in a certified organic resealable bag that helps keep them fresh for longer periods.
FGO Organic Lavender Flowers is USDA certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). They’re commonly used to enhance recipes and add an aromatic element to homes and spa sessions.
5. Passionflower Tea
Passionflower tea is made from the Passiflora plant. Its leaves both fresh and dried as well as stems and flowers are all used for their restorative properties. Passionflower tea contains certain flavonoids that bind to specific brain receptors which may help reduce anxiety during bedtime.
Research has been conducted to examine the benefits offered by passionflower tea, including but not limited to treating insomnia and improving sleep quality. It was discovered that participants who ingested passionflower tea every day for a week benefited from better sleep quality over participants who refrained from drinking it.
Many bedtime blends combine valerian root, hops, and passionflower to improve sleep quality. Some believe that the combination of these three herbs produces a potent effect that can be compared to Ambien, a prescription medication usually employed to treat insomnia.
If you want to try passionflower to improve sleep quality, drink a cup of passionflower tea before bed. Its herbs have a mild taste and contain a flavone commonly found in honey. This helps induce a calm and soothing feeling in your muscles, thereby helping you get quality sleep.
Try: Adanim Passion Flowers & Carob Tea
Blended in Israel, the Adanim Passion Flowers & Carob Tea uses natural organic fresh herbs grown by local farmers and is expertly blended with other ingredients to achieve superior quality and better aroma and flavor.
It has the potential to lower the risk for many diseases, speed up metabolism, and reduce anxiety and stress when you go to bed.
6. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is made from the Mentha balsamea plant, a hybrid between the traditional spearmint plant and watermint.
Peppermint tea is caffeine-free so you don’t have to worry about staying up all night due to any excess energy. It won’t contribute to your insomnia or worsen the symptoms in any way.
If you want a good night’s sleep or treat gas and bloating, drink a cup of peppermint tea before getting into bed. Peppermint contains anti-inflammatory and anti-stress properties that can help your muscles relax and encourage a feeling of calmness, encouraging more restful sleep.
Try: Teapigs Peppermint Leaves
Teapigs Peppermint is an award-winning tea made from whole peppermint leaf treating us to one of the mintiest drinks of all time. Teapigs Peppermint Leaves are gluten and dairy-free, making them suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Conclusion

Herbal tea can help relax your muscles, calm your mood, and promote a soothing feeling to make falling asleep even easier. That said, it's important to remember that not all teas are sleep-inducing. As a general rule, you should steer clear of drinking black tea before bed. This blend is actually known for stimulating the brain and keeping you awake.
If you find it difficult to incorporate herbal teas into your bedtime routine, you can also consider supplements like Sandland Sleep. Our herbal sleep aids rely on plant-based ingredients to promote restfulness. We guarantee you the full eight hours you deserve without the morning-after grogginess prescription medications often introduce.
Our Fall Asleep product is a fast-acting supplement that helps you fall asleep without intoxicating side effects. Meanwhile, our Stay Asleep option keeps you down through the night so you can wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested.
Any tea containing the ingredients listed above will help you secure a good night's sleep. You might also want to stick to loose-leaf teas. Since loose-leaf teas aren’t steeped inside a pouch, there's more room to absorb the aroma, flavor, and nutrients containing those sleep-inducing properties that you want before bed.
Drinking something like Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea every night is generally considered safe. However, not all teas are safe for regular consumption, including the brand's “Extra” variety. This version contains a valerian component, which can lead to side effects like dizziness and headaches if consumed regularly.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, try the 4-7-8 breathing method (inhale through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven, and exhale for eight), follow a regular sleep schedule, practice yoga or meditation, and watch what you eat. Good sleeping habits are known to help you fall asleep quickly and can initiate a drastic change in your sleep quality and duration.