Short answer: The best herbal tea for sleep is a caffeine-free one you enjoy and drink at the right time. Chamomile, passionflower, lavender, lemon balm, valerian, rooibos and the traditional Chinese sour jujube leaf tea are the most popular choices. Small studies on chamomile and passionflower teas report better sleep quality, and a warm, caffeine-free cup is a calming signal that the day is over. Finish your cup one to two hours before bed so it relaxes you without waking you to use the bathroom.
Why herbal tea helps at bedtime
An herbal tea for sleep works on two levels. Some herbs, such as chamomile and passionflower, have been studied for their calming effects. Just as important is the ritual itself: making a warm, caffeine-free drink at the same time each evening tells your body and mind that the day is winding down. That routine is a core part of good sleep habits, whatever is in the cup.
7 herbal teas for sleep worth trying
1. Chamomile tea
The classic bedtime tea, with a gentle, apple-like flavor. In a randomized trial of new mothers with poor sleep, two weeks of daily chamomile tea improved their sleep-quality scores. Skip it if you’re allergic to ragweed, daisies or marigolds, and ask a pharmacist first if you take blood thinners.
2. Passionflower tea
Mild and grassy. In a small double-blind study, adults who drank passionflower tea for a week rated their sleep quality better than with a placebo tea. Skip it during pregnancy, and take care with other sedating products.
3. Lavender tea
Floral and fragrant, often blended with chamomile. Research on lavender for sleep is limited, but many people find its scent calming as part of a wind-down routine. Use culinary lavender buds for tea, never lavender essential oil.
4. Lemon balm tea
Fresh and lemony, a member of the mint family. It is usually studied in blends with other herbs, so its effect on its own is hard to judge. A pleasant choice if you find chamomile too sweet.
5. Valerian root tea
Earthy, with a strong smell that many people dislike, so it often appears in blends. Valerian is the most studied sleep herb, but results are inconsistent. Take care: it adds to the effect of alcohol and sedating medicines, and there are rare reports of liver problems with valerian products. Follow the package directions and ask a doctor first if you have liver disease.
6. Rooibos tea
A naturally caffeine-free red tea from South Africa, smooth and slightly sweet. There is no sleep research behind it, but it is a good everyday swap for black tea in the evening if you want the ritual without the caffeine.
7. Sour jujube leaf tea (酸枣叶茶)
A traditional evening tea in northern China, made from the leaves of the wild jujube. Its seed, suan zao ren (酸枣仁), is the best-known sleep herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Research so far has focused on the seed, mostly in animal studies, while the leaf tea is a tradition that hasn’t yet been studied in people. It is caffeine-free with a light, mild flavor. Buy it from a reputable supplier, and skip it during pregnancy or alongside sedating medicines unless your doctor approves. Our guide to Chinese medicine for insomnia explains how TCM approaches sleep.
When to drink herbal tea for sleep
Finish your cup one to two hours before bed. It gives the calming ritual time to work and gives your body time to process the fluid. A full mug right at bedtime is one of the most common reasons people wake up to pee in the night, especially after 50.
- Keep it to one cup in the evening.
- Make it the same time each night, so it becomes a signal to wind down.
- Pair it with a calm activity: dim lights, a book, gentle stretching.
If bathroom trips already wake you, our guides to waking up in the middle of the night and nighttime urination cover what to check.
Read the label: caffeine and melatonin
Caffeine: green, black, white and oolong teas, matcha and yerba maté all contain caffeine. A true herbal tea for sleep is naturally caffeine-free, so check that a “nighttime blend” doesn’t include any of these.
Melatonin: some popular sleep teas now add melatonin. That makes the tea a melatonin supplement, with the same possible side effects and medicine interactions. Our guide to melatonin side effects explains what to know.
Who should check before drinking sleep teas
| If you… | Take care with |
|---|---|
| Take blood thinners | Chamomile; ask a pharmacist about any blend |
| Are pregnant or breastfeeding | Passionflower, valerian, sour jujube leaf; ask before any sleep tea |
| Have a ragweed or daisy allergy | Chamomile |
| Have liver disease | Valerian |
| Take sleeping pills or sedating medicines | Valerian, passionflower, melatonin blends |
For children, ask the pediatrician before offering any herbal tea for sleep. For more on these herbs as supplements, see our guide to herbs for sleep.
A bedtime routine with nothing to drink
If evening drinks keep sending you to the bathroom, or you’d simply like another option alongside your tea, SleepDeep is a sealed fabric pouch of dry herbs, worn externally at the navel and held by a reusable belt: nothing to swallow, no tea to prepare and no melatonin. In Dr. Wang’s practice records, adults with long-standing sleep complaints reported settling more easily and fewer night-time interruptions during pouch use. These are selected, uncontrolled observations, and individual experience varies; the evidence overview explains them. SleepDeep works alongside your doctor’s care.
To use it well: wear it on clean, intact skin and remove it if irritation appears; keep the pouch sealed (no opening, brewing or heating); and check with the clinician who knows your medicines if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a complex illness or have herbal allergies. Current details and pricing are on the SleepDeep page.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if poor sleep lasts more than a few weeks or affects your mood, work or driving, or if you snore loudly, gasp or stop breathing in your sleep. For long-term insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has the strongest evidence of any treatment. Seek urgent help for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or trouble breathing.
Questions about herbal tea for sleep
What is the best herbal tea for sleep?
Chamomile and passionflower have the most research behind them as teas. The best choice is a caffeine-free tea you enjoy, drunk one to two hours before bed as part of a steady routine.
What is the best herbal tea for sleep and relaxation?
Chamomile, lemon balm and lavender are the most popular for winding down. A blend of chamomile and lavender is a good place to start if you’re new to herbal teas.
Can I drink herbal tea for sleep every night?
Mild teas such as chamomile and rooibos are generally fine as a nightly ritual for most adults. Stronger herbs such as valerian are better kept for occasional use, and anyone on regular medicines should check with a pharmacist.
Is sour jujube leaf tea the same as jujube seed?
No. Both come from the wild jujube, but suan zao ren is the seed and is used in TCM herbal formulas, while the leaf is brewed as a gentle everyday tea. Research on sleep has focused on the seed.
Independent sources
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Sleep and complementary approaches · NCCIH: Passionflower · Sour jujube seed extract and sleep (Frontiers in Pharmacology) · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Insomnia treatment and CBT-I
About the author
Qingcai Wang, MD, PhD, invented the external herbal pouch and has practiced it exclusively since 2015, so that more people can accept Chinese herbal medicine without drinking bitter herbal decoctions. His formulations draw on the classics Shang Han Lun, Jin Gui Yao Lue and Shennong Ben Cao Jing. He previously spent more than 20 years in biomedical and cancer research. He founded Five Essences, which sells the pouches.
General education; ask your own doctor before starting any new treatment if you have a health condition.