Criteria We Used To Pick
Selecting our best stress-reducing teas was challenging because these herbs have different varieties, different strengths, and different effects on different people. Thats a lot of differences!
Still, calming herbs have been used for centuries. And in modern times, stress-reducing brews are still very much in demand. So, yes, there are lots of choices!
We based our picks on:
- longtime history of use
suggests that chamomile helped reduce depression and sleep quality problems in postpartum women.
What we like
- Chamomile tea has a long history of effective use.
- The tea has a beautiful yellow color.
- Its fragrance is quite delicate.
- This tea calms gently without making you sleepy.
What to look out for
- If you drink chamomile tea to supplement your treatment for anxiety, its important to check with your doctor first.
- Chamomile has been known to interact with some medications.
- Doctors often advise against consuming chamomile during pregnancy.
- People who are allergic to plants in the daisy family may react to chamomile.
Celestial Seasonings Teawell Herbal Tea Sleep With Melatonin
Melatonin is a well-known, evidence-based supplement used to support the bodys natural circadian rhythm and promote a good nights sleep. Though usually only available in supplement form, Celestial Seasonings TeaWell Herbal Tea Sleep with Melatonin actually contains melatonin. Coupled with chamomile and mint with a light, slightly herbaceous flavor, this tea helps you feel relaxed, calm, and sleepy. Other ingredients include lemon balm, nettles, and coconut. A cup steeps quickly in just 3-4 minutes.
How Does A Calming Tea Work
The best calming teas contain a selection of plants with natural sedative properties to soothe and settle a busy mind, such as chamomile, valerian, lavender, hops and lemon balm. Stress relieving teas are usually caffeine free herbal blends, so they create an even keel and a smooth passage as you navigate your way through the day.
A morning brew of The Quiet Mind or Relax means your mental calamities dont reach mountainous proportions, and an evening tipple of our teas for sleep including Sleep Tight, and Sweet Dreams sends you sweetly off to the land of nod without a worry in the world.
For the ultimate partnership in rest and relaxation teas, explore our Sleep and Stress duo pack, featuring the calming benefits of The Quiet Mind and Sleep Tight.
Also Check: How Many Carbs In Twisted Tea Light
Gaia Herbs Sleep & Relax
Theres a big warning in bold on this box: KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN. So you know its gonna be good. Sorry kids, stick to your sippy cups of scotch, this isadult tea thats far from a placebo. Passionflower is really carrying the team, with lemon balm, licorice, and chamomile on the bench. With all those assertive ingredients, you would think that this tea for sleep would taste like…something. Anything. How can a tea taste like so much nothing? These are the stoner thoughts youll have when drinking this tea. If I had to say it tastes like something, Id go with hay or the color beige. Unoffensive. I didnt feel woozy or slightly dangerous the way I do sometimes with valerian teas. Its good to switch things up before your body starts building up tolerances.
Verdict: Very chill, but not chill enough. Is this the best tea for sleep? I dont know, but it packs a good sleepy punch and the flavor of nothing continues to mystify me.
How Can I Relax My Mind
Relaxing the mind
Don’t Miss: Does Starbucks Sell Bubble Tea
Tea Recipes For Better Sleep
There are a few store-bought brands that I adore and purchase frequently, but I also like to switch things up and make my own recipes. Its nice to know exactly how fresh my ingredients are and where they came from, too.
It takes almost zero effort to make your own. Here are my top 5 recipes that you wont find in any store:
Is There A Best Tea For Sleep
While there are many kinds of tea out there that can help promote sleep, what may work best for you may not work at all for someone else. Since this is the case, having such a variety of options can really be a blessing if one type of tea doesnt work for you, another likely will.
If youve added nightly tea to your routine, give this a try to see if youre actually enjoying its benefits, rather than a placebo:
- Go one night without drinking your tea of choice to establish a baseline for your sleep.
- The next night, drink your nightly tea as scheduled to see how you feel afterward.
- The following night, go without drinking your tea as you did the first night. This is so you can compare how you felt with the tea in your system as well as without, and observe any key differences.
Drinking tea by itself will not guarantee a good nights sleep you need to maintain proper sleep hygiene and a consistent sleep schedule to really get the most help from your nightly cup of tea. But if you want an extra boost to your sleep, the right cup of tea may work wonders for you.
Tea doesnt just have to be a morning or afternoon pick-me-up it can be a great nightcap too.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor
Don’t Miss: Owls Brew Boozy Tea Review
Why Does Tea Relax You From Stress
Tea may help you relax in many ways. Firstly, whichever cup of calm tea you drink, you will have time to relax, sit down and enjoy the moment. Occasional tea breaks during the day are a wonderful way to take a moment for yourself.
Next, taking a moment to truly enjoy your tea gives you an opportunity to be present in the moment and focus on your thoughts. This is called mindfulness and may bring a positive effect on your life. And lastly, many teas contain chemical compounds that are scientifically proven to promote calmness and even offer a sedative effect. For example, L-theanine, GABA, valerenic acid, may all have a different impact on relaxation and improve the quality of life.
Teas with adaptogenic properties may help reduce all types of stress too. Some of the most popular ones are ashwagandha, holy basil, Siberian ginseng, gotu kola and Korean ginseng.
What Tea Is Good For Depression And Anxiety
Various clinical studies have concluded that certain teas such as green and chamomile along with tea blends containing lemon balm and ashwagandha are thought to provide relief from depression and anxiety. What a tealicious way to put the spring back in your step!
Try The Quiet Mind during the day and Sleep Tight at night to calm an anxious mind.
You May Like: Carbs In Twisted Tea Half And Half
Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra
If your mom microwaved Sleepytime for you when you were young and she needed you to go to bed already for the love of god, youll recognize the huge, snoring bear on the box from a mile away. Celestial Seasonings tried to rebrand, and thousands of calls and emails cried out UM, NO. So they brought the bear back, and the world is a better place for it. The herbs arent organic, so the yogi-wellness gurus I consulted dont adore this one, but I doand I think you will too. Theyve managed to cook up a flavorful herbal blend thats slightly sweet, minty, and chamomile-forward without any bitterness. Plus, its heavy on the most powerful ingredient of all: nostalgia. Well, nostalgia and valerian, which is what makes this Sleepytime EXTRA.
Verdict: You can consider this one the Coca-Cola of sleepy teas. The flavor is comforting, powerful, and downright good. Its a solid choice that checks all of the boxes and can be found at pretty much any grocery storeBOOM.
Can Green Tea Reduce Stress
Some studies have shown that green tea consumption may be effective at reducing stress and anxiety due to increased dopamine and serotonin production. Another great reason to enjoy your daily greens in a teacup! But green tea does contain some caffeine which is a stimulant not a relaxant, so go easy.
Also Check: Sugar Free Twisted Tea
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Anxiety
Success of treatment varies, but most people with an anxiety disorder can be helped with professional care. Benefits of CBT are usually seen in 12 to 16 weeks. Medication may be a short-term or long-term treatment option, depending on severity of symptoms, other medical conditions and individual circumstances.
Which Calming Herbs Are Best For You
Herbs for anxiety and stress relief are commonly available in grocery and health food stores as single herbs or combination remedies. You can use them in a variety of ways based on your needs and interests. Feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.
Herbs act in different ways based on the compounds they contain and your constitution. Hot herbs may not be best if you are already worked up or tend to get heated. Cooling herbs may be what you need. Likewise, if stress gets you feeling down or you feel cold, warming herbs are best. Match your symptoms to an herb’s actions for best results.
Good herb books and herbal profiles found online provide this information. Always follow dosage instructions and safety precautions for best results.
Look for blends and ready-made relaxing teas such as Tension Tamer by Celestial Seasonings or Kava Stress Relief by Yogi Teas . Many herbal stress remedies include a variety of herbs.
You can also make your own brew from loose herbs. Slow down, focus, and enjoy the ritual of making your tea. The process is relaxing and centering in and of itself.
Also Check: Does Dunkin Donuts Have Boba
Benefits Of Tea Before Bedtime
Herbal teas have a variety of benefits other than just being relaxing. Herbs have been a natural way of treating a variety of ailments for thousands of years.
For example, lemon and peppermint ease digestion, and cinnamons potent blend of antioxidants is known to help control bad cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and even eliminate gas! I could go on about cinnamon, but Ill save it for an upcoming section.
Theres some evidence that our ability to absorb nutrients increases as we sleep, so if you opt for an herbal tea with nutritional properties, your body may get some added benefits.
If youre drinking it at night, avoid putting sugar in it. The extra calories right before bed will sabotage your weight goals, and the stimulating effect of sugar could end up keeping you up later.
Herbs To Drink For Relaxation
While some brews provide more health advantages than others, theres plenty of evidence to support drinking tea, regularly. Just be mindful of additives, like refined sugar. However, if you want more bang for your buck, take a look at these nutritious ways to upgrade your afternoon cup. They may have a lasting impact on your wellness.
Peppermint
Peppermint tea contains menthol, which is a naturally occurring muscle relaxant. Mint tea can help encourage full-body relaxation after a stressful day.
Rose
Rose petals can be added to many different kinds of tea, and impart a floral, slightly sweet flavor to whatever tea they mix with. Rose helps to reduce stress and anxiety and promotes calm and relaxation. While roses that are grown specifically for consumption often have a more concentrated flavor and beneficial properties, even traditional garden roses may have similar effects when dried and infused in water.
Lavender
Like the rose, lavender is another common floral addition to teas. Lavender has been shown to have a positive effect on anxiety disorders by promoting healthy sleep patterns and relaxation. Lavender can be found in a wide range of different teas, from floral black teas to specially concocted sleepy time blends.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is another popular tea, known for its ability to soothe and calm. A study at the University of Pennsylvania found it could help in treating generalized anxiety disorder. Its also a popular sleep aidthe perfect bedtime tea.
Recommended Reading: Is There Bubble Tea At Starbucks
Types Of Nervine Herbs
Nervine Tonics are generally mild-acting herbs that tone and strengthen the nervous system. These effective herbs feed nerve tissue with calcium, magnesium, trace minerals, silica, protein, and/or B vitamins. Tonics can be usually be taken daily for weeks or months without side effects. Examples of nervine tonics include chamomile, ashwagandha. oats, and lemon balm. Adaptogens are another term for nervine tonics that help your body adapt to stress over a long-term. It may take a week or more for the effects of adaptogens to be noticed as benefits build up over time.
Nervine Demulcents have mucilaginous constituents that soothe the nervous system. Licorice root, milky green oats, and chia seeds are examples of nervine demulcents.
Nervine Relaxants sedate the nervous system. Valerian, Hops, Skullcap, Kava Kava, and California Poppy help ease pain and tension, help you sleep, and relax muscles.
Nervine Stimulants are mild-acting herbs that gently stimulate the nervous system. They also have a synergistic effect with other herbs. Examples include Rhodiola, Ginseng, Rosemary, and Gingko.
The Republic Of Tea Get Relaxed
This one is all about those florals it smells and tastes strongly of lavender and rose, so if you’re not into that, this might not be the one for you. If you are, however, it offers potent aromatherapeutic benefits. It also has rooiboswhich adds a lovely sweetnesspassionflower and chamomile. This one left me almost as calm as the Cup of Calm, but slightly less tranquilizedwhich was actually a good thing, depending on the circumstances. While I’d reach for Cup of Calm when I was having an acute panic episode, Get Relaxed was perfect for sipping throughout the workday to feel mellow and chill, no matter how much was on my plate.
You May Like: Iaso Tea Have Caffeine
Davids Teas Mothers Little Helper
This loose leaf tea has an intense minty, citrusy, and medicinal flavor, which honestly just comes with the sleepy time territory. The valerian root is in full effect. As mentioned earlier, it fucked me up in the office, so I save this one for seriously stressful nights, like, say, when you know you need to write a long story about tea the next morning and have really procrastinated. The scent is pleasant but also very strong, so I store this tea away from other teas lest they all start smelling like lemongrass.
Verdict: Seriously snoozy and will get you ready for a good nights sleepbut not subtle in flavor. Doctor it up with honey to cut through the bitterness.
Rebeccas Herbal Apothecary Bedtime Blend
This was my first time as a human ever to consume catnip, which I knew had great reviews from my cat, Roger, but apparently is also a muscle-relaxing nerve-chiller. Its a lemon balm tea with oatstraw, lavender, and skullcap, which came highly recommended from a flower-essence therapist friend of mine. True story, and real career. When steeped, this made a darker, gray tea that smelled like oatmeal and tasted very mellow, with hints of…hay? That was the most concrete thing I could put my finger on.
Verdict: If youre not a fan of chamomile/licorice/all those usual medicine flavors in most sleep-aid bevs, this is your cup of tea. As I drank it, I felt like I wanted something more, but maybe Im just not appreciative of nuance. Snooze factor: It wont knock you out right away, but it will give you a calm, relaxed energy. You could easily drink it during the day after a rough meeting or before that flower-essence therapist appointment.
You May Like: Does Starbucks Have Popping Boba
Final Thoughts: What Can I Drink To Calm My Nerves
When you want to calm down or set aside some time to relax, any tea that you enjoy drinking is a fantastic choice.
That said, some teas have more evidence behind them for supporting calm.
Green tea supports a state of relaxed focus thats perfect for daytime use, and it also has other health benefits.
But for bedtime, or for people sensitive to caffeine, herbal teas like chamomile are a better choice to unwind.
Can Tea Really Relax You Calm Energy Vs Bedtime Herbal Teas
Yes, tea can be extremely relaxing.
Even though true teas all contain modest amounts of caffeine , they also contain a unique, calming acid called l-theanine.
A 1999 scientific trial conducted on people with low or high anxiety levels found that taking l-theanine led to a more relaxed state for all participants, regardless of starting anxiety.
L-theanine in tea also works synergistically with caffeine to support focus, while reducing some of the harsh side-effects of caffeine like jitters and overstimulation.
Note that oxidized teas contain more caffeine and less theanine than white or green varieties, which is why theyre among the best teas for energy.
Camellia sinensis teas also contain other phytochemicals like EGCG that, along with theanine, make the caffeine in tea feel different from coffee.
However, caffeinated teas are not the best choice before bed. Although theanine takes the harsh edge off caffeine, the stimulant effects of caffeine can still disrupt your sleep quality.
Thats where herbal teas come in. Because theyre naturally caffeine-free and contain compounds that support relaxation, theyre the ideal option to de-stress before dozing off.
In the next section, youll learn the best true teas and herbal teas to add to your tea-drinking rotation anytime you need calm energy or sleep support.
Read Also: How Long Does Fit Tea Take To Work