Folks looking for a natural sleep aid may have heard about the benefits of chamomile tea. These herbal, caffeine-free teas are made from chamomile flowers rich in compounds called flavonoids (apigenin and quercetin) and terpenoids (bisabolol and chamazulene). Registered dietician Sydney Lappe, whom we consulted with, says, “These compounds are believed to have sedative and calming effects, helping the body relax and promoting better sleep.”
So if you’re looking to improve your nightly rest — and worried about potential side effects from taking melatonin and other sleep supplements — perhaps a soothing cup of tea before bed is a more approachable method to improve your sleep quality. We took a look at some of the many chamomile teas for sleep out there and put them to the test by enjoying a cup to unwind before bed. Here are the best chamomile teas we found.
The 5 Best Chamomile Teas for Sleep
- Tazo Calm Chamomile – Best Chamomile Blend Tea for Sleep
- Hey Girl Sleep Tea – Best Chamomile Tea for Sleep with Valerian Root
- Harney & Sons Chamomile Herbal Tea – Best Chamomile Tea Sachets for Sleep
- Bigelow Cozy Chamomile – Best Affordable Chamomile Tea for Sleep
- Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile – Best Organic Chamomile Tea for Sleep
Disclaimer: Please note that the content in this article is meant for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or serve as a substitute for seeing a medical professional regarding any sleep problems you may have. Please see your doctor regarding any urgent medical issues.
What I Looked for in the Best Chamomile Tea for Sleep
Testing out a tea sounds like a subjective experience, but we did our very best to ensure we evaluated every aspect — from the price and formulation, to the taste and overall experience when making, drinking, and savoring it. These are the factors we prioritized when evaluating these teas:
- Value: The cost of tea can vary from cents per serving to more than a dollar per teabag or scoop, so it’s important to be aware of the quality of what you’re paying for and whether it matches the price. My testers and I had a look at the price per serving of each tea and judged whether or not we’d pay it again based on our test experience.
- Formulation: Some chamomile teas are made solely of chamomile flowers, while others contain a blend of herbal elements. Depending on your preferences, you may be a purist or find the flavor and effectiveness of chamomile lacking. We took all this into account, and evaluated how much of each active ingredient is in the product to assess whether the brand is stuffing it with “filler” that won’t promote relaxation.
- Preparation: Some teas are made in bags, others in sachets, and others are prepared loose leaf. The teas we chose fell into the former two categories, which should mean less preparation time. We also judged how long it took each tea to steep based on the recommendations of the manufacturer, and whether or not we agreed with its claims.
- Taste: This is the most subjective area to evaluate. Some folks may not enjoy the softer, aromatic taste of chamomile and prefer something stronger and bolder. Regardless of our personal preference, we worked to describe who might like the flavor of the tea and who should steer clear.
All of these tests factored into our overall experience and helped to answer the ultimate question: Did we feel the product delivered a relaxing effect? Let’s dive into each of our picks.
Tazo Calm Chamomile – Best Chamomile Blend Tea for Sleep
Tazo Calm Chamomile
A chamomile tea blended with rose petals and licorice root, brewed to help you wind down for the night.
Chamomile has a mild, herbal flavor that may not appeal to introductory tea drinkers, hence why some manufacturers will use a tea blend. In the case of Tazo’s Calm Chamomile tea, notes of hibiscus, spearmint, and rose complement the subtler taste of chamomile. Our tester and managing editor Dan Caffrey said it provided an “overall pleasant drinking experience,” giving it a 4 out of 5 in the experience category.
That said, Dan thought the taste left a little something to be desired. He described it as “mild” and “floral,” adding, “ I know chamomile is a gentler tea, but I would have preferred just a touch more flavor.” This is why he scored the tea at a 3.5 in the taste category. Note that this is a subjective test, so folks who are well-versed in herbal teas might enjoy this subtler blend.
Dan did appreciate that the blend included many ingredients beyond mere chamomile. The chamomile in this tea is organic, and many of the other ingredients are also fair-trade certified, a boon for folks looking to sip consciously.
Chamomile isn’t necessarily a potent sedative, but Dan took note of its soothing effects after drinking. “I did feel a calming sensation while drinking it and felt fairly relaxed,” he said.
Finally, Dan wished that the tea didn’t take so long to steep, as he had to wait an extra 5 minutes beyond the recommended 5-minute steep time to get a darker color and more noticeable flavor. Some folks might also find this tea a little more expensive compared to others on the shelf, as the box only comes with 16 chamomile tea bags, rather than 20, which I’m more used to seeing.
Want a quicker steep time? Take a look at Bigelow’s Cozy Chamomile.
Hey Girl Sleep Tea – Best Chamomile Tea for Sleep with Valerian Root
Hey Girl Sleep Tea
This chamomile tea is rounded out with valerian root and lemon balm, with ingredients designed to give you restful sleep.
Some teas combine a mix of herbal supplements geared towards promoting restful sleep. Aside from chamomile, another popular option is valerian root, known for its purported sedative effects. In my experience, I’ve found valerian to be more effective in making me feel drowsy, so if you’ve previously been let down by chamomile teas, you might like Hey Girl’s Sleep Tea. It contains a blend of chamomile, catnip herb, passionflower, lemon balm, stevia, and valerian root. With all these ingredients geared towards calming your mind and body, it’s no surprise our tester Cait Giddings gave this tea a perfect 5-out-of-5 score for formulation.
Cait thought that the flavor of the tea really stood out, calling it “delicious and slightly sweet due to the stevia, but not cloying or overpowering.” Compared to the mild, subtler taste of pure chamomile, this might be a fit for folks looking for a more potent brew. “I appreciate having the mild hit of sweetness and nice flavor from the lemon, orange, and chamomile,” Cait further explained.
Cait did note that the bag called for a 10-minute steep time, which is on the longer end. However, she had no qualms with waiting — though some folks looking for a quick fix at the end of a long day may feel otherwise. And while it didn’t quite knock her out, Cait still claimed that she felt “a general feeling of calm and appreciation for how soothing it is to follow the whole nighttime tea ritual.”
The main drawback to choosing this tea is unfortunately the price. On retailers like Amazon, it’ll run you about $20 for 16 teabags. Cait had this to say: “The quality is high and the tea is delicious and relaxing, but I might not buy it again due to how expensive it is and how quickly I’d run out.” So, she gave it an overall price rating of 2 out of 5, but noted that it’s a worthy splurge for those who love a more luxury tea.
Looking for something a little more affordable? Check out Harney & Sons Chamomile Herbal Tea.
Harney & Sons Chamomile Herbal Tea – Best Chamomile Tea Sachets for Sleep
Harney & Sons Chamomile Herbal Tea
Made with whole chamomile flowers, this premium herbal tea should make for a smooth and calming brew.
Sachets are a bit different from teabags, as they have more space, so the tea doesn’t have to be ground up. This usually translates to more tea leaves and better-quality tea. Harney & Sons’ Chamomile Herbal Tea is one such sachet tea, with enough potency in each to be used for two cups of tea. It’s something I rarely hear of, and something our tester Cait Giddings was surprised to find, for which she gave the product a perfect 5-out-of-5 preparation score.
The ability to reuse the tea bags also doubles the value. With each sachet coming in at about 39 cents, and the option of being used twice, the $7 price tag for 20 sachets seems less and less daunting. Cait also felt it was justified given “the fanciness of the tea tin and little sachets.” I personally love reusing tea tins for more tea or storage for little trinkets — and this one has a delightful vintage aesthetic that looks great on your counter.
When it came to preparing the tea, Cait had no issues to report. She found that the second cup she made with the same sachet “was just as strong and tasty” after 5 minutes of steeping. She also felt the relaxing effects afterward. “I don’t know if this is due to the chamomile or simply the soothing ritual of brewing and drinking the tea in bed with a book, but I enjoyed it and had no trouble drifting off to sleep within an hour of drinking this tea,” she said.
Cait described the flavor of the tea as the “apple-cinnamony taste of chamomile,” which is unsurprising, since chamomile is all that’s listed in the ingredients. “It doesn’t have any sweeteners or chemicals to alter the taste of the flower,” she said. Though it’s simple, she recommended it for folks who want that simplicity, even as she docked a point due to the lack of additional flavors and calming ingredients.
If you want a bedtime tea with diverse flavorings, check out Hey Girl’s Sleep Tea.
Bigelow Cozy Chamomile – Best Affordable Chamomile Tea for Sleep
Bigelow Cozy Chamomile
Affordable and boasting a smooth flavor, this classic chamomile tea should help you relax before bed.
As an avid tea drinker and frequent budget shopper, Bigelow is my go-to brand for high-quality tea without the crazy markups. A box contains 20 individual teabags of Cozy Chamomile for less than $4 on retailers like Amazon, which means each serving costs less than 20 cents. That’s why I gave this tea a perfect price score, so it should satisfy the most frugal tea fans.
I also tend to pick Bigelow teas because I find that they steep relatively quickly. To test this one, I used my electric kettle to boil water, let it sit so it isn’t scalding, and then poured it over the bag in my desired mug. Even with its milder, subtler flavor, I could see the water turning opaque within just a few minutes. The taste is floral but not perfumey, which should appeal to folks wanting a smooth, uncomplicated tea before bed.
Chamomile doesn’t knock me out the way a melatonin supplement does, as I’m also a chronic insomniac, but I felt generally relaxed after brewing and finishing off my tea. I did have a particularly long and convoluted dream, which I used to gauge that I had successfully achieved REM sleep, so I know I fell asleep eventually. I also woke up before my alarm (a not uncommon occurrence), so I wouldn’t cite any ineffectiveness. Based on these results, I gave the tea a 4 out of 5 for the overall experience.
I personally am not the biggest fan of the chamomile flavor on its own, as I find it too mild for my tastes; for reference, I tend to double-up on teabags for a stronger flavor and gravitate toward more bitter teas. So, since this tea is made purely of dried chamomile flowers, I scored it a bit low in the formulation and taste categories. It’s very simple, and if that’s what you’re going for, you should be plenty satisfied.
Looking for a blend? Try out Hey Girl’s Sleep Tea.
Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile – Best Organic Chamomile Tea for Sleep
Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile
An organic chamomile tea that treats you to delicate floral notes before bedtime.
Some folks concerned with finding a natural sleep aid might be looking for an all-organic tea. Thankfully, Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile tea contains only organic chamomile. But don’t be fooled by its supposed plainness. As our tester Dan Caffrey said, “I appreciated the simplicity of its taste and calming effects.”
Dan finds simpler teas more “refreshing,” as he’s noticed some of the others he has tried “have had a slight metallic or medicinal taste to them (especially if they have a lot of added ingredients).” He did dock some points on the formulation score because of this simplicity, explaining, “I do wonder what it would taste like if it just had one or two more subtle ingredients added to it, but overall I really enjoyed this.”
In terms of preparing the tea, Dan had no issues. It comes in tea bag form, so you need only add hot water before allowing it to steep. He noticed the water turning darker within the 5 minutes allotted, so it should make for a quick, uncomplicated nightly routine. As for the effects, Dan said, “It did have a calming effect on me, and I could see it being a nice decompression beverage before bedtime.”
Aside from the tea’s simplicity being a downside for some, you may notice a slight markup on the price because of its organic certification. If low cost is more essential to you than organic ingredients, you might opt for a cheaper tea.
If you’re looking for an alternative, the Tazo Calm Chamomile Tea also uses organic chamomile in its blend.
Other Chamomile Teas for Sleep I Considered
Among the myriad chamomile teas out there are some that are extra-geared towards sleep, rather than just mere relaxation. Since chamomile is an ingredient, but a lesser star in these teas, I didn’t include them in this list. Here are some other options if you’re looking for the best teas for a good night’s sleep:
Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra
Celestial Seasonings has a line of teas geared toward preparing you for bed, aptly named Sleepytime. One iteration of this tea, Sleepytime Extra, contains a blend of chamomile, valerian root, and linden, all with reported benefits for sedation. I drink this tea quite a bit and find it puts me into deeper dreams. However, Celestial Seasonings uses a proprietary blend, and I prefer to know which ingredient is pulling its weight.
Adagio 40 Winks
If you’re looking for a loose leaf tea for sleep, you might like Adagio’s 40 Winks. It also features chamomile and valerian root alongside spearmint, lavender, and honeybush. I prefer loose leaf teas, as they tend to have bolder flavors, and you can choose how much you want to use. Unfortunately, loose leaf teas tend to be more expensive, even if you can make them last longer, so this may not be the best option for folks wanting to stretch their dollar.
How We Picked and Tested These Chamomile Teas
A lot more goes into testing the best sleep teas than simply brewing a cup and tasting it. Let’s dive deeper into the areas we evaluated for a more holistic review of each product.
Price
Just as teas vary in quality, they also vary in price. Oftentimes, you can get a box of teabags for less than $5 from your local grocery, which I would consider on the lower end of the price scale. Generally, as quality goes up, so should the price. We looked at the price per serving for a more accurate reading, and found that prices below 50 cents per serving or teabag are generally standard. Anything above might be considered higher quality — or a blatant gouge, based on our evaluation. Higher prices should reflect either organic or fair-trade certified ingredients, multiple types of ingredients, or the specific amounts of each ingredient listed (as opposed to proprietary blends, which I’ll explain below).
Formulation
Some tea drinkers might prefer the simple, subtle flavor of chamomile, while others might prefer a blend that offers more taste. Some might want a cup to relax, while others might be drawn to a mix of herbal supplements for more potent effects. We tried to find a mix of these types of teas, focusing specifically on whether or not brands used proprietary blends. “Proprietary blend” means the product doesn’t have to list the amount of each ingredient down to the milligram, which can be deceptive and make it harder to know why one tea is more expensive or whether it’s really more effective than the other. I prefer transparency on this subject so I know I’m getting the most bang for my buck, and so I know which is the primary ingredient(s) in a tea. For reference, chamomile might be listed by its scientific name on the box: matricaria chamomilla.
Preparation
Some teas come in bags or sachets, with folks needing only a cup of boiling water to reap their benefits. Others are loose leaf and will require extra components such as a steeper or strainer, and perhaps measuring utensils if you’re a stickler for the proper serving size. We factored this and steeping time into our score for preparation. Even if the tea was easy to start preparing because it came readily parceled into bags, if it took too long to steep (or turn dark and fragrant), we knocked off some points. A too-long, too-tedious preparation time before bed or rest can be annoying for folks looking to unwind.
Taste
Teas that are more mass-produced can be lacking when it comes to the flavor intensity of the chamomile they sell. The price you pay can be reflected in the amount of tea per bag; cheaper teas may require two bags to achieve the intensity you enjoy. We tried to offer a good range of options when it came to both price and flavor in chamomile.
Experience
Finally, you’ll likely want to know if the tea actually does what it’s promised. Of course, teas and supplements are not surefire ways to address sleep disorders, and we always recommend consulting a doctor for serious conditions — but if you’re looking for a relaxing nighttime routine, you’ll want a tea that complements that. Our testers noted not just whether they relaxed, but also how seamless the entire ritual of settling down for the night went when paired with a cup of chamomile tea.
What to Consider When Buying Chamomile Tea
Outside of our own testing and the results we found, you may have personal preferences and needs that affect your final purchase. Here are some lesser-known considerations:
Quantity
How often do you plan to drink chamomile tea? If you’re a person who likes to have multiple cups a day, it may not be worth it for you to spend a large sum of money on a small batch of tea. Try choosing a package that includes multiple tea bags without sacrificing quality. Conversely, if you only plan to have a cup a month when you’re having trouble sleeping, try and opt for a tea that can be easily stored and won’t go stale over time.
Other Additives
Most chamomile teas are made up of just that — chamomile. However, some of the options on our list include other ingredients. “Some sleep blends include other soothing herbs to enhance the effects, but they’re not essential additions,” Sydney Lappe, RD, MS, RDN, LDN, explained. You might see blends that mention lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, or valerian root, common herbs associated with calming or sedative effects.
Other herbal components might be added to give the tea a more intense flavor, as some drinkers may find chamomile on its own too mild. Whether or not you want a blend that contains chamomile or a pure chamomile tea is your choice — I’d just recommend looking for brands that don’t use proprietary blends. You want to see how much chamomile is in the tea versus additives for taste, color, or other aesthetics to reap the full benefits of its soothing properties.
Possible Side Effects
The effects of chamomile are generally positive if you are taking it for intended relaxation. Aside from relaxation, there are some added health benefits: Studies have found that coumarins can have an anti-inflammatory effect, while the flavonoid apigenin has antioxidant properties, both of which are present in chamomile flowers.
Negative side effects may vary person-to-person and depend on the amount you consume each day. There’s no standard dose for chamomile, with teas providing anywhere from 1,000mg to 2,000mg in a serving. Sydney recommends you check the product’s instructions and formulation, as “high doses or long-term use may increase the risk of side effects like nausea, dizziness, or allergic reactions.”
“Chamomile is generally safe for most people, but allergic reactions can occur — especially in those sensitive to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, or similar plants,” Sydney continued. There’s also a chance it may interact with medications, so we always recommend checking with your healthcare provider first if you have any concerns.
FAQs
When is the best time to drink chamomile tea?
Since chamomile can have a calming effect, it may be best to drink before bed or whenever you plan to rest. Since it is uncaffeinated, there’s little risk of it keeping you awake.
Can chamomile tea help with weight loss?
Many studies have been conducted on the efficacy of chamomile and weight loss, with varying results and nothing completely conclusive. Chamomile tea may help you relax before bed, contributing to better sleep quality, which reportedly can help folks in their weight loss journey.
Is it okay to drink chamomile tea every night?
You can drink chamomile tea every night so long as you are not experiencing any adverse side effects. Always make sure to read the product’s instructions and check with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.
What brand of chamomile tea is best?
We reviewed a variety of brands for the best chamomile tea and suggest that you go for Bigelow if you want affordability, Hey Girl for a strong flavor, and Taylors of Harrogate for quality organic chamomile.
Sources
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