Does Chamomile Tea Make You Sleepy?

Imagine having a relaxing bedtime routine that may make it easier for you to sleep. Unwinding yourself and being stress-free before you hit the bed. Sounds soothing, doesn’t it? For many, this routine includes a cup of warm, tranquilizing, caffeine-free tea.

Chamomile tea, specifically, can calm you and may help you fall asleep faster.

In addition to tea, chamomile is also available in the form of capsules or tablets, extracts, or oils.

This article will talk about this tea and the scientific evidence behind its effectiveness.

What Is Chamomile Tea?

Chamomile herb belongs to the plant family Asteraceae that has daisy-like flowers. The use of this herb originates for hundreds of years for various health conditions. Chamomile is rich in flavonoids, otherwise known as chemicals that boost your health.

Chamomile tea is available in various potencies, and the higher the potency, the higher the risk of side effects in a vulnerable population. So, it is best to start the tea in the lowest dose and increase gradually.

Herbal Tea and Sleep

It is a good idea to wind down your mind before going to bed. Stress is one of the significant factors for sleep problems.

Scrolling away on your phone may seem like a good idea while you are waiting to sleep. However, the screen light is an inhibitor for melatonin production by your body, which is a hormone that signals you to fall asleep.

Drinking caffeine-free tea is a healthier option as both heat and aroma help calm you and prepare you for slumber.

The popularity of chamomile has sparked the interest of various researchers, and there are many studies analyzing the effect of this herb on sleep.

How Does Chamomile Tea Help?

The unique properties of chamomile tea may help to improve the quality of your sleep. Apigenin, an antioxidant in chamomile tea, may bind with the brain’s area (GABA receptors) responsible for promoting sleepiness. All this may help manage chronic inability to sleep and insomnia.

A study on postpartum females on chamomile tea described better sleep quality than those on placebo. The first group of females also had fewer mental health symptoms, which is associated with sleeping problems.

Another study proposes the effectiveness of consuming 270 mg of chamomile extract twice a day for about a month. It helped participants sleep 15 minutes faster and have a 1/3 less night time awakening than participants on placebo.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing hints that having chamomile tea for two weeks may improve sleep quality.

While the results are promising, most studies suggest that sleep-aiding benefit is short-term. Regular consumption of chamomile tea may be needed to improve your general health and sleep issues.

However, there is a need for more evidence to understand the extent of chamomile tea on the quality of your sleep. Nevertheless, if you have difficulty staying or falling asleep, chamomile tea is worth a try.

Other Benefits of Chamomile Tea

In addition to sleep, drinking chamomile tea may have the following benefits:

The aroma and ingredients of chamomile tea alleviate stress and aid in relaxation. You can have a cup or two of chamomile tea when you are stressed.

Experts believe that chamomile may boost the production of melatonin and serotonin hormones, which promote a calm and relaxed state of mind. They help you to avoid stress and relax easily.

Besides, drinking warm tea lowers your blood pressure, which helps you to cool off.

You can find chamomile in Complete Calm System along with other ingredients that help to boost mood, relieve stress, alleviate restlessness, and improve sleep quality.

Appropriate digestion is beneficial for overall health. A few studies prove the benefits of chamomile extract against diarrhea in mice. Researchers believe that this action may be due to its ability to protect your body against inflammation.

Another study hints at the efficacy of chamomile in preventing erosion of the digestive tract’s lining by managing normal acid levels.

There are some anecdotal claims that chamomile may prevent nausea, gas, and other digestive problems. More human studies are needed to confirm these benefits.

Chamomile may protect your pancreas, which is a causative factor for high blood sugar levels. A healthy pancreas plays a vital role in sugar control as it aids in removing excess glucose from your blood.

As discussed before, chamomile is rich in antioxidants known as flavones. These substances may protect your heart from damage caused by free radicals.

Chamomile may also help manage healthy cholesterol levels than those on placebo. As high cholesterol levels are one of the risk factors of heart problems, by maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol, it may also protect your heart.

Some additional benefits:

• Improves immune health.
• Boosts mood.
• Prevents restlessness and promotes calmness.
• Enhances skin and hair health.
• Supports bone and joint health.

Chamomile Supplements

Supplements have higher chamomile concentration than tea. Chamomile supplements can be a good alternative for people who don’t prefer taking tea.

Studies also hint at the perks of taking chamomile supplements. Participants on extract drops could sleep more quickly than those on placebo.

Side Effects

The use of chamomile tea is usually safe for most people. But people with allergies to pollens and plants in the daisy family like chrysanthemums and ragweed should avoid it. Even when present, side effects are mild such as nausea and vomiting.

The use of chamomile tea is not extensively studied in children and pregnant and lactating women. So, it is best to avoid chamomile consumption in such cases.

Besides, chamomile has a small amount of coumarin, a substance that causes thinning of the blood. It is thus best to avoid chamomile two weeks before surgery.

Nevertheless, there is no report of toxicity or life-threatening adverse reactions from its consumption.

Wrap-Up

Chamomile is a popular herb that can boost your health. It may also make it easier for you to sleep. Chamomile compounds bind with brain areas responsible for sedation and calmness.

Many studies have also shown the benefits of drinking this tea for sleep and other health functions such as immunity.

While most studies are done on animals and need further research, research is promising. 

So, if you find it difficult to sleep, chamomile tea is worth a try. You can also choose to have a chamomile supplement if you are not a tea person. Supplements have a higher concentration of chamomile, and it is thus best to consult your doctor before taking one.

Thankfully, there is also a tasty way of taking chamomile with Complete Calm Sleep Gummies. Ingredients of the product are scientifically proven to relieve stress, combat anxiety, and improve sleep quality.

Don’t allow sleep problems to affect your health anymore, ASYSTEM is here to help. 

Sources:

The effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people: A clinical trial | NCBI 

Dietary and Policy Priorities for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity – A Comprehensive Review | NCBI 

Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future | NCBI 

Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women | NCBI

Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract | NCBI

Antidiarrheal and antioxidant activities of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) decoction extract in rats | NCBI 

Assessment of some Herbal Drugs for Prophylaxis of Peptic Ulcer | NCBI