The best tea for sleep: top slumber-friendly tea brands

The best tea for sleep

Whether it’s an ear worm (a song that just keeps on going round and round and round and... okay, you get the picture) in your head, the thought of a big meeting is stressing you out, insomnia, or even getting less than the recommended 7 hours sleep a night, lack of sleep is going to leave you feeling dopey and drowsy the next day. Our round up of the best teas for sleep brings together our top picks for the best slumber-friendly tea choices that promise to promote a good night's sleep.

So what makes the best tea for sleeping? Unfortunately, teas that help you sleep aren’t going to offer the indulgent, malty goodness of Horlicks but they are light and cleansing and just the thing you need to wind down after a long day. 

There are typically a couple of  herbs that you should look out for when researching the best tea for sleeping; Passionflower and Valerian are the top drowse inducers so keep your eyes peeled for these in the ingredient lists if you are looking for deeply relaxing teas. Camomile and Skullcap also known to help the brain relax so you can catch some well needed Zs, so if it is an overactive mind you are trying to settle, these ingredients are your go-to choices.

Our top picks for the best teas for sleep includes popular supermarket brands such as Whittards and Pukka so don't worry, you won't need to order in a batch of magic tea leaves from Tibet to be on your way to a good night's sleep!

The best tea for sleep

1. Super Elixir Sleep Welle Anti-Anxiety Tea

With its summer fruit taste and magic sleeping properties, this tea should wisk you straight to dreamland

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 50 bags
Main ingredient: Passionflower, Mango, skullcap and valerian root

Reasons to buy

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Fruity taste
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Comes in a luxury tea caddy

Featuring three big ingredients that are proven to help cure insomnia, this Super Elixir is the marvellous medicine for those that find themselves lying awake all night. On the surface of it, lemon balm, passion flower, lemon and mango delightfully guise the heady combination of skullcap and valerian, which are known to be good at knocking you out for the night. Whether it’s to induce sleep or simmer down stress, this sleep elixir/anti-anxiety tea will induce calm from the moment you set eyes on its serene blue caddy. 

Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian Organic Tea

2. Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian Organic Tea

When your sleeping is a little out of sync, try this traditional tea

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 16 bags
Main ingredient: Passion flower, valerian root, lemon balm

Reasons to buy

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Combines Passion Flower and Valerian
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Interesting, spicy and mildly sweet flavour

While closer in flavour to a traditional green tea, this Valerian based tea for sleeping should help you to get the rest you need. With the addition of passion flower and lemon balm, you’re best drinking a couple of cups towards the end of the day to slowly relax you in the lead up to bedtime, with the last cup being 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime to help maximise its benefits. 

Whittard Sleepy Tea

3. Whittard Sleepy Tea

Described as a lullaby, the herbs in this tea will softly send you to sleep

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 20 bags
Main ingredient: Camomile and lavender

Reasons to buy

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Mellow, slightly sweet flavour
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Great price

A sleep inducing tea doesn’t have to be expensive. This one from tea-kings, Whittard will only set you back five pounds or so and contains relaxing ingredients including camomile and lavender. Also in the mix are liquorice and linden flowers, which give it a sweet lift, making it a pleasant, pre bedtime drink.  

Organic India Tulsi Wellness Tea-Sleep

4. Organic India Tulsi Wellness Tea-Sleep

A sleep tea all the way from India

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 18 bags
Main ingredient: Camomile, Cardamon and peppermint

Reasons to buy

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Supports a healthy immune system
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Also aids digestion

Wellness tea as well as sleepy tea, this blend is great for the whole body. Whether your digestive system is feeling unsettled or you regularly feel a little under the weather, this tea should help your body to feel more in sync, ensuring you feel better all round. With people complimenting its pleasing taste, this is a great all-rounder that isn’t too heavy on your pockets, either.  

Niche Tea Sleep Herbal Tea

5. Niche Tea Sleep Herbal Tea

Working as a relaxant and a sedative, the ingredients in this tea will ensure a great night's’ sleep

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 15 bags
Main ingredient: Rooibos, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Passionflower, Rose Petals, Lavender

Reasons to buy

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Relaxant and sedative
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Responsibly made

Featuring Lemon Balm and rose petals, which are mild sedatives and camomile and lavender, which are relaxants, this tea is the perfect blend of ingredients for inducing a great night’s sleep. The teabag pyramids are stored in a beautiful tubular pot – it’s almost a shame for you to hide it away in your tea cupboard – while the tea itself turns a pretty pink colour, emanating its floral bouquet.  

Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile Tea

6. Taylors of Harrogate Organic Chamomile Tea

Beautifully simple, caffeine-free, and lots of bags

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 100 bags
Main ingredient: Chamomile

Reasons to buy

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Take on its own or with honey
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Organically grown

Many people swear by camomile – it is a natural relaxant after all. This tea from Taylors of Harrogate contains organic camomile, which delivers on purity and flavour, more so than mass produced camomile. It is a soothing blend that can be drank throughout the day, rather than just at night, so it’s a good job you’re supplied with 100 bags.  

Pukka Herbal Teas Night Time

7. Pukka Herbal Teas Night Time

An affordable ticket to dreamland

Specifications

Type: Bags
Size: 20 bags
Main ingredient: Oat Flower, Lavender and Lime Flo

Reasons to buy

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Affordable
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Unique inclusion of Oat Flower and Tulsi Leaf

They’re the cheapest tea bags on the list but that doesn’t make them any less effective. Containing ingredients including camomile, lavender and valerian root, this tea contains sedatives and relaxants to send you off to sleep in an instant. While there’s mixed opinions on the flavour, most people genuinely find that this tea improves the quality of their sleep.  

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