Many people say that drinking Tea at night is a no-go as it can cause Insomnia. Does drinking tea in the evening always affect your Sleep? Not necessarily. While it's true that tea has stimulating properties, it can also have a calming effect. By making informed choices about the type of tea and how you drink it, you won't just avoid disrupting your sleep but may even improve its quality.
Reasons for Insomnia from Drinking Tea
The common belief that tea causes insomnia stems from the caffeine content in tea leaves, which can energize and keep you awake. However, this isn't an absolute rule.
The amount of caffeine in tea depends on various factors such as the type of tea, growing conditions, harvest season, picking standards, processing methods, and brewing techniques. People also vary in their tolerance to caffeine due to differences in constitution and lifestyle habits. Some individuals find that even a small cup of tea before bed keeps them tossing and turning all night, while others who regularly drink tea can still enjoy a peaceful sleep after their nightly cup.
How to Drink Tea Without Insomnia
01 Drink tea 3-5 hours before bedtime
If you plan to go to sleep at 11 PM, try to drink your tea before 8 PM (and remember to wait an hour after eating). This should not significantly affect your sleep. For healthy adults, caffeine starts working within an hour and its effects typically fade after 3 to 4 hours with moderate consumption.
02 Rinse the tea 1-2 times
Caffeine dissolves quickly in hot water, so rinsing the tea for about 2 minutes will remove approximately 70-80% of the caffeine. Discarding the first two infusions can help reduce the risk of insomnia.
03 Drink lighter teas
Caffeine's effects require a certain threshold to be reached, and individuals often develop a tolerance to it. Common products like cola, Coffee, and chocolate contain caffeine. Generally speaking, lighter teas release limited amounts of caffeine, which can minimize their impact on sleep.
04 Choose teas with higher fermentation levels
For example, fully fermented black tea. During fermentation, polyphenols convert into oxidized products like theaflavins and thearubigins, reducing their irritation to the Digestive system. These oxidized polyphenols are also more likely to bind with caffeine, thus indirectly decreasing the amount of caffeine absorbed directly from the tea and lowering the risk of insomnia.
05 Opt for teas with a sweet taste
The sweetness in tea is primarily due to soluble sugars like monosaccharides and disaccharides, as well as amino acids that impart a sweet flavor, such as theanine. Numerous studies have shown that theanine has beneficial effects on neural protection, relaxation, and mood regulation, which can be very helpful for sleep without any adverse side effects. For instance, white tea, known for its delicate fragrance and sweetness, contains the highest levels of theanine among the six main types of tea.
06 Try aged or ripe teas
Ripe teas and aged teas tend to be milder and less stimulating. Green teas, on the other hand, contain relatively high levels of caffeine and polyphenols, which can be more stimulating to the nervous system. Black tea, ripe Pu'er, and aged white tea, however, not only won't keep you awake but can actually aid in sleep. Aged white tea, in particular, is especially effective when brewed by simmering.
07 Have some sweets
If you've had too much tea, eating something sweet or having a snack can help mitigate the effects and prevent insomnia.
Drinking tea before bed might simply satisfy your craving. If your insomnia is caused by drinking tea improperly before bedtime, give these tips a try.