I recently got a new tea variety box for Christmas last year. After trying some different flavors over the past few weeks, I noticed I felt a little more energized in the evening, which is when I was drinking it. I know that some tea has caffeine, like black tea, but does tea keep you awake? I didn’t realize the amount of caffeine in them!
Yes, tea can keep you awake if it includes caffeine. Herbal teas, like chamomile, peppermint, Valerian, and ginger, are made from the flowers, seeds, and roots of the plant and do not have any caffeine. These herbal teas are an excellent choice at night to promote a good night’s sleep. Tea, such as black tea, white tea, and green tea does have caffeine that occurs naturally and can keep you awake.
If getting a good night’s sleep AND enjoying a good cup of tea is your goal, let’s go over it together. I love a great night’s sleep, and I do not like it when something I enjoy keeps me awake. Let’s cover what tea works best with rest first, then the tea types that will keep you awake.
Does Tea Keep You Awake?
If the tea you want to drink includes caffeine, then yes. You wouldn’t pound a soda before bed, would you? Of course not. The sugar and caffeine will keep you awake. We want a good night’s sleep, right?
What tea’s do not have caffeine? There are numerous types of drinks that you can enjoy without keeping you awake. I have tried a few and want to share my experiences with you.
Natural herbal teas typically do not include any caffeine due to the process of harvesting the tea. Tea that is extracted from Camellia sinensis plants has natural caffeine in its leaves. In this Wikipedia article about the camellia sinensis, it explains in more detail how the plant is harvested for tea. It also describes the natural biosynthesis of caffeine that is in the plants.
Does Herbal Tea Have Caffeine?
Herbal teas differ by using the flowers, roots, and seeds from plants like the wild rooibos, hibiscus, and peppermint. These ingredients are dried and packaged for easy consumption. These teas are naturally caffeine-free.
Let’s cover what tea you can enjoy and enjoy a great night’s sleep if you want to find out more if tea can keep you awake, Ill cover that further down in the post.
Some people prefer tea over coffee for its ability to have a stimulating effect. At the beginning of this post, I want to cover what will help you sleep. Scroll down to see what tea keeps you awake.
Herbal Teas for Better Sleep
There are three teas that I will recommend that won’t interrupt your sleep schedule. An all-natural selection and easy to find. You can find these pretty much anywhere from Amazon to Walmart.
Who Knew GOOD Sleep is this easy?
Top 3 Tea’s for Sleep
If you have no experience making tea, it isn’t difficult with the right tools. Here is an inexpensive teapot with infuser on Amazon to help you get started. No real need to get fancy with it, but the infuser helps me not make a mess!
If you saw my post on REM Sleep Microgel review, you will notice these ingredients are shared to help promote sleep. If you are looking for a supplement blend of these ingredients, I can stand behind my REM Sleep Microgel review.
I despise the “snake-oil” supplements and over-the-counter medications. I want something that works and is natural. If our ancestors used it, I could use it. If it works, I am a happy customer.
Let’s look at the three teas for better sleep.
Want an all-natural way to improve your sleep with tea?
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) tea is one of the most widely known tea to help with sleep. This tea is all-natural and made from the leaves of the chamomile. This plant also includes the antioxidant, apigenin. Apigenin is responsible for helping induce feeling sleepy and help you sleep.
This ingredient is also known as one of the oldest herbs used for medical purposes to date. Throughout history, chamomile has been used for fever, insomnia, wounds, inflammation, and even menstrual disorders. (source)
Most tea enthusiasts can tell you all about chamomile tea and how it can improve your health. After some research, I was astounded at what I found about the history of this plant. Throughout history, doctors have used it in powdered form, tea, and inhalers!
Can chamomile tea live up to its history?
So. When consumed in tea form, the effects can be felt pretty quickly. You want to be in bed around 30 minutes after drinking it. The results will help you drift off to sleep.
Most people drink a blend of these three tea’s, and that is fine. You are getting a little benefit from all of them! Yay, right?
You can find these at your local grocery store or HERE on Amazon.
Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm is a herb that is considered to be part of the mint family. From its Eastern origins, people have been using this herb to boost mood and memory for centuries. These results have been duplicated in clinical trials, as seen here source.
For tea use, it is for stress and anxiety relief. This leaves you more relaxed to help a good night’s sleep start.
People suffering from sleep apnea or insomnia can begin from high levels of stress or anxiety that you may have. Using lemon balm tea for sleep can help get you more relaxed and let your body do what it needs to.
What else does lemon balm tea help?
If you want other reasons why lemon balm tea is right for you, check this out — the Health Benefits of Lemon Balm.
You can find Lemon Balm Tea just about anywhere tea is sold. It is one of the famous teas in most shops. If you need a link, here is a high rated one on Amazon HERE. You can also find them at Walmart.
Valerian Tea
Valerian root, or Valeriana officinalis, is used when making tea. You can also take this as a supplement as a pill or liquid.
This tea is used to reduce anxiety to help promote a night of natural and blissful sleep. This root has shown in studies, like this one, that shows how it directly affects GABA levels and helps improve sleep. If you have insomnia, Valerian is an excellent option to try.
As far as taste goes, it is, um, earthy. It reminds me of a supergrass thing my wife showed me once. I think I described it immediately as, “Tastes like I licked the back of a lawnmower.” From what I can gather, people mix it with things like honey, sugar, or milk.
If you are using this tea for sleep, then don’t mix it with honey or sugar. We are not trying to increase our sugar levels! Valerian tea is pretty easy to find, as well. You can find it HERE on Amazon or at your local Walmart.
The Single Best Tea for Sleep and Anxiety
If you want my opinion on the best tea for sleep and anxiety, it is a blend of the three listed here. A tea blend contains different herbs for sleep to mix the effects of the ingredients. A little sleepiness here, some relaxation there, you get the idea!
I like this one on Amazon:
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It has all three of the ingredients I love, and some lemon grass added. The flavor is excellent, and my kids “kinda” like it. It isn’t in a two-liter that makes a hissing sound when you pour it, so they aren’t fans anyway.
This tea is made in the US, so you get to support American farmers. That also means burdensome regulations on how its grown and sold, so you don’t get junk and snake-oil.
Conclusion
Does tea keep you awake? Yes, if it is not herbal. The caffeine can keep you awake. If you enjoy tea at night, then definitely try the teas recommended above, or grab the blend that I highly recommend.
If you are looking to stay awake, make sure you pick the right tea, or you’ll find yourself falling asleep!
This is really useful for anyone who wants to get their ZZZs the natural way. Oh, and if you are going to be using lemon balm, make sure to add some Valerian root to your tea as well. These two ingredients, combined, have a greater impact.