Chamomile is the first herbal tea you think of when looking for a sleep-promoting drink. And it is not without reason.
According to Dr. Dasgupta, chamomile acts on the same receptors in the brain as anti-anxiety medications – including benzodiazepines. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, he adds.
The calming effects of this herbal tea are linked to apigenin, an antioxidant found in chamomile that can reduce anxiety and promote sleep, according to an analysis published in Molecular Medicine Reports.
In a study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, researchers randomly asked 40 postpartum women (who had poor sleep quality) to drink chamomile tea for two weeks. At the end of the trial, the women reported better quality of sleep and fewer symptoms of depression than women who did not drink herbal tea.
But four weeks later, there was no difference between the two groups, suggesting that the benefits of chamomile tea on sleep are immediate, but not long lasting.
Another benefit of chamomile tea is that unlike black or green teas, it’s herbal and non-stimulating. (Speaking tea: does green tea really have all the virtues that we attribute to it?).
