If you have ever gone through a phase where sleep seems impossible to get, you will probably try anything in order to course correct. Even just a few nights of sleep deprivation can result in plummeting performance at home, work and in life in general.

That’s why people often resort to drastic measures just to catch a couple of zzzz’s. Before you go spending tons of money on sleep aids and experimenting with questionable remedies or extreme tactics, why not give something tried and true a chance? We’re talking about a humble cup of tea.

It almost seems too easy! But some teas have been scientifically proven to help people fall and stay asleep.
But not all tea! Steeping a cup of green or black tea is going to have the opposite affect, since they are full of caffeine. Make sure you stick to herbal, caffeine-free tea for that nighttime cup of calm.

Here are the best teas to drink to help you fall sleep

Chamomile tea

When dried, this lovely white flower is a classic go-to for those chasing a good night’s sleep. And for good reason. Chamomile flowers contains something called apigenin. Studies suggest that apigenin can activate GABA receptors, which can slow down neurotransmission. Think of this tea as turning down the volume and putting your brain on the slow-mo setting – a prime state for sleep.

Lavender tea

You may know that lavender essential oils are associated with sleep products. Think: lavender eye masks and lavender essential oil sprays that come with directions to mist your pillow before bed. Lavender tea can have the same soothing and calming effect, the aroma of this delicate tea is known to settle nerves and relieve anxiety.

Valerian tea

It’s the root of this fantasy-sounding plant that is used in a night-time tea. Prescribed for sleep issues like insomnia for thousands of year, valerian root tea also enhances GABA activity, resulting in a calmer mind. Plus Valerian Root sounds really cool.

Lemon Balm tea

Part of the mint family, lemon balm grows fast and wild in most gardens and is easy to harvest. Simply pluck some stems and leave the leaves to dry for a couple of days, then voila! You’ve created your very own sleep aid. This citrus-smelling herbal remedy is great for reducing stress and also increases GABA levels. Using lemon balm as a mild sedative is a gentle way to help you drift off to dreamland.

In addition to these mild sleep aids that can be used on their own, other options that you can find at your local tea supplier are blends of these and other flowers like magnolia and passionflower.

Remember that achieving a good night’s sleep is essential in our overall health and health destiny. A lack of quality sleep for a sustained period of time has long-term consequences for our physical, mental and emotional health.

An affordable and pleasant remedy like herbal tea is a great sleep aid and one worth the small investment, even if you don’t have much trouble falling asleep. You can make a nighttime cup of herbal tea a part of your evening ritual as you wind down from the day. And before you know if, you are off in dreamland…