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Have you ever spent your nights staring at the ceiling or changing the sides of your pillow just to make yourself fall asleep? Do you know if the sleeplessness persists for a longer period of time, it might be a sign of insomnia? Insomnia isn't just about missing a few nights of sleep here and there. It is a serious mental health condition affecting millions of people that can make life really hard.
As per a study by Current Psychiatry Reports published in 2013, insomnia has adverse effects on your health, like increasing the risks of anxiety, depression, heart disease, etc. But hey, you don’t have to depend on medications to reverse; several types of teas can help you fall asleep naturally. So, instead of losing sleep and then not being able to stay in bed because of the constant worries, why don’t you try and drink these teas before bedtime?
Chamomile Tea
In recent years, chamomile tea has gained popularity after being in the talks in many movies and web series. Don’t you remember Mithila Palker in awe of chamomile tea in “Little Things?” Well, it was there for its many benefits, as published in a peer-reviewed Psychotherapy Research Paper in 2019, like improving sleep quality without any side effects. It consists of an antioxidant called apigenin that binds certain brain receptors that help to reduce stress and anxiety. Thus, this herbal tea is now a choice for many people struggling with insomnia to relax their brains and have a good night’s sleep.
Magnolia Tea
The Magnolia bark has been used in Chinese medicinal traditions for centuries. The most common benefit of Magnolia is to treat anxiety, hypertension, depression, and, yes, insomnia. Furthermore, research by Food Nutrition and Health published in 2020 also proves to alleviate the symptoms of post-natal depression by reversing the cortisol levels in the body. So, it’s recommended you brew yourself a cup of Magnolia tea with sedative effects to get rid of the sleeplessness.
Lavender Tea
Lavender tea is extracted from the buds of lavender flowers that are known for their vibrant violet colour. The tea has the same beautiful colour and aroma as the flowers. In general, lavender oil is considered to have sleep-inducing powers. A 2005 Charnobiology International Study proves that the fragrance of lavender impacts your olfactory senses and helps them to sleep longer for an undisturbed period of time. You can rely on it to get a peaceful feeling before you head to bed.
Peppermint Tea
You might be aware of the digestive benefits of peppermint tea, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to know that it helps in relaxation and induces sleep. One of the main ingredients of peppermint is menthol, which is known to have muscle-relaxant properties and is thus also used to release stress and anxiety. The best part? Peppermint tea does not contain caffeine and has a sweet touch to it. So, if you’re looking for a flavourful cup of tea after dinner, go for the minty flavour.
Ashwagandha Tea
Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedic medicines for centuries. Not just in India, but thanks to Ashwagandha’s relaxation properties, it has been used across the globe to aid in natural sleep. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2020 proves that the root extracts that are used to make Ashwagandha tea improved the quality of sleep of the group of 40 people who were involved in the study. And the results for people with insomnia were even better and helped them shift to healthy sleep patterns. Why don’t you give it a try yourself and see how well it works?
