If you’re struggling to get to sleep then you could be questioning your whole bedtime routine.
A simple drink swap might be able to help you get the shut eye you need, a nutritionist has said.
Experts have long hailed the ingredients in some herbal teas for their relaxing and calming properties
By replacing caffeine with a specific herbal tea you could be off to the land of nod in no time, nutritionist Rosie Millen said.
In order to get better sleep she said people need to cut out the caffeine and instead opt for Chamomile tea.
She explained how the tea inhibits the melatonin in the brain which is the hormone that tells us to fall asleep.
“Swap it (coffee) for chamomile tea. Chamomile tea contains apigenin.
“This antioxidant binds to certain receptors in your brain that may promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia.
“For this reason, it’s very calming”, she told the Express.
While apigenin is found in chamomile it can also be found in parsley, celery, and celeriac, albeit these things have a slightly less palatable taste compared to chamomile.
Apigenin is said to work by binding to the brain’s receptors, which in turn is thought help reduce feelings of anxiety – helping you to nod off.
Speaking to The Sun Dr. Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel said choosing chamomile tea in particular is likely to benefit sleep.
“Chamomile tea contains no caffeine at all. It contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to certain receptors in the brain that may promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia, or the chronic inability to sleep.
“One trial conducted on sleep disturbed women who had just given birth found that drinking one large cup of chamomile tea can daily improve sleep quality and symptoms of depression.
“Another study found that people who consumed 270 mg of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days had one third less night time awakening and fell asleep 15 minutes faster than those who did not consume the extract.
However he said that all teas, particularly black tea, contain polyphenols, (antioxidants) and polyphenols are associated with sleep quality.
“Plus, our cuppa is rich in many other health and wellness benefits for all life stages, from focus, metabolic and heart health by lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to bone health and keeping our bodies well hydrated to name just a few health wonders of drinking tea”, he added.
Dr. Karan Rajan previously said you shouldn’t have caffeine ten hours before bedtime.
He explained: “This is how long it takes your body to clear it from the blood stream and eliminate the effects.”
Caffeine is a stimulant, which is why a lot of us drink it in the morning to help us feel a little more alive.
Drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine include coffee, tea, energy drinks and other soft drinks such as cola.
Calming effect
If your normal bed time is 10pm, Dr Raj’s method means you can’t have any more caffeine after 12 in the afternoon.
Tea expert Bethan Thomas, who holds a degree in Tea Science from Fujian Agricultural University said a cup of tea can help you in many different ways.
Bethan, who is the owner of HotTea Mama said: “Firstly, to give you a moment to stop and reflect, to slow down and breathe. And in not too long, to have a chat with a friend or your mum, while you dunk biscuits and talk through your fears.”
Secondly, she said the the ingredients in some herbal teas are great for reducing feelings of anxiety that can help you relax.
She said that whole chamomile flowers were shown in eight week studies to have anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and antidepressant impact – reducing feelings of anxiety among patients suffering from General Anxiety Disorder.
Bethan explained that herbs such as Ginkgo can help reduce feeling of anxiety at the rose-petal can produce a calming effect.
This story originally appeared in The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.