This Expert Swears By This $4 Hack For The Best Sleep Ever

via Giphy

Picture this: you’ve finally killed the lights after a reaaaaally long day, but you just can’t fall asleep. Ugh. Before you start the classic sheep-jumping-over-the-fence hack, consider adding chamomile tea to your grocery list. Today, we’re discussing how (and why) chamomile deserves a permanent spot in your bedtime routine with sleep expert and Founder of Nurture2Sleep, Julie Mallon. Hint: it has sleep-inducing powers.

Does Chamomile Tea Improve Your Quality of Sleep?

Short answer: yes. Julie Mallon explains, “There are a number of studies that show when you incorporate chamomile tea as part of your bedtime routine, you fall asleep faster. It helps relax the central nervous system, which is what we want to happen when we’re falling asleep.” Consider us invested.

She continues to explain that chamomile extract contains benzodiazepine, a chemical used to slow down the body and brain and commonly used to calm and soothe anxiety. Think of it as a herbal sedative that gently nudges you to dreamland. Unlike sedatives, chamomile doesn’t have an immediate “lights out” effect on the body – it’s more of a subtle drowsiness that takes over.

Julie adds, “The whole ritual of having the cup of tea, making it, and sipping on it, promotes mindfulness, which also contributes to a better night’s sleep.” She even tipped us a hack for our beauty benefit: leave the used tea bag in the fridge for about ten minutes, and plop ’em onto your eyes for a soothing PM eye mask. #ReuseAndRecycle.

Does Chamomile Work For Everyone?

YES! Chamomile’s a sleep-supportive herb that doesn’t discriminate by age. In fact, Mallon even recommends that “parents bathe their babies in chamomile tea” to help their little ones sleep better! We’re stealing that for our next self-care sesh…

And for normal days where a chamomile bath’s a no-go, Julie recommends sipping on “a cup of [chamomile] tea each night approximately one hour before you go to bed.” However, she says to avoid drinking it directly at bedtime as this could cause you to wake in the middle of the night for a bathroom break and, therefore, mess with your sleep cycle.

Any Terms & Conditions?

Now that you’ve been blessed with this easy sleep secret, you’ll probably be tempted to sip on chamomile tea whenever you’re desperate for those where-am-I naps. But like most teas, chamomile is a mild diuretic, which could cause slight nausea if you have a sensitive stomach or drink too much. Cap the intake at “one per day,” and you’re good.

Our Chamomile Choices

When shopping for chamomile, Julie reminds us to look out for caffeine-free options. To spare you the worry, we’ve put together the goodies that helped fix our sleep schedules:

1. Twinings Pure Camomile Herbal Tea Bags, $4

Source: Twinings

The fact that we have three boxes in our pantry RN should tell you how hard this hits. These pure chamomile blossom-filled bags practically sing us to sleep in seconds with a soft, floral scent that fills up the entire house. And you get 20 bags for just $4 – deal of the century.

2. Sahara & Co Chamomantra, $17

Source: Chamomantra

This small tin holds what we would describe as “the feeling of pure zen.” The rich blend of Egyptian chamomile and hibiscus, lemon, vanilla and orange eases our muscles after intense workouts and helps us hit R.E.M quicker. The taste also feels like home – vanilla, orange, lemon – yum.

3. Yogi Tea Comforting Chamomile, $10

Source: Yogi Tea

We’ve been recommending this to our besties for as long as we can remember – these vegan and organic tea bags help relieve sleeplessness at any time of day. And ofc, we journal as we sip, and there’s seriously no greater comfort.

Speaking of comfort, check out these TikTok-approved stretches that’ll instantly make your day better.

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