Not all teas contain caffeine as it depends on whether they are conventional or herbal. Conventional options include black, oolong, white and green teas. These undergo oxidization of some form, and they feature varying caffeine contents.

It can be high based on how much tea you drink as well as the brewing process in play. Taking these teas can affect your sleep. It comes down to how well you handle this stimulant as it affects people differently.

Then there are the herbal teas which do not contain caffeine. These have not undergone oxidization and should be safe for consumption before sleeping.

Caffeine in tea can keep you awake

Caffeine is to blame if you find yourself having a hard time sleeping at night. Note that the lack of sleep could owe to other factors as well, such as stress from work and family life.

Once you ingest this stimulant, it finds its way into your bloodstream and affects excretion, digestion and circulatory processes. It also affects the working of your nervous system such that you remain awake and alert.

How can you sleep when you are in such a state? It is like when you are on a sugar high. It would be quite hard to get any shuteye until your system starts working regularly again.

Thanks to the presence of l-theanine, you feel calm all the while, yet energetic. Plus, the energy release takes place in small doses such that you will feel alert hours after taking the drink.

Without a crash in wait, you can only hope to catch a few hours of sleep. However, if you can take tea in the early hours of the day and avoid it in the evening and night, you should be okay.

Should you consume conventional teas before bedtime?

As you can see, the caffeine content in these drinks could be keeping you from sleeping as well as you should. The question as to whether you should consume them comes down to if you can practice moderation.

If you can gauge how much you drink and watch when you drink, you should be fine. Note that avoiding tea in the evening will not work if you drink things like sodas and coffee instead. Doing so would cause the same issues, maybe even at a bigger level.

Note that bodies are different. Someone else can take tea at eight at night and sleep soundly. And in your case, having tea after three in the afternoon could impact how well you sleep. Listening to your body goes a long way in informing your decision regarding taking conventional teas.

If you decide to take such teas, ensure that you stick to the recommended caffeine dosage of up to 400 mg per day. This amount applies to healthy adults who lack underlying health conditions.

That should be about five cups of black tea or nine of white tea. Again, the caffeine content depends on how much tea is used in brewing your cup of tea. The more leaves used, the stronger the drink and the fewer cups you can have.

Timing matters a great deal. Ideally, you should not consume conventional teas past two in the afternoon. That way, the caffeine can metabolize and leave the body in the hours that follow.

By the time you go to bed, you should be tired enough to fall asleep almost immediately. If you would still like to have tea past this time, you can drink decaf as it has little or no caffeine. Remember that this stimulant can last in the body for up to eight hours.

Teas that you can drink before bedtime

Now that we have stated that drinking caffeinated tea after two in the afternoon is a bad idea, what can you do?

In the first instance, you can work with fewer tea leaves, shorter brewing times and hot water. That way, the content in the drink will be low. Note that this will also have caffeine, albeit in small doses.

This option works best for people who have a hard time giving up tea and do not want to work with decaf. The second option involves embracing herbal teas as these do not contain any caffeine.

The difference is that they do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant. That enables you to have as much of this tea as you want without affecting your sleep cycle.

Chamomile

Most people who want to sleep without much disruption opt for this tea. It comes from a perennial plant and has been proven to alleviate stress, anxiety and insomnia. It can even help you deal with an upset stomach.

Thanks to its antidepressant qualities, you can rely on its help as you work through the stresses in your life. It works by relaxing your muscles and nerves, allowing you to be in the moment and let go.

Note that this tea is not for everyone, as it can induce allergic reactions. Pregnant women, as well as anyone who has had recent surgery, should avoid it.

Valerian

Now, if you want a tea that will put you to sleep, this is a wonderful option. It has been shown to alleviate insomnia to a great extent by acting as a natural sedative. This tea relies on the root of the plant, which has been in use for centuries on end.

Plus, it improves sleep quality, so much so that some people use it instead of melatonin supplements. That is how effective this tea can be, all without the adverse effects of meds.

Note that this tea can become addictive and fast, and you should consume it in moderate amounts. Now and then, take a break. Else, you will end up developing a dependence on it to fall asleep.

Also, check with your doctor on whether this can interfere with any meds you are taking.

Lavender

This tea has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, more so in women. Some think that it could be its scent that lulls people to sleep. On this note, even smelling lavender oil before going to sleep can make you enjoy your sleep better.

This tea has also been shown to reduce the chances of depression and fatigue by boosting energy levels the next morning. How great is that? A tea that puts you to sleep and restores you to full energy mode the next day!

Passionflower

If anxiety keeps you from sleeping well, this floral tea could be the answer for you. It relaxes the nervous system and works on improving sleep quality as well as calming the stomach.

These are but a few of the teas you can use to calm the mind for a good night’s sleep.

Conclusion

Consuming tea is an age-old tradition that is here to stay. If taking this drink has not affected how you sleep, you can keep doing it. However, if you have noticed some adverse effects, you can work on avoiding caffeine after 2 pm.

Or you can go herbal and drink even minutes to your bedtime. What’s it going to be?