Want To Sleep Better & Have Glowing Skin? Chamomile Tea May Be The Answer
There's nothing cozier than winding down at night with a hot cup of tea. While everyone has their preferences, chamomile tea has long been a favorite pre-bed ritual. All herbal teas offer unique benefits (as the plants they're brewed from are all unique). So the questions is, does chamomile tea really help you sleep? Or de-stress? Here, we dive more into chamomile tea, it's research-backed benefits, and how to make the perfect cup.
What is chamomile tea?
Chamomile tea is an herbal tea made from dried flowers of the plant species Matricaria, a relative of the daisy. Surprisingly, the tea does not have an overwhelming floral taste and is slightly sweet. People have been drinking chamomile tea and using its extracts for centuries, making it one of the most prevalent and well-documented medicinal plants1 in the world.
What are the health benefits?
The chamomile plant has traditionally been used in a variety of ways, from an anti-inflammatory to a calming agent to reduce anxiety and sleep problems and also to treat wounds and ulcers.
Yet, chamomile tea often plays second fiddle to its more popular and well-researched cousins green tea and black tea. Even so, scientists have been increasingly interested in finding out whether or not chamomile tea actually lives up to all the health hype it's received.
May improve sleep quality
Chamomile tea and its extracts have been used throughout history for calming effects1 and for inducing sleep. Though chamomile tea is naturally caffeine free, its relaxing qualities come from apigenin, which is a chemical found in the plant that binds to receptors in your brain and literally calms your nerves. Who knew this pretty little plant had this superpower?
A total of 80 new moms in Taiwan with poor sleep quality were randomly assigned to either drink one cup of chamomile tea per day for two weeks, in addition to receiving regular health care, or to just receive regular health care. Results showed that the moms who drank the chamomile tea had significant improvements in symptoms related to poor sleep, like excessive daytime drowsiness, irritable mood, and poor concentration. These moms also had significant improvements in postpartum-depression.
Overall, studies investigating chamomile's influence on sleep are still lacking, but many people find this cozy beverage a soothing choice before bed. Whether it's 30 minutes or an hour before you hit the hay, drinking chamomile at night is the best way to unlock its potential benefits for sleep.
May help treat chronic insomnia
Another study3 looked at chamomile extract as a treatment for chronic insomnia. Instead of drinking tea, people were given either a pill of chamomile extract or a placebo pill for a month. The differences between the two groups in total time slept each night were small, yet the chamomile group reported being able to fall asleep almost 15 minutes faster and reported waking up less in the middle of the night than those getting the placebo pill.
May be protective of some cancers
Studies have shown that chamomile tea may be beneficial in preventing the growth of cancer cells in skin, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers before people even begin experiencing symptoms. Extracts from the chamomile plant have been shown to inhibit the growth of these cancerous cells while not harming healthy cells.
May improve skin health and inflammation
Sadly, this isn't a benefit you can reap from drinking tea, but chamomile extracts are often added to cosmetic5 and skin care products like lotions and creams to moisturize skin and reduce inflammation. The oils in the chamomile plant seep into the deep layers of the skin, which is one reason chamomile extracts have also been used to treat eczema1, although it is not the most effective method.
How to brew chamomile tea
Using loose, dried chamomile leaves is the best starting place for this tea (at least in my opinion).
Just add one large teaspoon for every cup of water, but feel free to add more for a stronger flavor. The water should be boiling hot (careful not to burn yourself!). The leaves should steep for about 5 to 7 minutes (you can go a little longer for a stronger flavor). Add a squeeze of honey in the last few minutes of brewing for extra sweetness if desired, and get ready to sit back and relax!
The takeaway
Chamomile tea is safe and delicious for most people to drink and use on their skin. Chamomile extracts and tea are associated with numerous health benefits, just remember that not all benefits have been rigorously vetted or confirmed in research trials Still, it's one of the best nighttime tea options if you're looking to catch some zzz's (besides this sleepy girl mocktail).