Chamomile tea has been the classic answer to a restless night for generations. But when you strip away the cosy bedtime ritual, does the tea itself actually do anything?
Researchers have found a possible reason to take the old remedy seriously. Chamomile contains a plant compound called apigenin, which researchers are studying for its possible role in relaxation.
That sounds promising. But a compound showing an effect in laboratory research is one thing. What happens when people actually drink chamomile and researchers look at their sleep?
The compound that may help you wind down
Chamomile contains a natural compound called apigenin. Research suggests it may work on parts of the brain that help you feel calm and relaxed.
This gives researchers a possible explanation for why chamomile might help people relax before bed. It doesn't mean a cup of tea works like a sleeping pill, though. The amount of apigenin in an ordinary cup is very different from the concentrated amounts used in some research.
The more useful question, then, is whether people actually sleep better after having chamomile.
The research points in the right direction, but it's not a slam dunk
Several small studies suggest that chamomile may help improve sleep. A review of 12 studies found that people who took chamomile generally reported better sleep. Other studies found similar results. A study of 60 older adults found better sleep after four weeks of chamomile extract. Another study of 80 women who had recently given birth found some improvements in sleep after two weeks of chamomile tea.
But not every study has found a benefit. In a 2011 study of 34 people with chronic insomnia, chamomile extract didn't significantly improve sleep compared with a placebo. So the evidence points in a promising direction, but it's not conclusive. Chamomile may help some people sleep a little better, but there's not enough evidence to call it a treatment for insomnia. The studies also weren't all the same. They looked at different groups of people and used different forms of chamomile, from ordinary tea to concentrated extracts.
One cup of tea isn't necessarily the same as the research
This is probably the most useful detail to know if you're thinking about trying it yourself. Some of the studies that found benefits used concentrated chamomile extracts rather than an ordinary tea bag. So you can't simply take the dose from a clinical trial and assume that one cup from your kitchen contains the same amount.
Even the postpartum study that used chamomile tea followed a specific preparation: participants drank one cup made with 2 grams of dried chamomile flowers and 300 ml of hot water each day. That doesn't mean a normal cup of chamomile is pointless. It just means we don't know exactly how much of the effects seen in clinical trials can be attributed to a typical cup of tea. And there's another reason the simple bedtime ritual may still be useful.
The bedtime ritual could be part of the appeal
Chamomile tea is naturally caffeine-free, making it an easy alternative to coffee or regular tea later in the evening. Having the same warm drink around the same time each night can also become part of a wind-down routine. The ritual itself hasn't been proven to be responsible for chamomile's effects, but it can give you a simple cue to step away from work, screens and the rest of the day's distractions.
You don't need to make the tea unusually strong or drink several cups. The research doesn't establish that more chamomile means better sleep. If you want to try it, a cup around 30 to 60 minutes before bed is a practical way to fit it into your evening routine. The important part is to treat it as something that may help you wind down, rather than something guaranteed to make you fall asleep.
Who should be careful with chamomile?
Chamomile is generally well tolerated, but it isn't completely risk-free. People who are allergic to plants in the daisy family, including ragweed, may also react to chamomile. It's also sensible to check with a doctor or pharmacist if you take sedatives or blood-thinning medication, or if you're pregnant and considering regular use of concentrated chamomile products.
A normal cup of tea is not the same as a concentrated supplement, so the form and amount matter.
So, does chamomile tea really help you sleep?
There does appear to be something behind the old bedtime remedy. Several studies have found improvements in sleep quality, and a review of randomised trials points in the same direction. But the effect appears to be modest, and not every study has found a benefit. Some of the research also uses concentrated extracts rather than the tea you would normally make at home.
So if you enjoy chamomile, a warm caffeine-free cup before bed is a reasonable addition to your evening routine. Just don't expect it to work like a sleeping pill. And if poor sleep is happening regularly and affecting your everyday life, it's worth looking for the reason rather than relying on any tea to solve it.