In this article, we discuss 10 drinks and beverages to help people sleep.
1. Chamomile tea
People drink chamomile tea to treat insomnia because of its calming effects.
Researchers believe that its effect on sleep comes from its flavonoid content. Apigenin is a flavonoid that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain, which has a sedative effect.
A few people may experience allergic reactions to chamomile. Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed chamomile in the generally recognized as safe list.
Learn more about the benefits of chamomile tea here.
Valerian is an herb that people can find in health food stores. Sleep aids and sedatives may contain valerian. People can purchase them over the counter (OTC) in tablet form or as a tea.
Researchers have not confirmed whether valerian is effective and safe for treating insomnia, and some studies show conflicting results.
One study demonstrated that valerian decreased the time to fall asleep, or sleep latency, improved sleep quality, and decreased nighttime awakenings.
Other studies did not demonstrate clinically significant results. Researchers also did not study the effect of valerian tea in these studies.
Learn more about using valerian to treat insomnia here.
Some people drink lemon balm tea to help them sleep. People can find lemon balm in natural food stores as a sleep aid. Like valerian, it may not be effective every time.
One study demonstrated that 80 participants with chronic stable angina supplemented with lemon leaf had reduced total sleep disturbance when researchers compared them with placebo.
Still, more evidence is necessary to confirm that lemon balm tea helps people sleep.
